ECB announces to delay English cricket season until May

No professional cricket will be played in England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) before May 28 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The ECB has begun modelling a range of options to start the season in June, July or August.

The immediate focus on options for cricket in June include the three-Test series against West Indies, the Twenty20 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 ECB said in a statement.

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

ECB chief executive officer said: “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.”

Earlier, England’s James Anderson fears the global coronavirus pandemic could see the domestic and international season abandoned completely.

According to the details, James Anderson fears virus could wreck English cricket season completely.

The ECB due to meet with the 18 first-class countries, possibly by teleconference, in a bid to see whether the existing structure for the 2020 summer can be maintained.

It follows Wednesday’s decision by the ECB to recommend the suspension of the recreational game.

The County Championship is meant to start on April 12 but a delay looks increasingly likely given other sports have called a halt following British government advice to avoid mass gatherings.

Last week saw England postpone their tour of Sri Lanka.

They next meant to play the West Indies in a three-Test home series, starting on June 4.