Pak to tour Eng in July, players won’t be forced
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has agreed to a Test and T20I tour of the coronavirusravaged England in July, but will not force players to agree for the assignment should they have reservations owing to the pandemic.
PCB chief executive Wasim Khan told a news channel, “We had a very detailed and comprehensive discussion with the ECB on Friday regarding the tour and PCB has now agreed in principle to send our cricket team to England in July.”
During the discussions with the English board held via video link on Friday, it was agreed that Pakistan would play the matches behind closed doors at grounds that have hotels inside the ground.
“If a player doesn’t want to go, we will accept their decision and take no disciplinary action,” Khan said, adding, however, that based on his information, every player wants to join the tour.
Khan said 25 players will travel to England on four chartered flights and the players will be put in quarantine. “Manchester and Southampton will be the likely venues for the Test series and the ECB will announce a third venue soon,” Khan said.
ADAPT, PLAY IN EMPTY STADIUMS: NEESHAM
cricket’s finances taking a hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic, New Zealand allrounder Jimmy Neesham says they will have to “adapt” to playing before empty stadiums to save the sport from financial ruin.
Cricket boards of England and Australia, which drive the sport’s economy along with India, are fearing they could face a severe financial crisis due to postponement of events leading to slashing of revenues.
“If the situation is that the only way to play cricket is behind closed doors then I think it is something that we have to adapt to as players,” Neesham told Espncricinfo. “The reality is that it is a huge financial challenge for a lot of cricket boards to still run without any revenue coming in from games.
“So obviously we want to try and keep the sport in as good a state as it can be in. If that means playing games behind closed doors, the guys just need to suck it up and get it done.” The New Zealander, however, added nothing can beat playing in front of fans.
CLUB CRICKET TO RESUME IN AUSTRALIA
cricket is set to resume in Australia for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic struck the globe when the Darwin and District Cricket Competition season begins with a T20 tournament from June 6.
The cricketers will not be allowed to use sweat or saliva to shine the ball in the competition and Darwin Cricket Management (DCM) group is exploring various options, including having umpires involved in ball-shining using a wax applicator.
Clubs will be required to complete a COVID-19 safety plan assessment and submit it to the Northern Territory Government before they can play. Some details are still being worked out.
‘THERE MIGHT BE FEAR WHEN SPORT RETURNS’
Dravid reckons there could be “a sense of doubt, hesitancy and fear” initially in the minds of athletes as well as people in general when sport resumes in post Covid-19 world.
“For a short period there may be a sense of doubt or fear about certain things, I am sure there will be a certain hesitancy when we get back in, also there will be certain hesitancy in terms of people,” Dravid said during the show ‘Staying Ahead of the Curve - The Power of Trust’ on Sunday.
“Personally, I don’t see that (break due to pandemic) as a huge problem. I don’t think that once elite sportspersons get on the field, get to do what they really love, they will have a problem. One of the challenges for a lot of sportspersons will be to trust their bodies after two or three months of not playing sports or movements that are associated with sports.”