Somerset and Sussex have both announced that they will furlough sections of their staff to protect jobs.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused severe disruption to the landscape of English cricket; on Tuesday the ECB announced a £61m package to help first-class counties and recreational clubs cope with the ongoing financial fallout. No professional cricket is to be played before at least May 28, with the ECB assessing start dates for the season in June, July and August.

Sussex have decided to furlough “the majority of its non-playing staff” under the UK government’s coronavirus job retention scheme.

“By taking advantage of the government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, we are able to preserve jobs at the Cooper Associates County Ground during such a difficult financial period for the Club,” wrote chief executive Gordon Hollins. “It also ensures that we will be in a strong position to face the opportunities and challenges that will lie ahead once we have overcome this pandemic.”