Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
SUMMER TESTS SERIES NOW ON STICKY WICKET
THE Test match summer is in doubt as the coronavirus attack continues to decimate sport.
The crisis has already prompted England to abandon their tour of Sri Lanka.
New Zealand and South Africa have also returned from their tours of
Australia and India in the past 24 hours.
The future of this year’s Indian Premier League is also up for debate after its start was delayed for two weeks following discussions on Friday.
All of which adds up to one of the most uncertain periods in international and domestic cricket history.
A fact acknowledged by Tony Irish, the recently installed chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association and a man who admits that cricket is reacting to an unprecedented event.
“Everything is moving so quickly and so fluidly that it’s difficult to take positions on it as the situation unfolds,” he said.
“This is totally unchartered territory. The one common factor is that it effects everyone so we need to work together on the best way forward.
“I don’t know whether the domestic season can start on time as things stand. That will depend on decisions made by the government and decisions made by the ECB based on the information they have.
“I’m loathe to say yes or no to that question.
“This will have a huge impact this summer, not just in cricket but in all sports.
“A lot of this will depend on steps taken by the government.”
With a peak in cases not anticipated for 10 to 14 weeks, that takes us to June and the heart of the English sporting summer.
England’s first Test in a three-match series against the West Indies is scheduled to begin at the Oval on June 4 before a T20 and ODI series against Australia in July.
A Test and ODI series against Pakistan then follows before England play three 50-over matches against Ireland.
As it stands, the ECB must be increasingly nervous over the prospect of some, if not all, of those games not taking place.
Johnny Grave, the chief executive of West Indies Cricket, last week told Sunday Mirror Sport that there were no plans to postpone or reschedule their matches against England.
Those plans, though, may soon change.
In a near-impossible situation, the ECB issued a statement on Friday saying that it was building contingency plans as the start of the season approaches.
Cricket’s governing body rightly points to the fact that, unlike a great many sports, the lengthy nature of the newly-created ICC Test Championship means that gaps can be found to accommodate and reschedule the series.
This will have a huge impact this summer, not just in cricket
BORIS BECKER fears for Andy Murray’s future – but believes Britain’s two-time Wimbledon champion can still challenge for titles if he wins the biggest battle of his career.
Injury-haunted Murray, 32, has not hit a ball in anger since the Davis Cup last November.
But the Scot (right) – who was Wimbledon men’s champion in 2013 and 2016 – had hoped to use this month’s Miami Open as build-up in his bid to be ready for another tilt at SW19.
But that tournament has been lost to the coronavirus, and Becker, who boasts three Wimbledon titles, said he was worried that Murray was losing his battle with a chronic hip injury that has plagued him for the last four years.
The German insisted: “If Andy can stay fit then I still think it is possible for him to challenge the world’s best players. He has to be patient – which is very tough when you have missed so much tennis.
“He has to build up his physical condition again but you only do that by getting on the practice courts and playing in tournaments.
“The more tournaments he plays, the more he will play the top guys on a regular basis. Andy isn’t so old. He’s 32 and time is still on his side.
“I don’t think it’s impossible that we can see him back near the top of the rankings – but of course he must stay fit.”
Becker (right), a Laureus sports ambassador, added: “I must admit that when Andy pulled out of the Australian Open, I feared for him.
“There is nothing worse for an athlete than to be unable to compete because of injury. It happened to me and it has happened to most of us. “When you have competed at the highest level, you don’t want to be beaten by injury. It is the worst way to leave your sport. You want to retire on your own terms and not have the decision taken away from you by something you can’t control.
“That’s why I really hope that Andy can get himself back on the court for a few more years.”
Murray hasn’t gone beyond the semi-finals of a Grand Slam since winning
Wimbledon for the second time. Becker is hoping he can give the home fans something to cheer again this June. He said: “I think Andy needs Wimbledon – and Wimbledon needs Andy just as much.
“It is always more fun when the home fans have a favourite to get behind – and as a great Wimbledon champion, Andy is a big part of the tournament. “We really missed him last year, even though he did play in the doubles.
“We all want to see him in the singles this year. It would be good for the championships.”