Cross happy with stable form
Tests will continue even if star falls sick
CRICKET chiefs are hatching a plan for Test matches to carry on even if a player shows coronavirus symptoms during the game.
Instead, there will be isolation rooms available at the venues – expected to be the Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford – to contain the player while tests are carried out.
“He will be placed in isolation,” said ECB lead organiser Steve Elworthy. “The latest advice that I’ve got on this is that the medical team on site will make an assessment at the time.
“That depends on where it is in the game, when it is in the game, what potentially the testing symptom is – all those different elements.”
And it looks as though Joe Root will not be prevented from being at the birth of his second child, with a ‘bridge to the outside’ to enable people to enter and leave the bio-secure bubble.
Elworthy added: “Clearly, the more people you have in and out of the bubble, the weaker the bubble is. But, at the same time, there are going to be circumstances when people will need to leave.
“I absolutely get that. We will make sure that the protocols around leaving the bubble and
ROB CROSS has learned to go the ‘extra mule’ – after becoming the proud owner of four donkeys.
Former world champion Cross (right) rejoins the PDC Home Tour tonight in a tough group which includes Luke Woodhouse, who hit a nine-darter in the first round.
The online event has coming back into it are the shortest period of time but in the most safe and secure way possible.”
Meanwhile, England have called on 14 uncapped players as part of a 55-man group to help prepare for the international summer.
Ollie Robinson, Sam Hain, Henry Brookes and Dan Lawrence are among those who will take part in individual training sessions before moving into small group training as Government restrictions allow.
With West Indies, Pakistan and Ireland all set to visit the UK this summer, the enlarged group allows for enough flexibility to be able to stage warm-ups and play been anything but a donkey derby for the big guns, but Cross believes he has been digging for victory by preparing a ranch for his new arrivals.
He said: “It’s actually a really emotional story. After my grandad died of Covid-19 a couple of months ago, we took
■ both red and white-ball fixtures at the same time if necessary.
However, there is no room for World Cup-winning bowler Liam Plunkett, drawing a line under his international career.
And Alex Hales, who was dropped from the World Cup squad last year over two failed drugs tests, is nowhere to be seen.
The England Lions squad who beat Australia A Down Under in February feature heavily, with Sussex fast bowler Robinson ready to take the next step towards international cricket.
“Getting into this training group lets people like me know that we may be a bit closer than we thought,” he said. my nan in to look after her. Out of the blue my nan suddenly said that, as a thank you for all the support we’ve given her, she had bought four donkeys for her grandkids.
“My wife Georgia is pregnant with our fourth baby, so that’s one each. The kids are obviously so excited. “It’s been left to me to build a stable. “It’s been a fantastic distraction for the kids to have something so different to do. But for dad, it has been hard labour for a few weeks!”