The ECB has urged county boards to waive club membership fees up to and down the country.
Despite the ECB’s declaration that no cricket-recreational or professional-will be played at the earliest before the end of May, several clubs have reported attempts in recent days to chase up fee payments.
The fees are expected from all ECB-affiliated clubs, and this mechanism is traditionally controlled and obtained by the local cricket board or league rather than the ECB, with a focus on controlling the safeguarding procedures in place for clubs. They vary in value from about £40 to over £100 depending on what’s received as part of the contract by the Cricket Board.
It is understood in a conference call to the boards on Wednesday that the ECB recommended that cricket boards look in every way they can help the clubs financially.
Although several clubs which have paid well in advance of the season, consideration will also be given to a tiered rebate amount depending on how much cricket is likely in the months ahead.
Although the problem is primarily symbolic-one club told their fee was only £10- in recent days, the move highlights the central message of the ECB: everybody in the game, at every point, is in this together.
The ECB announced last Friday that its age group programs-All Stars and Dynamos Cricket-will remain indefinitely suspended.
Clubs were also given information that loan repayments had been postponed until May 2021 as part of the interest-free loan program, which provides funds for development projects. The initiative is part of the ECB’s £ 61 m plan to ensure the cricket in England and Wales will address the biggest obstacle it faced in the modern period.
Matches Postponed Amidst Coronavirus Threat:
All the cricket matches leagues, including the much-awaited 13th edition of the IPL 2020 tournament was also suspended till 15th April in the wake of the spread of Coronavirus infection. This came in after the authorities declared that, mass gatherings triggers the spread of COVID 19 infection.
