England could use just three grounds this year
England are making unprecedented plans to play all their international cricket at just three venues this summer, as they attempt to salvage as much of their schedule as possible.
The need to protect those involved in matches from potentially contracting Covid-19 has led the England and Wales Cricket Board to explore playing England’s six Tests, six Twenty20 matches and six one-day internationals at Old Trafford, Headingley and the Ageas Bowl, rather than at the 10 venues originally envisaged. All have hotels and training facilities and could be used as “bio-secure” venues to play matches behind closed doors. This could mean no Lord’s Test match for the first time since 1970.
If cricket cannot be played in front of crowds, a series of three one-day internationals could be held at one ground over a five-day period, with all players, match officials and those involved in staging the game staying in rooms on site. England are due to play West Indies, Australia, Pakistan and Ireland.
The more matches that the ECB is able to stage this summer, the more of its broadcasting obligations it can fulfil. Any matches that cannot be held are likely to be included in the broadcasting contract in a future year.
In further disruption, counties face a potential £12million black hole should the Hundred tournament be postponed until 2021, as expected, next week. Counties receive instalments of their annual £1.3 million payments from the ECB for the Hundred at the start of each month, with the first payments made on Feb 1. But while a quarter of all instalments have already been
made for this year’s competition, and counties have been guaranteed their Hundred payments up until the end of July, it remains unclear whether they will receive the remaining payments.
The 18 first-class counties are due to receive a combined £23.4million from the Hundred, with the second half of this – £11.7million – now in doubt. The ECB has indicated that if its revenues are hit, then it could impact on financial distributions to the 18 counties.
“As part of the £61million support package to the game, we have expedited payments to all counties to cover the period until July 31,” said an ECB spokesperson. “This includes both payments for County Partnership Agreements and the Hundred. “We are undertaking an 18-month financial forecasting project with all counties to understand their individual situations. We are planning for multiple scenarios. The monies we distribute are derived from income generated through media-rights sales and other channels. There is a strong chance this year that those incomes will be compromised.”
At next Friday’s board meeting, the
ECB expects to ratify a revised summer schedule. The timing of the series against West Indies, Australia, Pakistan and Ireland will be rejigged to maximise chances of matches being played.
The start of the T20 Blast will be moved to late July or even August, and the group stages could be trimmed from 14 games each. As The Daily Telegraph revealed last month, the firstclass season could be extended into October for the first time. But increasingly it appears as if the first-class season may feature only friendly matches rather than the County Championship.
Meanwhile, England all-rounder Moeen Ali, who has absented himself from Test duty since last summer, said yesterday he is ready to make a return.
“I think I’d probably be ready [to play Test cricket] now, to be honest,” he told The Guardian. “Clearly I would have to be playing well and win a spot back on merit.”