The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has today agreed that no professional cricket will be played in England and Wales until at least 1 July due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The season remains subject to ongoing advice from government and health experts, and continued consultation with all broadcast partners to determine the optimum way to fulfil fixtures both domestically and internationally. 

The ECB Board approved the following measures:

• Professional cricket will not be played in England and Wales until at least 1 July
• Nine rounds of fixtures will be lost in the County Championship season, but blocks for red-ball cricket and white-ball cricket will be held in a revised schedule
• The Vitality Blast will be pushed as late in the season as possible to give it the best opportunity of being staged. All matches previously scheduled in June will be moved later in the season
• International cricket, featuring England men’s and women’s teams, will look to be scheduled from July until the end of September, with the West Indies Test Series and the whole women’s series against India (Vitality IT20s and Royal London ODIs) both moving from their original slots
• An additional Board meeting will be scheduled next Wednesday on The Hundred, following a request to dedicate a further session to the competition

More at https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/1660195/ecb-announces-further-delay-to-the-professional-cricket-season

The ECB Board has today agreed that no professional cricket will be played in England and Wales until at least May 28 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Board approved the recommendation to delay the start of the season following discussions with the First Class Counties, the MCC and the PCA.

It was agreed that, given the current information available, a seven-week delay to the start of the season is the most appropriate approach.

The ECB has begun modelling a range of options to start the season in June, July or August –with an immediate focus on options for cricket in June, including the three-Test series against West Indies, the Vitality Blast and England Women’s schedule against India.

Close liaison with the Government will continue, with discussions on the potential of starting the season behind closed doors and giving sports fans the opportunity to live broadcast action.

The potential for reduced versions of competitions, should the season become further truncated, will also be discussed.

The Board will meet as needed to review the position and make further decisions as the UK situation unfolds.

ECB Chief Executive Officer, Tom Harrison, said: “During this period of deep uncertainty it is the ECB’s first priority to protect the wellbeing of everyone within the cricket family, from players, to fans and colleagues across the game.

“The decision to delay the start of the season has been essential, given the circumstances the nation faces. I am reassured by the collaborative effort from across the game that together, we will make the very best of whatever length of season we are able to safely schedule in the coming months.

“With the information available to us at the moment a delay to the start of the professional cricket season until May 28 was unavoidable. This also allows us time to keep pace with a fast-moving situation and continue to plan for how a revised season might look. Critically, we can also remain as flexible and adaptable as possible, within the obvious restrictions we face.

“Securing the future of the game will be a primary focus as we plot a revised schedule with an emphasis on the most financially important forms of the game for the counties across international and domestic cricket.’’

The delay in the start of the season and the unknown extent of the delay to the commencement of the season will undoubtedly have an impact on the options for Daffodil Cricket Tours. The 5 day trip to Hove due to depart 7th May will not take place.

Further updates will be provided once our knowledge of the resumption of cricket is scheduled.