Competition start date on schedule
IN recent decades Southport and Birkdale’s cricketers have rarely shown much eagerness to listen to announcements from Westminster.
Indeed, one or two uncomplicated souls may not even have understood the significance of the location.
Monday was different. Boris Johnson’s roadmap out of lockdown was principally vital for schools, the NHS, businesses and the wider economy but it also contained nuggets of good news for amateur sportsmen.
And exercise plays an important part in maintaining the nation’s health.
The news that outdoor sport will be permitted from March 29, albeit with safeguards in place, raises hopes that the
Andrew Carney
Love Lane Liverpool Competition will begin as provisionally planned on April 24 and that clubs should even be able to fit in a few net sessions and pre-season games.
When one thinks back to the bleak April we endured in 2020, these are riches beyond compare.
But we are eight weeks away from the scheduled start of the Competition and events over the past year have offered us many warnings against making complacent assumptions.
The start of the cricket season will rightly be dependent on the initial relaxations proceeding smoothly.
So it is undoubtedly useful that the league’s Restart Group, of which S&B chairman, Andrew Carney, is a member, has already discussed contingency arrangements to ensure that a competitive summer of cricket takes place, even if the current programme has to be modified by extending the season or playing on Bank Holidays and Sundays.
“The Restart Group met earlier this month and I think we were well prepared for any eventuality,” said Carney.
“We had three or four scenarios sketched out but they were dependent on decisions that were beyond our control.
“Now we have more clarity and it seems likely that the Competition will begin as planned on April 24.
“If that does happen it is even more probable that a variety of Covid-19 protocols will have to be in place but that is a small price to pay for starting the season on time.
“However, we will need to keep a close eye on government announcements because it is always possible that the dates for certain activities will be changed.
“The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has very good links with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the ECB pass on any guidelines and limitations very efficiently.”
Should all go well over the next six weeks or so, S&B’s season will begin with a pre-season friendly against Bradshaw on April 10.
A week later Norden will visit Trafalgar Road and on April 24 Chris Cunningham will take his team to Rosclare Drive to play Wallasey.
It should be something to see and something to savour.
It seems likely the Competition will begin as planned on April 24