CRICKET HIT FOR SIX
Virus leaves counties with ‘cash black hole’
ENGLISH cricket is facing a ‘cash black hole’ as it struggles to come to terms with the implications of the coronavirus.
The warning came from Surrey, the richest of the 18 first-class clubs, ahead of a conference call today involving county chairmen and chief executives, all anxious for clarity with the scheduled start of the County Championship less than a month away.
‘Our focus is on trying to make sure we get through the next short-term period,’ said Surrey chief executive Richard Gould.
‘Around this time, we’d be expecting ticket sales for the T20 Blast to be entering their prime selling stage. But we’ve sold only 25 per cent of what we’d expect. There will be cash-flow issues for everyone. The question is whether the counties will ever catch up. There is a cash black hole looming.’
The virus could peak in the UK any time between late May and mid-June. By then, counties should have played six or seven rounds of four-day matches, while the lucrative T20 Blast is set to start on May 28. The first Test against West Indies is scheduled for June 4 at the Oval.
On the day Middlesex and Northamptonshire announced they were prematurely ending pre-season tours of Oman and Singapore, another source close to the discussions said: ‘Even if you’re looking at starting the season as early as June, you’ve got concerns about the financial impact across the county game. Some counties are on a knife-edge.’
A restructuring of the summer could involve axing the 50-over Royal London One-Day Cup, shortening both the Championship and the Blast, and extending the season into October.
One complicating factor is the ECB’s new Hundred competition, which is supposed to begin on July 17. After staking millions of pounds — and their professional reputations — on the competition, the board may be reluctant to postpone it for a year.
The threat to the season could not have come at a worse time for the ECB, whose most recent accounts revealed cash reserves of £11million, down from £73m in 2015-16. Among the ‘major risks’ the board now faced, that set of accounts identified the ‘loss of cricket due to events outside cricket’s control’. They included the threat of terrorist attack and national mourning, though not a pandemic.
Meanwhile, England white-ball batsman Sam Billings has offered his services to those in Canterbury who are unable or reluctant to leave their home because of the coronavirus.
‘Anyone in the Canterbury area who knows of someone, or they themselves need their shopping done for them, just shout,’ tweeted the Kent captain. ‘Reply and I’ll drop you a DM (direct message).’
Surrey have instructed six of their players to self-isolate for the rest of the week.