In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has identified five moves for the planned gradual return to competitive games in England this summer.
England is currently in stage 3 where small group training sessions with up to six participants will take place while maintaining social space, the ECB said in a media statement.
Guidelines For Recreational Cricket:
The Welsh government is due to review current restrictions on June 18.
“As cricket is a non-contact sport involving individual disciplines within a team environment, game forms can be played while respecting social distance. We will continue to be guided by UK government advice and will only move into step 4 when the guidance allows and when it is medically safe to do so,” the ECB said.
The board will arrange short format matches in the next phase while adhering to the guidelines of the Department. All formats, leagues, and competitions would be available in the fifth and final step and it is this stage that will enable the removal of all social distancing norms.
The tri-match Test series between England and West Indies, scheduled to be played next month, will mark the resumption of international cricket that has been at a standstill since March following the novel coronavirus outbreak.
The first test is set to be held in Southampton’s Ageas Bowl (July 8-12) with the second and third tests in Manchester’s Old Trafford from July 16-20, and then July 24-28. The Pandemic had brought the complete cricket world to a standstill, all the players who had returned from foreign country tournaments, they were sent to quarantine.
Not only this, BCCI in a media statement has said that it is looking forward to conducting the 13th edition of IPL in an open stadium without any audience. But dates are yet to be finalized.
