Penn skipper's rainy day
Penn skipper Richard Bradford has more reason than most to bemoan the wet weather.
Penn skipper Richard Bradford has more reason than most to bemoan the wet weather.
Bradford's side go into Saturday's top of the table clash with Berkswell counting the cost of their fourth abandonment of the season.
The Mount Road men appeared to have the upper hand against Evesham after clocking up 203 and then reducing their hosts to 56-3 in bowler friendly conditions.
As a result of the washout, Penn now find themselves level on points with Berkswell despite having lost just once this season and with Bradford hoping for a change of fortune with the weather.
"It doesn't matter where we play, we seem to take the rain with us," said a frustrated Bradford.
"We have now had four games abandoned, twice as many as anyone else in the division, and in each of those games we have been in the stronger position.
"Berkswell are now level on points with us despite having lost three games to our one.
"We are just praying for some good weather and hoping things even themselves out over the second half of the season.
"We are still top, but I don't think our points tally reflects how well we have played and that's down to the weather."
Bradford is set to name an unchanged side for the clash with Berkswell.
Smethwick captain David Banks reckons his players are almost ready for first division cricket as the continue their quest for promotion against Tamworth on Saturday.
Banks's side have established themselves among the second division promotion contenders with a series of solid results.
After hinting in previous seasons that the team needed more time to develop, Banks believes they could now cope at a higher level.
He said: "I think some of the players have matured as cricketers and as a result the team has matured as well.
"We wouldn't go up and charge through the next division but I think we are now at a point where we could go up and compete at that level.
"But what we need to do now is keep ourselves in and around the top positions and see where it takes us.
"Nobody is getting carried away but the team are doing pretty well and we are pleased.
"What we haven't done yet is put together a run of three or four straight wins and if we could do that it would make a big difference."
Banks will return to lead the side this week after missing Saturday's eight-wicket win over Aston Manor because of a holiday.
