There will be no professional cricket played in England and Wales before May 28 at the earliest due to the coronavirus pandemic, the ECB has announced.
Following consultation with the government, the 18 first-class counties, MCC, PCA and the Professional Game Group, the ECB Board today agreed to postpone all first-class cricket for at least seven weeks. The season was due to commence on April 12 and seven rounds of County Championship action were scheduled before May 28.
Now they are looking into remodelling the season beginning in June or later.
If and when the season is able to get underway, the most lucrative cricket will be prioritised to help ensure the financial viability of the 18 first-class counties, with England matches, the Hundred and the Vitality Blast at the top of the list. It is therefore possible that the County Championship might not be played for the first time since 1945.
It is possible that games will take place behind closed doors if necessary.
“During this period of deep uncertainty it is the ECB’s first priority to protect the wellbeing of everyone within the cricket family, from players, to fans and colleagues across the game,” said ECB Chief Executive Tom Harrison.
“The decision to delay the start of the season has been essential, given the circumstances the nation faces. I am reassured by the collaborative effort from across the game that together, we will make the very best of whatever length of season we are able to safely schedule in the coming months.
“With the information available to us at the moment a delay to the start of the professional cricket season until May 28 was unavoidable. This also allows us time to keep pace with a fast-moving situation and continue to plan for how a revised season might look. Critically, we can also remain as flexible and adaptable as possible, within the obvious restrictions we face.
“Securing the future of the game will be a primary focus as we plot a revised schedule with an emphasis on the most financially important forms of the game for the counties across international and domestic cricket.’’
This announcement follows the recommendation on Wednesday that all recreational cricket in England is suspended indefinitely.
