Damage limitation as cricket chiefs look at best-case scenarios for return
YORKSHIRE boss Martyn Moxon believes that a three-month season is probably the best that cricket can hope for.
County cricket is suspended until at least May 28 due to the coronavirus crisis while recreational cricket has been suspended indefinitely.
The England and Wales Cricket Board is currently modelling different schedules based on whether the county season can start in June, July or August.
There has also been talk of possibly extending the campaign into October to ensure that as many games and as much revenue as possible can help struggling counties.
Director of cricket Moxon said: “It would be great if we had a situation whereby we could play maybe three months of the season.
“I think that would be the best that we could hope for at this stage, realistically, but it might be less than that, of course.
“The season could potentially go into October, but I don’t know how the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) feel about that.
“We all know how much time we lose to the weather in September as it is, so would that be viable?”
The ECB will prioritise the T20 Blast and international cricket if the season does proceed, as those are the most financially lucrative formats, a stance that has drawn broad consensus and sympathy throughout the game.
There is still a will to play the four-day County Championship if possible, but it could be difficult to hold that format deep into October.
“Obviously we want to play the Championship if at all possible, but playing it in October could be problematic,” said Moxon.
“The later the season starts, the more threat there’s clearly going to be to the Championship campaign.
“If it’s Twenty20 cricket in October, on the other hand, then that might be viable as you don’t need as much playing time for a T20 match.
“Nobody knows what’s going to happen, of course, and until this virus is under control and the government start looking at how they might relax the current guidelines, we’re all in limbo.”
Yorkshire are better placed than most clubs to withstand the financial impact of Covid-19. They recently announced a record operating profit of £6.5m for 2019 on the back of a hugely successful World Cup/ Ashes year and expect to save circa £60,000-£70,000 month having furloughed their playing staff under the government’s coronavirus jobs retention scheme.
“There will be a negative impact on us, it’s just how much,” said Moxon.
“That’s the unknown, not least in terms of how much cricket we actually get to play this season, whether we’re allowed to have any spectators in or not, what help we can get – will the government continue to support via this jobs scheme after the end of May? – we just don’t know.
“It’s damage limitation at the minute, and that’s why the club has taken the decision to furlough players and most of the staff, to try and limit the damage to the business and protect as many jobs as possible.”
Moxon is the only member of the Yorkshire cricket staff currently working along with cricket operations manager Cecilia Allen.
The former Yorkshire and England batsman, who turns 60 next month, is dealing with any cricketing matters arising but also doing his bit to help in the current crisis.
Moxon has been telephoning Yorkshire members to ensure that the Yorkshire cricketing family, as it were, is not left isolated at this difficult time.
It is a magnificent gesture by Moxon, and if you know of any Yorkshire members aged 70 or over who could be lonely during the lockdown period and who might benefit from this initiative, you can contact the club via: cricket@yorkshireccc.com