The ECB believes recreational cricket “should be viewed as safe by the UK Government”.
Having previously described the cricket ball as a “natural vector of disease” on June 23, in an interview on Friday with LBC, UK prime minister Boris Johnson added that there are “various other considerations” to why recreational cricket in the country remains suspended.
“The risk is not so much the ball, though that may be a factor, it’s the teas, it’s the changing rooms,” said Johnson.
According to the ECB’s roadmap for the return of recreational cricket, when matches return with social-distancing measures, indoor facilities will be used in line with government guidance. The ECB has contacted clubs and said that playing conditions in step four of their roadmap bans the use of changing rooms.
For club cricketers, only training in outdoor nets with social distancing is permitted at this moment in time.
In response to Johnson’s comments, the ECB said in a statement: “The ECB believes that cricket is a non-contact sport, with very low risks of exposure, and that it can be played as safely as many other activities being currently permitted.
“The detailed submission we have shared with the Department For Digital, Culture, Media and Sport includes advice on how we can stage cricket safely and mitigate all potential risks.
[breakout id=”0″][/breakout] “We believe this advice – allied with strict hygiene measures – means recreational cricket should be viewed as safe by the UK Government, which would be welcome news to our nation’s recreational cricketers.”
