ASTWOOD Bank captain Steve Adshead believes clubs could struggle to survive a repeat of 2012’s soggy summer.

Clubs have endured a frustrating start to the cricket season with a wet May seeing teams having up to three of their first five matches abandoned so far this term.

This weekend saw torrential rain decimate the weekend’s fixtures with hardly a ball being bowled in anger across the entire West Midlands.

Two years ago, one of the most rain-soaked seasons in a century caused massive disruption to the Birmingham, Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Cotswold Hills Leagues.

The lack of action hit clubs in the pocket as takings from the social bar reduced. Clubs were given a chance to bounce back thanks to last year’s warm summer.

Adshead said: “Hopefully things won’t be as bad in 2012.

“I am not sure that many clubs could survive if we had a repeat.

“We managed to recoup anything we lost last season and we’ve got measures in place if it happens again but it would disrupt our plans this year.

“At this time of year you often have showers, so hopefully we can get on with things.”

Astwood were frustrated as their bottom-of-the-table clash against Penn was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Bank are still waiting for their first win since winning promotion to the Birmingham League Division Three, but they face a Bridgnorth side in third place with three wins already in the bag.

It will be the first time this season the club will play in the traditional win, lose or draw format.

“We’ve got a full strength squad but at the moment I am not sure what the team will be,” warned the skipper.

“Our form’s not been good enough [so far], so we will have to look at it.

“We thought the 50-over one-day international format would suit us, but you only have to look at results to see it hasn’t.

“But it is early on this season and we have ability to start picking up results.”