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Coronavirus: England further suspends professional cricket until at least July 1
Earlier, the ECB had suspended professional cricket in the country until May 28 due to COVID-19.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has decided to further extend the suspension of professional cricket in the country until at least July 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic that has brought the entire world to standstill.
The decision to extend the postponement of the season was taken in the wake of the ongoing advice from the government and health experts and continued consultation with all broadcast partners to determine the optimum way to fulfil fixtures both domestically and internationally.
The suspension means nine rounds of fixtures will be lost in the County Championship season. However, blocks for red-ball cricket and white-ball cricket will take place in a revised schedule.
The ECB further said that all the matches of the Vitality Blast will be pushed as late in the season as possible in order to give it the best chance of being held in full.
Meanwhile, all the international matches--featuring England men’s and women’s teams--will be scheduled from July to the end of September while the men's team Test series against West Indies and women's limited-overs fixtures against India will be moved from their original schedule.
Reflecting on the decision, ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said that the country's cricket schedule will only go ahead only of the government permits.
“Our role as a national governing body during a crisis of this scale requires us to carefully plan alongside cricket’s stakeholders and supporters to attempt to overcome COVID-19’s impact on this season.As much as we remain hopeful that we can deliver some cricket this summer, we are in the midst of a worldwide crisis and our priority – over and above the playing of professional sport – will be to protect the vulnerable, key workers and society as a whole," an official statement quoted Harrison as saying.
“That’s why, simply put, there will be no cricket unless it’s safe to play. Our schedule will only go ahead if Government guidance permits," he added.
The ECB will now schedule another board meeting next Wednesday on The Hundred after a request was made to dedicate another session to the competition
Earlier, the ECB had suspended professional cricket in the country until May 28 due to COVID-19 which has affected more than 27,00,000 persons globally and claimed the lives of 1,90,800 people worldwide.
The decision to extend the postponement of the season was taken in the wake of the ongoing advice from the government and health experts and continued consultation with all broadcast partners to determine the optimum way to fulfil fixtures both domestically and internationally.
The suspension means nine rounds of fixtures will be lost in the County Championship season. However, blocks for red-ball cricket and white-ball cricket will take place in a revised schedule.
The ECB further said that all the matches of the Vitality Blast will be pushed as late in the season as possible in order to give it the best chance of being held in full.
Meanwhile, all the international matches--featuring England men’s and women’s teams--will be scheduled from July to the end of September while the men's team Test series against West Indies and women's limited-overs fixtures against India will be moved from their original schedule.
Reflecting on the decision, ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison said that the country's cricket schedule will only go ahead only of the government permits.
“Our role as a national governing body during a crisis of this scale requires us to carefully plan alongside cricket’s stakeholders and supporters to attempt to overcome COVID-19’s impact on this season.As much as we remain hopeful that we can deliver some cricket this summer, we are in the midst of a worldwide crisis and our priority – over and above the playing of professional sport – will be to protect the vulnerable, key workers and society as a whole," an official statement quoted Harrison as saying.
“That’s why, simply put, there will be no cricket unless it’s safe to play. Our schedule will only go ahead if Government guidance permits," he added.
The ECB will now schedule another board meeting next Wednesday on The Hundred after a request was made to dedicate another session to the competition
Earlier, the ECB had suspended professional cricket in the country until May 28 due to COVID-19 which has affected more than 27,00,000 persons globally and claimed the lives of 1,90,800 people worldwide.