Scientists say cricket safer than basketball

PLAYING cricket is less likely to result in Covid-19 transmission than basketball, scientists say, as they question the logic of allowing some “confined” sports to restart first.

Boris Johnson described the ball as a “vector for the disease”, quashing hopes that club cricket could resume from July 4.

In contrast, as long as facilities introduced stringent safety measures, many enclosed sports arenas such as outdoor basketball courts were allowed to reopen.

Experts claim the resumption of grass-roots cricket should have instead been prioritised as social distancing is easier to follow.

Dr Bharat Pankhania, a senior clinical lecturer at the College of Medicine and Health at the University of Exeter, told The Sunday Telegraph: “No event has a zero risk but cricket appears to be, overall, a less risky event compared to basketball, which is played more so in a confined manner be it indoors or outdoors.

“Cricket is played on a big field, the dynamics of the game are such that most players are spaced out and for these reasons it may be termed a safer activity.” The possibility of a cricket ball carrying infection is slim as it is out in the open so poses a marginal risk to the players handling it, he added.

The comments come after former England captains Michael Vaughan and Sir Geoffrey Boycott led the calls for cricket to return as The Telegraph launched a campaign to save the club game.

Labour and Tory MPs told this newspaper they believe the Government should rethink its decision amid fears children will not come back to cricket next summer if the season is wiped out.