Today was supposed to mark the start of the 2020 Pembroke County Cricket Club season – and ironically there’s no hint of rain.

But it remains to be seen if any local matches will be played at all this summer following the latest announcement from the ECB.

They have ruled no professional cricket will be played in England and Wales until July 1st at the earliest – while the recreational form of the game remains suspended until further notice. Cricket Wales and the PCCC have so far followed ECB guidance and Telegraph Sport understands will continue to do so.

If in theory, the Pembrokeshire domestic season was to be declared open at that same date, it would conveniently come at the midway point of the campaign with each side having nine games left - therefore playing everybody once.

The South Wales Cricket Association have already informed clubs in their league structure that if they are able to start then no promotion or relegation will take place at the end of the season – an idea our own Executive would surely consider whilst also looking at completing cup competitions by condensing the time between rounds.

Wild optimism?

However, the widespread feeling is it remains very unlikely that local cricket will be given the green light come July. The current lockdown in the UK is set to last until May 7th, and even if certain rules are relaxed on that date - the prospect of gatherings and sporting fixtures will remain a considerable way away.

And while the ECB have provisional plans in place for international and county cricket during the summer, matches will be subject to strict guidelines with no spectators and a complex quarantine system for players, coaches, and umpires.

It’s a system that would be almost impossible to implement at grassroots level.

The conundrum the Executive may have to deal with is when is deemed too late to get going?

Alternative cricket:

A number of Pembrokeshire cricket clubs, and individuals, have managed to keep active – virtually at least.

Via social media, many have taken to posting player profiles, videos, or competing in the ‘coin toss’ competitions that have been organised by Carmarthen Wanderers. Others have held group meetings or club quizzes via Zoom – and today Cresselly and Lawrenny will try and replace their original scheduled fixture with ‘backyard cricket’.

Groundsmen have also been permitted to continue essential work on grounds.

But it remains to be seen what action, if any at all, takes place on the fields this summer and while in the grand scheme of things cricket is of little importance right now – many of us are about to find out how much we’d miss it if it was gone.