PembrokeshireSport.co.uk has asked the executive committee of the Pembroke County Cricket Club if they would consider contacting clubs to remind them of their responsibility to play a part in the scoring of games, as it already is to have players take part in umpiring if no official umpires are available, writes Bill Carne.
 
In several matches in division two teams were unable to produce a scorer – but then compounded the problem since not one player helped out when it was their turn to bat – and several terrific long-time scorers are considering stopping because of the undoubted tensions of scoring alone and the difficulty of naming players under their protective helmets.
 
Indeed, Nicola Murray (Pembroke Dock) not only scored alone but managed to keep the ‘Play Cricket’ app going – whilst the opposition were able to sit on the boundary and applaud a 50 from one of their players because they were following her on the app!
 
Some leagues ‘up the line’ have a rule whereby if a team cannot supply a scorer for the whole match, they must field with ten men so that one player can sit and score – and that might be draconian but a way forward if clubs sit back and rely on other clubs to do this vital job.