Local action comes back
Clubs play friendlies ahead of new season
Somerset County Cricket Club has come together with the NHS to open up a drive-through COVID-19 testing centre at the Cooper Associates County Ground.
The testing centre is for preoperative patients and symptomatic NHS staff. The aim is to keep transmission of infection to a minimum at local health care facilities such as Musgrove Park Hospital and to enable NHS staff to continue working when given the ‘all clear.’
Working in partnership with Premier Parking Solutions (PPS), the St James Street side of the ground was initially testing around 300 people a week, but has now ramped up to 900 a week.
The NHS clearly state that although there are testing centres that are open to the public, the testing centre at the Cooper Associates County Ground is by appointment only and for those who meet the above criteria.
This initiative is the latest scheme in a long standing relationship between Somerset and the NHS from booking conferences and events, cricket days dedicated to the NHS and raising money for local NHS causes.
Somerset chief executive Gordon Hollins said: “The club greatly appreciates the support it has had for many years on and off the field and we now have a responsibility to play our part in helping the South West community get through this crisis.
“It is a privilege to host the NHS Testing Centre, which is so important in ensuring that our magnificent Doctors and nurses are protected. I am also delighted that so many of our players and staff have supported the community in different ways, from helping maintain the grounds of a care home to filling envelopes with Thank You cards being sent to Somerset’s army of 4000 volunteers.”
Mel Schultz, who is responsible for COVID-19 testing at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We want to say a big thank you to Somerset County Cricket Club for kindly allowing us to use a section of the Cooper Associates County Ground to support COVID-19 swab testing for our staff and patients.
“This has been a truly fantastic example of how the local community has supported the NHS in creative ways during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
With the green light being given to start the domestic season on
August 1, all first-class counties have agreed to play both red-ball and white-ball cricket during this summer. After awaiting approval from the ECB, the new fixture schedule is expecting to released shortly, with the safety and wellbeing of all players, staff and officials remaining the priority and all counties are required to undergo further medical risk assessments and venue compliance approval.
Ticket holders and counties are due to be contacted by venues with the options available to them after the fixture schedule is announced. The season is due to commence with a four-day competition which will involve all 18 counties to compete for the Bob Willis trophy. That will be followed by a shortened Vitality Blast competition starting on August 27.
ECB managing director of county cricket Neil Snowball said: “The enforced break due to COVID-19 has provided a challenging period for the county game during which time the 18 first-class counties have been united with a common goal to get back to our core function of playing cricket.
“The commitment of the chairs and chief executives of the firstclass counties to work together to achieve that ambition has been resolute and we will remain in close discussion as we continue to assess risk factors that need to be mitigated in order to ensure the safety and welfare of their players, coaches and staff.
“We are all delighted that agreement has been reached across the game and we are now in a position to look forward to and prepare for a new men’s domestic season starting on 1 August.”
England players paid tribute to key workers before last week’s first Test defeat against the West Indies. The players displayed names of key worker heroes on their training shirts ahead of behind-closeddoors series of three Tests.
Somerset stars Jack Leach and Dominic Bess displayed the name of NHS volunteer Ollie Clark and nurse Wendy Morris respectively. Teammates Tom Banton and Lewis Gregory have been named in the 24-man England squad for a behind-closed-doors ODI training group, ahead of the three match series against Ireland which begins later in the month. The players are due to meet at the Ageas Bowl today and will live, prepare and tran on site.