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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: England Captain Eoin Morgan lifts the World Cup with the England team after victory for England during the Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between New Zealand and England at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 14, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
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LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 14: England Captain Eoin Morgan lifts the World Cup with the England team after victory for England during the Final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 between New Zealand and England at Lord’s Cricket Ground on July 14, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
The England Cricket Board, ECB, is planning to host a shortened County Championship in early August. The game of cricket has been suspended for over two months now in the view of the coronavirus pandemic.
The novel coronavirus has gripped the entire world. As a result, the respective country boards had to either cancel or postpone their domestic and international cricket season. Also, the cricket boards are facing a financial crisis due to the stopping of the game. Therefore, the England and Wales Cricket Board is planning to resume cricket in the country soon.
ECB has decided to organize County Championship followed by the T20 Blast and One-day Cup as a part of the domestic season. According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the teams are likely to be divided into three groups of sixes and will play once against each other. The top two from each group will progress into the next round with the five-day final at Lord’s. England Cricket is planning to start this arrangement from early August. However, if things don’t go as per the plan, ECB will call off the County Championship and will shift its entire focus on hosting the T20 Blast.
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LONDON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 12 : Tom Harrison the ECB Chief Executive Officer looks on after England won the 2nd Specsavers Test Match between England and India at Lord’s Cricket Ground on August 12, 2018 in London England. (Photo by Philip Brown/Getty Images)
England Cricket players to resume play soon
The authorities in England are trying to take permission from the government to resume the lower-level cricket soon.
Recently, ECB Chief Executive Officer Tom Harrison, said: “Naturally we want to see cricket being played at every level. We remain hopeful of seeing both domestic and recreational cricket this season. Planning with the PGG has allowed us to map a number of potential scenarios for domestic play.”
He quoted, “While traditional formats of our competitions are the preference. We are not against exploring the unorthodox to ensure that we can return our players to the field. “That can only happen through when it is safe, and we have said throughout this crisis that the safety and well-being of everyone involved in the game is our key priority,” Harrison added.
