CSA to ‘poach’ England Covid-19 protocols

Cricket SA is not actively developing return-to-play protocols during the Covid-19 hiatus. It doesn’t need to.

Instead, it has struck an agreement with the England Cricket Board (ECB) to adopt some of the methods the ECB is likely to employ as part of its return-to-play protocols over the coming weeks if not months.

Cricket SA has the relative luxury of being out of season as far as its domestic schedule is concerned, but countries such as England are facing dire losses with their season on hold.

“We are going to hold hands with England. I’ve reached out to [ECB director of events] Steve Elworthy and [CEO] Tom Harrison. I know both well. Doc [Shuaib] Manjra [Cricket SA chief medical officer] is looking into it‚” Cricket SA acting CEO Jacques Faul revealed.

England will put its protocols to the test at county level‚ and during clashes due against Australia (T20s and ODIs) and Pakistan (Test and T20s).

Faul intends to glean as much as he can from the English experience. “We are considering making a case to the minister at a later stage. We have been proactive, but England have to develop protocols and guidelines first. What is biosafe in the UK would be biosafe here. Stadiums tend to have the same facilities and I think we can get a decent benchmark from them.”

Faul said Cricket SA wants measures in place that will enable it to hit the deck running next season. Players will have to do their part and some of cricket’s quirks may disappear: “No saliva on the ball‚ no high fives‚ you may not even have a crowd‚ you can field with masks. If you don’t adapt‚ you will get to return to the field later.”

On the lockdown damage to cricket in SA‚ Faul said: “Our [business] model is built around hosting international matches. That is where we get the bulk of our money from.

“We haven’t lost content yet, but if India doesn’t come ... that is R180m lost. Then you have to see how your sponsors pay ... or don’t pay. I think our trouble is still in the mail.”

The challenges are on the way. “It will definitely impact negatively on us‚ about that I have no doubt whatsoever.”