FOLLOWERS of cricket are a patient lot. They need to be.

Supporters of Tavistock Club, for example, have spent a great deal of time recently watching rain fall on the Ring, and bemoaning the fact that league rivals in other parts of the county seem to be having better luck with the weather.

For both elevens the weekend programme was again wiped out. Fortunately two friendly fixtures escaped the weather, to provide entertainment for spectators and much-needed practice for players.

Against Riddings, tourists from Derbyshire, the home side was asked to score 159 for victory in only 32 overs. They fell short by 33 runs, and the match was drawn.

Top-scoring for Tavistock were Matthew Smith with 50 not out and Martin Manning with 26. Bobby Luscombe took 3 for 54 in the Riddings innings.

The game against Ivybridge was reduced to 35 overs per side following a delayed start.

Tavistock set an impressive target by scoring 191 for 7. Clive Johns maintained his recent run of form with another half-century, while Bobby Luscombe and Andy Rich made significant contributions lower down the order.

Ivybridge were never on terms with the asking-rate, and wickets fell at regular intervals, the last one in the final over. The victory margin was 74 runs.

In his first appearance for the club, left arm spinner Krishnan Subramanian bowled a good spell, taking 2 for 25 in 8 overs.

The coming weekend offers a triple attraction at the Ring. On Friday, starting at 6.15pm, Tavistock meet Buckland in the second round of the Lancaster Cup.

On Saturday afternoon the second eleven entertain Ippledon in a Devon League match sponsored by Carr's Garage.

On Sunday, Stoke Gabriel are the visitors in the second round of the County Cup. The game begins at 2pm. The club sees this as one of the key games of the season; success will take Tavistock into the last eight of the competition. When the game ends, Tavistock supporters will have two days off to tend their gardens before returning to the Ring on Wednesday.

On that afternoon the club will get into the swing of its programme of midweek fixtures when tourists Forest Row are the guests in a game sponsored by Follett's of Tavistock.

The prospect is inviting. Let us hope the sun shines.