THE weather once again played havoc with the cricket programme but in the Airedale and Wharfedale League Rawdon took advantage of some hard work by their groundstaff to get their match underway and gain a victory which took them to the top of the table.

Rawdon know they were lucky to get away with it.

They had just left the field after beating Horsforth by nine wickets when the heavens opened

once more.

A few minutes delay and they too would have been consigned to a one point rain affected draw.

Rawdon's efforts to get the game on show how vital this is in a league where you are able to pick up points even if no one else plays.

Some leagues have rules whereby a certain number of games have to start for any points to be gained but not so the Airedale and Wharfedale League and any club with title aspirations has to be willing to put themselves out and make conditions playable.

Rawdon are obviously in that bracket and in a bid to improve their chances even more they are considering purchasing a water hog.

A number of clubs now have this addition to their mopping up

equipment and all credit to them.

Cricket can be a complicated business with different scoring methods in all the leagues and while Rawdon made the most of their opportunity Pool Mills in the Leeds League were left to rue the fact that despite their efforts to get the game on and playing they were left with fewer points than if they had not bothered at all!

Clubs with complaints should however remember - as no doubt league offocials will point out - that all rules are made by the clubs at the annual meeting so if they want things to change it is up to the clubs to do something about it.

To say there has been so much rain about the clubs have generally made the most of it and games of varying duration have been squeezed in in an attempt to keep spirits up.

Rawdon's spirits are obviously high at the moment and Saturday's win saw them take over at the top of the Airedale and Wharfedale League as they notched their third win in eight games.

They have also registered two five point draws and two four point draws under the leadership of Bruce Percy.

The Buckinghamshire Minor Counties player has certainly been in good form this season and on Saturday he had another good knock with an unbeaten 47.

Another player in good form is Pool's 19 year-old batsman Paul Henry.

The form of Henry and the club's overseas all-rounder Travis Rowe have been instrumental in taking their side to the top of Division Two in the Leeds League.

On Saturday Pool faced local rivals Otley Town and young Henry produced a superb innings against his old club.

He hammered an unbeaten 121 as Pool made 191-3 and then Travis Rowe took over taking 4-10 as Town crumbled to 44-6 before rain ended the game.

There was less joy for Ilkley side Olicanians whose Leeds League match at Oulton was cancelled due to rain.,

Junior cricket is being severeley hampered by the weather and it is becoming a nightmare for organisers trying to fit in Under-12 and Under-11 games as well as their usual programme of league structured games.

There is always a conflict of interests when the weather is bad.

Youngsters are keen to play whatever the conditions but sometimes a throught has to be given to safety and to the damage that can be done to adjoining wickets.

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