Time to allow league cricket to cross boundary ropes again
BRADFORD Cricket League officials are optimistic that the recreational game will start soon despite Prime Minister Boris Johnson insisting that the ball is “a natural vector of disease.”
Johnson appeared to rule out any imminent return of cricket to local clubs and village greens when he stated in Parliament that the ball could transmit the coronavirus.
The move surprised the England and Wales Cricket Board, which is banning the use of saliva on the ball and confident it can satisfy all safety concerns.
The governing body responded with a delicately worded if implicitly critical statement in which it described cricket as “a non-contact sport with very low risk of exposure”, which can be “played as safely as other activities that are currently permitted.”
Although Johnson later seemed to backtrack, stating at the government’s final daily coronavirus briefing that he would personally like to play cricket again, those leagues anticipating an early July resumption – in line with the lifting of other restrictions – are in limbo.
One of them is the historic Bradford League, which had just begun to consult its clubs over a resumption of play following optimistic noises last week from the ECB.
David Young, the Bradford League chairman, said: “This is extremely disappointing news after the optimism of recent days, but we must not give up hope of playing.
“We have always acknowledged that the health and safety of the cricket community has to be the number one objective.”
One shaft of light is that clubs can open their bars from July 4 – the same day that pubs and restaurants can open once more.
“This should provide an opportunity for clubs to start generating some revenue after three very tough months,” added Young.
The ECB is continuing to talk to the government about the prospect of still commencing recreational cricket on or around July 4.
At present, only cricket at elite level is allowed, with England gearing up for their biosecure three-match Test series against the West Indies starting on July 8 and county cricket working towards an August restart.
Hopes of some form of red-ball county cricket have surely been boosted by the news that hotels can open again, although county chiefs are still thrashing out the various possibilities in terms of the schedule and working closely with the ECB.
Meanwhile, Michael Vaughan, the former Yorkshire batsman and England captain, has added his voice to those calling on Johnson and the government to give recreational cricket the go-ahead as soon as possible.
He also questioned the ECB response, writing in his column in the Daily Telegraph: “There have to be hard questions asked of the ECB.
“Have they done enough to get the recreational game being played again? I think they have tried. You have to understand they must play a political game when dealing with government.
“But, ultimately, have they made enough noise?
“I know they have proposed different ideas to the government about six or eight-a-side cricket, but it has not worked.”
Vaughan also sounded this warning regarding the retention of players to the game: “If the game does not start soon then we can rule out the rest of the summer.
“If that happens we can say goodbye to a lot of players who have now taken up golf or other sports.”