Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed cricket in the UK can resume next week.
Explaining his previous comments of a cricket ball being a "vector of disease" amid the coronavirus pandemic, he said: "I sought scientific advice and medical opinions, the third umpire has been invoked.
"What I can say is that we do want to work as fast as possible to get cricket back, and we will be publishing guidelines in the next few days so that cricket can resume in time for next weekend."
The decision comes hours after Johnson suggested a return for the sport was still some way off, telling LBC Radio: “The risk is not so much the ball - though that may be a factor - it’s the teas, it’s the changing rooms and so on.
"There are other factors involved which generate proximity which you might not get in a game of tennis.”
The comments were disputed by the ECB who are now drawing up approved guidelines for the return of the sport following the U-turn on Friday evening.
A statement from the ECB read: "We are delighted that the UK Government have given their permission for recreational cricket to return from next weekend. We will shortly be publishing our approved guidelines to help clubs and players prepare for cricket's return."
