The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has issued new guidelines to cricket clubs on the future use of outdoor facilities in England. In doing so, it has shed some light but, for me at least, provoked a hundred other questions.
The governing body was drawing sharp, online criticism in certain quarters for their lack of responsiveness over the issue of how to use club cricket nets.
As I said on Twitter, I understand that people are champing at the bit to get any form of cricket resumed but safety concerns override everything else. I am surprised we’ve got to this point so quickly.
With the government announcing the evolution of lockdown rules, the ECB have now been able to offer some clarity.
Guidelines for using outdoor club cricket facilities
- Don’t visit the cricket club if you or a family member have any symptoms of coronavirus.
- Wash your hands thoroughly before and after practice. Don’t touch your face.
- Observe social distancing rules at all times
- Only attend a cricket club after booking though them directly (don’t just turn up)
- Maximum two people a net unless from the same household
- No indoor activity allowed
- Adjacent nets not to be used but every other net is ok (for social distancing)
- Use your own equipment if possible. No saliva or sweat to come into contact with the ball at any time
- Keep 10 minutes between bookings
We can’t be in full lockdown forever but my chief concern is that the onus will fall squarely on volunteers at cricket clubs to be conducting practice safely. They are not healthcare professionals and each club needs to work out a system that looks after everyone, including themselves.
How they monitor social distancing and book out the use of nets or the pitch must be clearly, widely and continually advertised. Normally, clubs embrace an open-doors policy but everyone needs to be clued up before they turn up.
On a symbolic level, it’s a lift to see that cricket clubs can, if they wish, be opened to enable people to use their cricket pitch and cricket nets for exercise.
After inertia, it feels like a significant step towards some sense of normality.
It’s not impossible to make it work but if you read what’s required, it is asking a huge amount of cricket clubs. Some might disagree with me and time will tell how many re-open and how quickly.
Cricket clubs find themselves between a rock and a hard place. They’ve all taken a huge hit on income due to coronavirus and the suspension of recreational cricket (still in place).
When is a good time to open? Answers on a postcard…or in the comments box at the end of this article!
The ECB also makes it clear that ’outdoor facilities should only reopen if those responsible for them are ready to do so and they can do so safely, following public health guidance: no club should reopen their outdoor facilities if they feel unable to meet the requirements.’
It’s important to stress that the full picture, as outlined in the ECB article, is very restrictive (a good thing).
It’s almost as if they’re saying…well, if you really want to use outdoor cricket club facilities then here are the 783 hoops you’ll have to jump through.
I personally hope this gives clubs pause before flinging open the gates. I’m not scaremongering; it is possible to achieve but I can only imagine how child welfare officers are freaking out right now.
After all, not so long ago, the mantra was: Stay at home, save lives.
You can read the full ECB article for further clarification and advice. If you’re in any way involved with running a cricket club or want to attend one, you absolutely should. I know the Yorkshire Cricket Board have emailed all clubs and leagues.
Look, I could sit and poke holes in the guidelines until the cows come home. Has anyone ever had an hour of cricket nets and not sweated or touched their face?
I find it incredible that there is movement towards a return to training in a controlled environment for the England national squad and that safety and containment procedure is being handled by club volunteers at grassroots.
I think it’s too early to be doing this. Cricket clubs will be under pressure to re-open both from members (now the ECB advice is public) and financially.
It is their choice and I know various forward-thinking committee members around Yorkshire who will be exploring the art of the possible. Good luck to them.
No-one wants club cricket to return (in any guise) more than I do – but is it too soon?
Have your say in the comments below….
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Agree entirely
Three to four weeks too soon
Puts clubs in a potentially difficult situation and doesn’t really allow junior coaching as parent would also need to be present
Understand those coaches who run academies as their business may be able to make this workable but clubs should hold fire for now imo
Thanks Mark, I think you make a good point around the size and scope of clubs. I do think clubs are under the pump to offer cricket in whatever guise for their members. Professional coaching academies will be champing at the bit to get going with partner clubs. Good luck to them, I understand the frustration but I’d tread cautiously.
Guidelines stats in your article:
No saliva or sweat to come into contact with the ball at any time!
Where does it state you shall not sweat while netting? If clubs feel able to open for netting alone and can follow the structure set, why not? If they can not, it’s simple don’t open.
Hi Craig, if clubs can open safely then all power to them. I personally think it places unfair pressure on clubs to open and the volunteers that run them. They will be under the spotlight after all. On the small point of sweating, you’re not allowed to transfer sweat to the ball as it’s risky. I’d argue that’s difficult (not impossible) because your hands naturally sweat and it’s a well-worn habit to wipe your brow.
Totally agree that it’s massively unfair to put the onus on club volunteers. As with the government’s new guidelines, we’re now running an experiment to see what will happen next. In my opinion it’s impossible to do any sporting activity and keep to social distancing
Hi Craig, that would be my take but I appreciate many clubs will be opening up in the coming weeks and I wish them well. It partly depends on the volunteers involved, their skillsets and mindset but I’m fairly sure managing a pandemic isn’t in their job description! Unless it’s a small club with no juniors, it could well be tricky to manage the flow of people to and from the club.
We have to learn to live with this virus Not such a hard task to comply with the requirements It is vital we have juniors practising again otherwise we will lose them to the game for sure Some parents may not want their boys or girls practising yet. That is fine as it is their choice
Hi Clive, having looked through the enormous checklist that clubs have to adhere to, I’d disagree that it’s easy to comply with. Even if that’s the case, it’s really the risk attached down the line.
At the end of the day, the ECB is following government guidelines so if there’s any blame, it’s not really them. I agree cricket has a massive challenge to retain youngsters but no more so than any other sport.
I think it’s too soon but that’s just my view. You’re right that there is choice for parents and adults on whether to attend. Time will tell what numbers take that up to not.
A good and thought provoking article. In my opinion at the end of the day it will come down two words. LITIGATION and INSURANCE. It will not matter how well intentioned your average village cricket club committee is there will be plenty of solicitors out there eagerly waiting to exploit any non compliance with ECB guidelines should anyone tragically be infected. Question is will the insurance company cover it ? Look we must resign ourselves to the long haul on this one.
Or two other words
Common Sense
Hi Trevor, I tend to agree. Imagine cricket insurers will be ironing this out but I doubt many clubs are currently covered for a pandemic! It’s these sort of details that clubs need to be eagle-eyed over. I’m sure they will be if they decide to open.
Unbelievable, and what happens when someone gets injured or worse has medical emergency, no club with half sence of duty of care will entertain Nets… with no date to play in place #shockingdecision
You’d be surprised. Clubs are opening up swiftly and while I think we’re premature, they are doing nothing wrong, if sticking to the strict guidelines. Some clubs will be better placed than others to get all the admin and logistics sorted.
It’s a dreadful situation for clubs to be in, particularly those with junior sections, where the fear is that they lose players to the game by not opening for practice, and especially for those clubs that shore up leaky finances with extra bookings. But at the same time, surely it is still too soon to be thinking about nets, practice and recreational cricket, while there are still new infections. There are still too many issues open at the moment. Stay safe everyone.
Hi Mike, absolutely. As I mentioned, it’s a rock and a hard place for clubs. Sounds like we agree on timings, not that I know when is safe to re-open, mind!
Great article. The onus and expectations which are again placed on volunteers is significant. It seems the ECB due to the impending series against WI are frightened to issue a ‘no cricket in 2020’ which for very valid reasons they could do at grassroots levels. The challenge is many grounds have open boundaries/borders and such control is almost impossible to manage with liability potentially sitting at the committee’s feet. For me one bit of guidance made sense ‘Club Closed’
Thanks for the comment Adrian. I’m seeing a range of responses to this in Yorkshire from ‘We’re staying closed’ to ‘We’re now open and accepting bookings’ and others laying the groundwork for opening in the coming weeks. Everyone must make this decision themselves. It’s quite a call though…
Agree completely Adrian. Don’t dare suggest no cricket to the management of the AWSCL though
This season is and should be just a write off and be focused on getting back in 2021 in full health as lovers of the game and in health . Given that the average age of most umpires outside the top leagues is 75+ and most leagues were struggling for numbers before the Covid outbreak it is almost impossible to think any games could be played seriously . Most of the criteria re- social distancing given to restart any form of netting reads almost impossible to imbed but things might change over the coming weeks .
Hi Tim, I really don’t like to write off an entire season of club cricket but…if you polled everyone about a week or so ago, the assumption would be that was the case. A lot has suddenly changed. I’ll leave it up to individual points of view whether staying alert is enough now. I probably sound overly cautious for some people. I know a lot of good folk running clubs in Yorkshire who will move heaven and earth to make this happen safely and get some form of cricket in. I think I’d probably have waited until July and then made a judgement call on whether to call off the season or get in some form of club practice, if the national picture warranted it. Way above my pay grade though!
Thanks for the article John very good to read your thoughts. Couple of things from me on this, I think most comments are right in that only big clubs with established safeguarding and enclosed net complexes can do this properly, I suppose some clubs in the countryside may be able to. The key point image being a cricket mad teenager who been stuck inside netting with your brother or sister or parent will bring some much needed joy. From a personal note by family called me after they had been to their club my brother and his girlfriend used the nets and my parents stayed at safe distance but just walked the outfield and sat on a bench. My parents called me on the drive home and they admitted to being happier than they had felt in months just from watching a couple of people net and seeing the club. It’s so hard to balance the emotional and health aspects of this the return of elite sport behind closed doors feels very hollow is amateur sport is closed.
Thanks Aden, glad the article was of interest and cheers for the personal story of yours. I think if we could have a scenario where only a few people used the nets at one time then that would be more reassuring but it’s the flow of people back and forth, using toilets and travelling to the club that could be problematic. It is incredibly difficult (speaking as someone who is shielding and so just hankering after a cricket field to walk round would be amazing) but I think it’s too soon. That said, that particular horse has now bolted so it’s up to clubs to be super-diligent or take a bold stance of not re-opening, explain it well to members and plan for the future.
My club is staying firmly closed until we feel it safe to do so and only consider this when we know what’s happening to fixtures, if anything in 2020.
Why put people at any risk training if there are no fixtures, let’s stay safe.
Hi Paul, I’ve seen some clubs choosing that option which would be my point of view. In another month or so, we’ll have more information to work with and clubs still have the second half of the summer to decide what to do.
I don’t know the financial implications of re-opening nets (partly depends on a coaching element I guess) but I feel for clubs who have been closed for months. All the best at MPC CC.
Just on a technical note.. ICC have said today it’s ok to use sweat on ball. So ECB will follow and everyone will have new guideline posters up. Unless of course only first class sweat is safe?!
Thanks David, I saw that…a new development and while only a small detail, a positive one!
Just on a technical note.. ICC have said today it’s ok to use sweat on ball. So ECB will follow and everyone will have new guideline posters up. Unless of course only first class sweat is safe?!
Im totally for the reopening – I’m also for a return to playing in July – i see no issue with this at all . Changing rooms closed, everyone arrives changed, bring own pack up and drinks bottle , No spectators, no refreshments. Cricket is a natural distance game and its in the great outdoors, its no more dangerous going to a supermarket for shopping. If you think its a bad idea then don’t practice and make yourself unavailable but don’t spoil it for people who want to
Fair enough Richard, like I say, there are different views on this. No-one wants to spoilt anything but this is as serious as it gets so it needs careful thought on how to do it right. Opening up is the easy bit, it’s all the other stuff from insurance to santisation and other micro-details. If you run a cricket club, you might take an alternative view but it’s not an easy call either way.
Good article. As much as I would love to see grass roots cricket in 2020, as a Committee member of a village club, I would want to see more in place both in terms of protecting people’s health and in protecting club’s and committees from potential litigation and blame.
Further, as someone who believes that whatever the Government are following it ain’t the science, not the medical science anyway, I can’t see this being addressed with any real certainty anytime soon. We don’t yet know if there will be a spike from VE Day activities. Of course to a degree it’s about managing risk, but risk can only be managed effectively by putting the right controls in place. In order to do that the risk must be fully understood. It doesn’t feel like we are there yet.
It will be interesting to see how this plays out at those clubs who feel they can facilitate it and I wish them luck
Well put Andy. I share that view. As you say, good luck to cricket clubs who are opening and intriguing to see what the demand is, particularly as it gets hotter over summer.
At least the ECB gave some clear guidance – so that clubs didn’t all have to work it out for themselves. If a club wants to get their nets open with suitable precautions – then go for it – and I am sure there are many people longing to get out for a net and many volunteers willing to help.
However, if a club wants to stay shut then fair enough.