THE cricket season and bad weather have always gone hand in hand down the years in England and this summer is no different as rain decimated last weekend's fixtures in Bromsgrove and Droitwich.

Almost all the games that involved local sides fell foul of the torrential rain that has plagued the region in recent weeks.

It means that a month into the cricket season many teams have only played a handful of games.

Droitwich Spa captain Paul Bryan spoke of his frustration, after his side's match against Eastnor was abandoned before a ball could be bowled in anger because of the rain.

He said: "There was nothing we could do on Saturday as the weather was terrible.

"It's a fact of life with cricket that the weather forces games off but it's very frustrating. Sometimes the cricket season can be a very short one.

"In a few weeks time we'll be a quarter of the way through the season and if the weather stays like this then we'll only have played a handful of games."

Barnt Green's defence of the Birmingham and District League Premier Division was stalled when their home match against Knowle and Dorridge was cancelled by the torrent of rain.

Avoncroft didn't get a chance to maintain their excellent form in the Worcester League Division Two after their clash with Netherton was rained off.

Newly promoted Ombersley, who are trying to cement a place in the Birmingham and District League Division Three, couldn't even start against Solihull Blossomfield because of the weather.

Himbleton and Cutnall Green, which play in the Worcester League's Divisions North and South, also did not get a chance to play.

Constant disruptions

Worcester based weatherman Paul Damari, of Weather Communications UK, has warned that the cricket season could be in for a summer of constant disruptions by thunderstorms.

He said: "It happens quite often that May is an unsettled time of the year.

"It's the transition period between spring and summer and that means we can get quite unsettled weather.

"Unfortunately because of this the cricket season often coincides with the thunderstorm season.

"It's impossible to predict very far ahead how the weather is going to be and we have to keep our fingers crossed there will be some good weather.

"But I also have a gut feeling this season that we are going to have more thunderstorms than usual, so cricketers are going to be in for a frustrating summer.

"I have a feeling that it is going to be warmer than usual but also have more storms than usual.

"The problem is that southwesterly winds are driving clouds in from the Atlantic over the region and they're causing all the current problems.

"I think it's going to be a very hard summer for cricketers but I'm also sure there will be periods of good weather we can all enjoy.

"The weather still has a habit of catching us all by surprise so let's hope it does."

By Peter McKinney