THE ISOLATION SUMMER
Despite Covid-19 blowing a hole in the game’s finances, a summer of cricket against West Indies, Ireland and Pakistan is coming together. GIDEON BROOKS goes through the plan.
THE OPPOSITION
THE ECB have had to dig deep to persuade West Indies and Pakistan to come, shelling out an estimated £700,000 for charter planes to get West Indies’ squad of up to 25 Test players and Pakistan’s 25 Test and T20 specialists here. Yet salvaging almost £200million in broadcast revenues (if three ODIs against Ireland in between Tests and a possible September white-ball tour by Australia are included) makes it well worthwhile. West Indies, who are set to arrive on June 8, play three Tests while Pakistan have three Tests and three T20s from August 5. Both boards are keen to play, with West Indies skipper Jason Holder admitting that many of his team are eager to “get back on the field and earn some money”. But there have been suggestions of horse-trading behind the scenes, with Pakistan leveraging England to tour Pakistan in 2021 and West Indies securing larger-than-usual fees.
THE QUARANTINE
ENGLAND will move from one-on-one sessions to small-group training in the middle of next month and hope to lock down 30 red-ball players in a secure camp around June 23 – 15 days out from the first Test. The most likely venue is Southampton, where the on-site Hilton Hotel provides the required ‘bubble’. Pakistan, who are likely to arrive around July 8, will probably be secured in their preferred site at Edgbaston, staying in a city centre hotel and training at the ground. West Indies will acclimatise and train for four weeks, with Old Trafford, which has an on-site Hilton, the most probable venue.
TRAINING
ENGLAND will replace temperature checks with swab-testing of players and officials when group training starts and will move to full training from June 23. They are planning an intra-squad warm-up game at the Ageas Bowl in the week before the first Test. West Indies are expected to do the same at Old Trafford before moving to Southampton in the build-up to the first Test on July 8. Both could play warm-up games at their quarantine venues.
BIO-SECURE GAMES
ECB logistics supremo Steve Elworthy has made detailed plans for how a Test will function behind closed doors to ensure everyone keeps to designated areas. One-way systems will keep people apart and there will be many hand-sanitiser stations. The usual 1,500 people needed to stage a Test will reduce to “between 270 and 300”. Home umpires have been approved by the ICC and players – who can use sweat but not saliva on the ball – will not hand them anything to hold. Celebrating players must observe social distancing rules, leaving some worried about atmosphere. But hopes remain high that restrictions may relax as the summer goes on.