Penarth Cricket Club teams washed out at St Fagans (From Penarth Times)

Penarth Cricket Club teams washed out at St Fagans

8:20am Thursday 28th June 2012 in Sport

THE Welsh cricketing fraternity were left shocked and saddened when they heard of the sudden and tragic death of Tom Maynard.

Tom was a prodigious talent who had progressed from league cricket with St Fagans to Glamorgan and then Surrey. He had already toured with England Lions and was widely tipped to break into the full England side in all three forms of the game.

How good he was we now will never know and our thoughts can only go out to his family at this very sad time.

Ironically three out of the four Penarth sides were scheduled to play St Fagans at the weekend and a minute's silence was held before each game as a mark of respect.

Having won the toss, Penarth first team skipper Sam Docherty had no hesitation in asking the opposition to take first knock on a very wet Athletic Field wicket. This proved a wise decision as the St Fagans batsmen struggled against accurate bowling on a slow and sticky track.

After 50 overs the away side could only muster 156 for 4 wickets but the rain clouds were gathering and Penarth's reply was eventually washed out by by yet another downpour. The game was abandoned with Penarth on 20 for 2 wickets from 15 overs.

At St Fagans the second XI lost the toss and the home side decided to bat, which again proved a good decision when they went on to make 257 for 8.

Wickets were shared around with Pete Ingram taking 2 for 25, Andy Prickett 1 for 20, and young Ryan Todd 1 for 19.

In reply Penarth reached 70 for 2 when the rain came, Pete Docherty being left high and dry on 47 not out.

The third team game also became a victim of the weather but not before St Fagans posted a total of 190 all out, having been asked to bat first.

The Penarth bowlers generally bowled well with Tim Miller taking 2 for 30 from 10 overs, Matt Birch 2 for 25 from 10 and Hugh Morgan having his first bowl for a year taking an impressive 4 for 16 from 4.2 overs.

The small matter of 32 extras made the total far larger than it should have been. This in effect was the end of the game as the rain came down during the tea interval and that, as they say, was that.

The fourth team game at Blaengarw was cancelled early Saturday morning due to a waterlogged pitch.

This is rapidly becoming a record summer for all the wrong reasons.

The awful weather has meant that the first team have only played 4 games out of a possible 9 and the other sides have fared little better.

It is very difficult as a cricketer, in what is a short season anyway, to find any form in such conditions and it is to be hoped July heralds some real summer sunshine.

Next the firsts travel to newly promoted Rogerstone, the seconds are at home to Welsh Asians, the thirds take on Abercarn at home and the fourths travel to Aberdare.

On Sunday the under 17s entertain Usk at the Athletic Field.