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ECB COVID-19 Update 24/6/2020

Jun 25, 2020, 1:14 pm

Dear all,

Thank you for your ongoing patience while we’ve been working closely with the UK Government and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to determine how best to move forward with our National Participation Programmes and National Competitions in 2020.

The ECB along with the nation’s cricket players are keen to see the imminent and safe return of our sport at recreational level and have been working hard with Government to achieve this.

We believe 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. It is our strong desire to work with Government to see the return of recreational cricket on or around 4 July, as they continue to lift other restrictions more broadly across society.

As we continue to work towards recreational cricket returning on or around 4 July, though, it has become clear that given the current restrictions we will sadly be unable to run certain elements of the scheduled 2020 cricket season.

National Programmes

We have reached the tough decision that Dynamos Cricket will not take place in 2020. With the restrictions caused by COVID-19, we are unable to launch a brand new programme, provide Money Can't Buy Opportunities and deliver a high-quality experience with fully trained activators this summer.

Whilst we won't be able to offer the programme, we are optimistic that clubs will be able to provide some forms of recreational cricket over the summer and we are committed to helping provide children with opportunities to play as soon as it is safe to do so. As such, we will be offering clubs support to ensure that some junior cricket can be played.

However, we remain optimistic that All Stars Cricket will be able to take place later in the summer.

For full details on why Dynamos is postponed, how All Stars will run and the impact on refunds and clubs, please click here.

National Competitions

With a condensed summer resulting in fixture challenges, we have taken the decision to cancel the below competitions to ensure that all players have an opportunity to play.

In addition, to ensure maximum flexibility for all clubs pursuing a return to action and because we believe it is safer for clubs and players to reduce their amount of travel we will be prioritising local playing opportunities over National and Regional competitions.*

While it is regrettable to have to cancel these competitions, the decision has been taken with public health as a priority and additionally to ensure that clubs are as free as possible to play as much cricket as they can in their local area once the game is able to progress to step 4.

Many of these tournaments would require rescheduling, which logistically could make it difficult for clubs to arrange other cricket and the health and safety of everyone involved in the game has been our priority throughout this period.

As such, the following competitions have been cancelled for the 2020 season:

National Counties Championship (Three-day cricket)
National County Showcase Fixtures v First-Class Counties
Royal London Club Championship
Vitality Men’s Club T20 Cup & Plate
Vitality Women’s Club T20 Cup & Plate
U18 Boys County Championship
U17 Super Fours
Royal London Boys County Age Group Under 14, 15 & 18 Cup Competitions
Royal London Girls County Age Group Under 15 & 17 Cup Competitions
ECB David English Bunbury Festival
ECB City Cup
ECB Over 50s County Championship
ECB Girls Regional Development Centre Festival
ECB Girls U15 Festivals

Decisions on Royal London Women’s County T20, U13 & 15 Boys and Girls’ club, Lady Taverners Club T20 and Lady Taverners Softball competitions will be made at a later date and ECB will share more information as soon as we are able to.

Local friendly matches will be encouraged later in the summer, should restrictions ease.

*This does not mean that ECB Regional Premier Leagues will be cancelled

ECB Roadmap FAQs Updated 19/6/2020

Jun 19, 2020, 8:32 pm

ROADMAP FOR THE RETURN OF RECREATIONAL CRICKET FAQs

Why are ECB recommending no recreational cricket matches are played? The current guidance from UK Government for team sports does not permit matches: “People who play team sports can meet to train together and do things like conditioning or fitness sessions but they must be in separate groups of no more than six and must be 2 metres apart at all times.

While groups could practice ball skills like passing and kicking, equipment sharing should be kept to a minimum and strong hand hygiene practices should be in place before and after. Physical contact with anyone outside of your household is not permitted, therefore playing of any games (small sided or full) is also not permitted at this time.” What are ECB doing to get cricket played? We know how frustrating this situation is and how much everyone wants to be back playing.

We want that to happen as soon as is permitted. While we don’t get advanced warning of Government guidance we do have ongoing dialogue with them and are discussing our proposals for how recreational cricket matches can start. When new UK Government guidance is issued we ask them to approve ECB guidance and then we send it out to clubs, players and volunteers. What will adapted gameplay look like? Once cricket matches can be played the gameplay will depend on the size and make up of outdoor groups, social distancing requirements, and guidelines on hygiene. We want everyone to be able to play a game that closely resembles their normal cricket experience providing UK Government guidance allows for this.

Will Step 4 include 11 a-side league cricket in 2020 Providing government guidance on group sizes permits 11 a-side matches then ECB guidance will also permit them. We are in on-going discussions with many leagues who will make their own decisions about the structure of any local competition that they offer. Everyone is working together to try and get the cricket people want to play to happen. What other restrictions might be in place that affect the game? Alongside group size, hygiene and social distancing, we will also need to follow UK Government guidance in areas such as travel and facility usage.

Guidance from UK Government would allow our club to provide a takeaway service for food and drink. Why does ECB guidance make no reference to this? Our guidance is focused on the playing of the game as we believe that is the priority. Clubs can follow the UK Governments guidance for providing takeaway food and drink.

Do you think we’ll play club cricket again this year?

We have an absolute ambition to get cricket played as soon as it is safe to do so. Although social distancing is likely to be in place for the foreseeable future, cricket is a non-contact team sport with individual disciplines, as such, we are optimistic about getting cricket played this summer. The safety and wellbeing of the cricket family is our number one priority and that is why we are being led by government and medical advice at every point. Therefore, we will move to step 4 when it is safe to do so and supported by government and medical experts.

When do you think stage four will happen?

The Government have not yet published new guidance relating to sport since their update on May 30. We are not aware of a committed date to revise that, but their daily briefings continue to update widely on relaxing guidelines, should the status of COVID19 continue to progress positively.

Can ECB do more to get recreational cricket played?? You’ve managed to get International cricket back on?

It is hugely important that ECB do all we can to ensure recreational cricket played, as soon as it is safe to do so. Because the safety of the cricket family is our first priority, the decision to move into step four ‘adapted gameplay’ will be made when it is medically safe to do so. In addition, the environment for international cricket is significantly easier for us to control and easier for us to work with Government on achieving solutions to problems that COVID-19 posed. The numbers of people involved are significantly smaller and we were only talking about one or two venues.

Compare that to the English and Welsh sporting public, and the landscape is very different. Over 6,500 cricket clubs, thousands and thousands of players and spread across two countries.

The resumption of international cricket is vital for the funding of the game. The ECB is not-for-profit. Any money that flows into the organisation funds cricket somewhere. Either the England teams, grants and funding to cricket clubs, disability cricket, safeguarding checks, our charity partners – every part of the game has been financially impacted by COVID-19.

You mention a focus on junior cricket – what is that focus and how will you bring around the return of junior cricket first?

We know that for many clubs, a thriving junior section is critical to their long term, health and prosperity. A thriving junior section provides the players of the future, can inspire volunteers and plays a vital role in club finances. With schools returning on a limited basis, we are keen to explore with Government if cricket clubs can support more children (than guidance currently permits) to get active. As always, this plan will need government guidance and the advice of medical experts in delivery.

If I can sit in a pub garden with my mates from July 4, why can’t I play cricket?

The government has highlighted some top line plans for the hospitality sector. These plans will encompass detailed guidelines that will be available in the coming weeks. Once we have these, we will update our guidance as to what this means for recreational cricket club facilities. It is important to note that government guidance on the hospitality sector will not necessarily be replicated for community sport. Once the government has shared its next steps for community sport, we will update the guidance for recreational cricket accordingly. With that said, we are optimistic about getting cricket played this summer and we have an ambition to get the game on as soon as it is safe to do so.

When do you envisage we’ll get to Stage five, i.e we’ll be playing club cricket normally?

Moving to stage five would involve the removal of social distancing measures, at this time, it is hard to see us getting to this stage this summer.

Are you concerned about how this summer has impacted the club game?

There is no question that COVID-19 has impacted all areas of society and community sport is not immune to this. The recreational game is critical to the long term health and prosperity of our game and so it is vital that we support the game through this unprecedented crisis. This is why we initially provided access to more than £20M in grants and loans for the recreational game and worked with local clubs to access a further £24M in government grants and loans. Mobilising the game to return and safely as possible is our next challenge. We have begun significant work to ensure all cricket stakeholders are involved in this consultation.

Why does it look like other sports are ahead of us in terms of the return to sport plans?

We are optimistic about a return to competitive cricket matches this summer. This will be conditional on it being safe to do so, a decision that will be medically led and in line with government advice. Although social distancing is likely to be in place for the foreseeable future, cricket is a non-contact team sport with individual disciplines. We believe this makes cricket uniquely placed as a team sport to be played sooner than other

ECB COVID-19 Update 19/6/2020

Jun 19, 2020, 8:26 pm

Dear all,

Please find below the latest COVID-19 bulletin.

Further Financial Package confirmed for the Whole Game

This week, the ECB announced a further financial package to support professional and recreational cricket during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The £35.7million support package was agreed by the ECB Board after detailed financial planning with the whole game and to support all levels of cricket during a period of extreme financial uncertainty.

The full update can be found here.

NatWest Cricket Club Financial Guide

Given the impact Coronavirus has had on the start of this year’s cricket season, NatWest together with the ECB have launched a new online financial guide to help cricket leagues, clubs and volunteers efficiently manage their finances and help clubs thrive.

The NatWest Club Cricket Financial Guide offers practical advice and tools including how to deal with the impact of Coronavirus, looking after the cricket community and guidance on how to boost income through tips on memberships, facilities and sponsor support.

The Guide is available here for clubs to download and access.

#Raisethebat

It has been fantastic to see the continuous nominations for our #raisethebat campaign across social media, thanking all those key workers who have been working so hard to protect us all and keep the country running

We are now looking to amplify this campaign even further and are really keen that nominations represent diverse roles such as teaching, NHS and caring across all ethnicities to truly reflect our cricket community. We’ve had lots of fantastic nominations through, please keep sharing.

We encourage you to share any further nominations by emailing us here by 5pm this Sunday, or by using #raisethebat across social media.

In addition to the information requested last time, we would also ask that you include a photograph of your nomination this time around.

Details required:

Full name of your nomination

Email of the person you are nominating*

The reason for nominating them

A photo of the nomination

*Their email address will only be used for correspondence relating to this initiative and not any other marketing purposes

Roadmap FAQs

Following the provision of the 5 Step Roadmap last week we have had some further enquiries through from cricket network. We have updated our FAQ document with answers to these questions which can be found here.

Updated DBS Guidance

Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions and advice from the Disclosure and Barring Service, the ECB are continuing with the current approach regarding the initiation and verification of DBS applications.

System access remains restricted to a limited group of users at County & ECB Level and Video ID Meetings are to be used instead of Face to Face Meetings.

We are committed to reviewing our approach in consultation with all Official sources and suppliers - to support the planned return of cricket.

If you require any support regarding initiating and/or verifying DBS applications please contact us here.

Google Digital Garage

The first Google Digital Garage session ran on Monday and we’ve had some great feedback since. A reminder that the remaining two sessions will run as follows:

Monday 22^nd June 09:30 – Register here

Get started with Digital Advertising - social, search and display advertising

Monday 29^th June 09:30 – Register here Get Your Business Visible on Google - Learn how to increase your visibility to reach more people online.

Your Questions

A reminder that the COVID-19 FAQ list can be accessed here. We will be regularly updating this list so please continue to check back, and feed in your questions via your Head of Region.

England & Wales Cricket Board, Lord's Cricket Ground, London, NW8 8QZ

ECB Statement 19th June

Jun 19, 2020, 8:22 pm

ECB STATEMENT ON 'RETURN TO CRICKET'

The Secretary of State's message on Tuesday evening outlined plans for earmarking an early July date as being the earliest possible return for recreational cricket.

Last week ECB published their 5 Step Roadmap highlighting that currently the game is in Step 3 of its return. The ECB will continue to work with and be led by UK Government advice, only advising clubs move into step 4 when the Government allows and when it is deemed medically safe to do so.

As cricket is a non-contact sport that involves individual disciplines within a team environment, the ECB are optimistic that forms of the game can be played while respecting social distancing. Step 4, Adapted Play, will allow for cricket to be played, operating under Government rules and with modifications to the game to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all involved.

It is ECB's ambition to deliver guidelines for a return to play as soon as possible after the Government gives permission to proceed, but please note that given the importance of ensuring cricket clubs and individuals are as safe as can be, this may take a few days from any Government announcement.

Further detail on National Competitions and National Participation Programmes will be shared with County Cricket Boards for onward distribution next week.

In preparation for further ECB announcements, Competition organisers across Counties and Leagues are encouraged to begin considering how they will respond when the ECB advises that we are able to move into Step 4 and whether local competitions are feasible.

N&TCL Survey

Jun 18, 2020, 1:07 pm

Northumberland & Tyneside Cricket League

Club Survey: June 2020

Please insert answers in the spaces provided and include any additional information you feel relevant.

Name of club:

How many teams will you be able to regularly field on Saturdays if cricket resumes?

Would those teams be able/willing to play:

a) Any League games on a Sunday?

b) Any mid-week cup-ties?

Do you have current access to your ground and facilities?

How long would it take for your ground to be ready for cricket matches once resumption were announced? Identify any potential issues with landowners.

What is earliest date your club will be able to resume Saturday home matches?

Will teams and ground be available to play on Saturdays after 12^th September?

What is the maximum number of overs per innings you favour on Saturdays for each of your teams?

Identify any problems and/or assistance your club may require in satisfying likely conditions which would be applied, such as provision and maintenance of clean toilet and hand washing facilities, observing social distancing etc.

Please add any other feedback your club feels would be useful to the League:

ECB COVID-19 Update 10/6/2020

Jun 12, 2020, 9:35 am

Roadmap For The Return of Recreational Cricket

Click to view in browser

Dear all,

We have identified five steps for the recreational game’s proposed phased return in England this summer. England is currently in step 3 - which allows for small group training sessions of up to six people while respecting social distancing. The Welsh government are due to review current restrictions on 18 June, after which time we will provide further guidance.

As cricket is a non-contact sport that involves individual disciplines within a team environment, forms of the game can be played while respecting social distancing. We will continue to be led by UK government’s advice and will only move into step 4 when the guidance allows and when it is medically safe to do so.

Below you will find the roadmap and some FAQs. To view the roadmap in larger format please click here.

Return to Cricket FAQs

Do you think we’ll play club cricket again this year?

We have an absolute ambition to get cricket played as soon as it is safe to do so. Although social distancing is likely to be in place for the foreseeable future, cricket is a non-contact team sport with individual disciplines, as such, we are optimistic about getting cricket played this summer. The safety and wellbeing of the cricket family is our number one priority and that is why we are being led by government and medical advice at every point. Therefore, we will move to step 4 when it is safe to do so and supported by government and medical experts.

When do you think stage four will happen?

The Government have not yet published new guidance relating to sport since their update on May 30. We are not aware of a committed date to revise that, but their daily briefings continue to update widely on relaxing guidelines, should the status of COVID-19 continue to progress positively.

Can ECB do more to get recreational cricket played?? You’ve managed to get International cricket back on?

It is hugely important that ECB do all we can to ensure recreational cricket played, as soon as it is safe to do so. Because the safety of the cricket family is our first priority, the decision to move into step four ‘adapted gameplay’ will be made when it is medically safe to do so. In addition, the environment for international cricket is significantly easier for us to control and easier for us to work with Government on achieving solutions to problems that COVID-19 posed. The numbers of people involved are significantly smaller and we were only talking about one or two venues.

Compare that to the English and Welsh sporting public, and the landscape is very different. Over 6,500 cricket clubs, thousands and thousands of players and spread across two countries.

The resumption of international cricket is vital for the funding of the game. The ECB is not-for-profit. Any money that flows into the organisation funds cricket somewhere. Either the England teams, grants and funding to cricket clubs, disability cricket, safeguarding checks, our charity partners – every part of the game has been financially impacted by COVID-19.

You mention a focus on junior cricket – what is that focus and how will you bring around the return of junior cricket first?

We know that for many clubs, a thriving junior section is critical to their long term, health and prosperity. A thriving junior section provides the players of the future, can inspire volunteers and plays a vital role in club finances. With schools returning on a limited basis, we are keen to explore with Government if cricket clubs can support more children (than guidance currently permits) to get active. As always, this plan will need government guidance and the advice of medical experts in delivery.

If I can sit in a pub garden with my mates from July 4, why can’t I play cricket?

The government has highlighted some top line plans for the hospitality sector. These plans will encompass detailed guidelines that will be available in the coming weeks. Once we have these, we will update our guidance as to what this means for recreational cricket club facilities. It is important to note that government guidance on the hospitality sector will not necessarily be replicated for community sport. Once the government has shared its next steps for community sport, we will update the guidance for recreational cricket accordingly. With that said, we are optimistic about getting cricket played this summer and we have an ambition to get the game on as soon as it is safe to do so.

When do you envision we’ll get to Stage five, i.e we’ll be playing club cricket normally?

Moving to stage five would involve the removal of social distancing measures, at this time, it is hard to see us getting to this stage this summer.

Are you concerned about how this summer has impacted the club game?

There is no question that COVID-19 has impacted all areas of society and community sport is not immune to this. The recreational game is critical to the long term health and prosperity of our game and so it is vital that we support the game through this unprecedented crisis. This is why we initially provided access to more than £20M in grants and loans for the recreational game and worked with local clubs to access a further £24M in government grants and loans. Mobilising the game to return and safely as possible is our next challenge. We have begun significant work to ensure all cricket stakeholders are involved in this consultation.

Why does it look like other sports are ahead of us in terms of the return to sport plans?

We are optimistic about a return to competitive cricket matches this summer. This will be conditional on it being safe to do so, a decision that will be medically led and in line with government advice. Although social distancing is likely to be in place for the foreseeable future, cricket is a non-contact team sport with individual disciplines. We believe this makes cricket uniquely placed as a team sport to be played sooner than other major team sports.

ECB COVID-19 Update 5/6/2020 V2

Jun 7, 2020, 3:13 pm

Dear all,

Following the update that we shared with you earlier today, below is the latest COVID-19 weekly update.

Recreational Game following Government Announcement

The purpose of these guidelines is to offer practical guidance to players and clubs on the steps they should take whilst undertaking recreational cricket activity and informal cricket activity in an outdoor environment given the current restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The key update in the guidance is the allowance of small group sizes (now up to six individuals), however a number of other subtle but important changes are listed throughout the document.

These guidelines currently apply to England only. Guidance specifically relating to Wales can be found here.

The below provides a summary of the latest guidance. Detailed guidance in relation to outdoor cricket activity can be found here.

Consistent with UK Government guidance, published on 1 June 2020 relating to the phased return of outdoor sport and recreation in England, the following applies to outdoor cricket:

For all activity, social distancing of at least two metres must be maintained at all times (except between members of the same household).
Playing cricket individually is permitted e.g. practice of individual cricket skills or fitness activities
Playing cricket with people living in your household is permitted.
Small group cricket activity, training or fitness in groups of no more than six (6), is permitted, keeping two (2) metres apart at all times.
Cricket coaches, can now undertake small group sessions of up to six (6) people including the coach (1:5) and they must comply with ECB safeguarding policies (as well as being able to conduct one-to-one coaching).
Nets should be used on an ‘every other’ basis, leaving one net free between nets. Note that for nets within a security fence, occupancy numbers could be limited by social distancing requirements.
It is permissible for two or more groups of six (6) to train at the same time provided they are kept separate, and social distancing and strict hygiene measures are observed. However, clubs should carry out a risk assessment to determine the maximum capacity for their facility that can be achieved safely whilst maintaining social distancing and not exceeding the current limits on training group size.
Clubhouses can be reopened in a limited way for operational reasons (e.g. for access to first aid equipment) or for toilet access (see below) but all communal areas including bar, changing rooms etc. are to remain closed for general use.
Toilet facilities can be opened if the venue wishes, but particular care should be taken by those using them and those cleaning them. Where they are open, venues must ensure soap and water is provided and they are cleaned regularly.
No indoor cricket activity at all.
We recommend using your own equipment if possible. If equipment is being shared, please follow UK Government’s guidance on the sharing of equipment. Players should stick to using one ball in training either by bringing their own or being assigned a numbered ball that is cleaned in between sessions.
No saliva or sweat should be applied to the ball at any time.
Wash hands at home before and after using the outdoor facilities. Bring your own hand sanitiser where possible.

Google Digital Garage

In March, a number of you signed up to the ECB & Google Digital Garage sessions, which were due to be held in London, Bristol and Leeds. Unfortunately we had to postpone these due to COVID-19 but we are now thrilled to be able to offer these in virtual format.

The webinars will run on three consecutive Monday’s from Monday 15^th June, with each session live streamed on YouTube and lasting 60 minutes.

To sign up for one or all of these sessions, please register via the links below. Please also share these links within your own networks.

Monday 15^th June 09:30 – Register here

Digital Marketing Strategy - An introduction to the main digital marketing channels and how to use them to build strategy.

Monday 22^nd June 09:30 – Register here

Get started with Digital Advertising - social, search and display advertising.

Monday 29^th June 09:30 – Register here Get Your Business Visible on Google - Learn how to increase your visibility to reach more people online.

Celebrating our Cricket Heroes

We are delighted to share further details of the #raisethebat campaign which went live on Monday.

The #raisethebat campaign highlights key workers from the world of cricket who are helping to support their community during COVID-19.

Key workers who have been nominated by their cricket clubs are featured on over 300 billboards across England and Wales. Meanwhile, the whole cricket family has been asked to shine a light on the many more key workers who deserve recognition using #raisethebat on social media.

England players have helped to lead tributes as the game joins together to #raisethebat for cricket's key workers across the country and you can watch our video below.

Assets can be downloaded from the ECB Resource Hub and we would encourage you to use these across your websites and social media channels, encouraging your members to tag their heroes using #raisethebat.

It has been moving and inspiring to hear of the incredible work being done by individuals right across the country and we at the ECB raise our bats to all key workers doing such fantastic work.

COVID-19 Support from NatWest

As the cricketing world begins to re-emerge, the NatWest Club Cricket Finance Guide will be shared with grassroots clubs across the country offering practical advice and tools ranging from dealing with the impact of Coronavirus to tips on boosting club income. Here are a couple of insights into what the guide offers ahead of its imminent release.

Dealing with the impact of Coronavirus

Coronavirus is a huge threat to the grassroots game so it’s very important for clubs to manage this crisis in a way that allows the grassroots community to thrive. The Finance Guide contains a section which specifically addresses key areas that clubs can focus on to look after their community, plan ahead and also looking ahead to opening the clubhouse up to members again.

Keeping your money safe

Unfortunately fraudsters are using the coronavirus outbreak as an opportunity to attempt a variety of scams and cybercrime, so it’s never been more important to be cautious over your clubs’ finances. The guide includes tips on spotting fraudulent attempts to help safeguard you and your club against such threats.

Keep your eyes open for the release of the NatWest Club Cricket Finance Guide, which we’re launching together with the ECB soon.

In the meantime, take a look at some other useful tips on how to keep your money safe here

Maintaining well-being in the officiating community

Spring is here and summer is around the corner! As Umpires and Scorers, we’d expect the cricket season to be in full swing but sadly, that’s not the case this year in this country and world-wide, due to the significant measures implemented to minimise the effect and spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19). We are all having to make changes to our way of life and for many those changes can have a huge impact. What started out feeling a bit like a holiday-at-home is beginning to prove taxing and it is easy to minimise the effects of a prolonged isolation that can creep up on us.

Last season, the topic of the day to either engage in or avoid, was Brexit. This season life has thrown us a googly, on a world-wide scale, and when we thought we would be talking about The 100 or the forthcoming County Championships, T20 Blast, or Test Matches, the subject is Covid-19. Our vocabulary, when we can exchange conversations, often across a driveway or the width of two shopping trolleys, has extended to include phrases like lockdown, social distancing, furlough, and sadly self- isolation.

The restrictions in place for lockdown have begun to place a strain on many people and the longer they go on the greater the impact on our emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. Various organisations, from a wide variety of perspectives, are producing guidance on how to cope and so here’s something for Umpires and Scorers.

England & Wales Cricket Board, Lord's Cricket Ground, London, NW8 8QZ

ECB COVID-19 Update 5/6/2020

Jun 5, 2020, 4:55 pm

ECB Update - Covid-19

Dear all,

These guidelines currently apply to England only. Guidance specifically relating to Wales can be found here.

The below provides a summary of the latest guidance. Detailed guidance in relation to outdoor cricket activity can be found here.

Consistent with UK Government guidance, published on 1 June 2020 relating to the phased return of outdoor sport and recreation in England, the following applies to outdoor cricket:

For all activity, social distancing of at least two metres must be maintained at all times (except between members of the same household).
Playing cricket individually is permitted e.g. practice of individual cricket skills or fitness activities
Playing cricket with people living in your household is permitted.
Small group cricket activity, training or fitness in groups of no more than six (6), is permitted, keeping two (2) metres apart at all times.
Cricket coaches, can now undertake small group sessions of up to six (6) people including the coach (1:5) and they must comply with ECB safeguarding policies (as well as being able to conduct one-to-one coaching).
Nets should be used on an ‘every other’ basis, leaving one net free between nets. Note that for nets within a security fence, occupancy numbers could be limited by social distancing requirements.
It is permissible for two or more groups of six (6) to train at the same time provided they are kept separate, and social distancing and strict hygiene measures are observed. However, clubs should carry out a risk assessment to determine the maximum capacity for their facility that can be achieved safely whilst maintaining social distancing and not exceeding the current limits on training group size.
Clubhouses can be reopened in a limited way for operational reasons (e.g. for access to first aid equipment) or for toilet access (see below) but all communal areas including bar, changing rooms etc. are to remain closed for general use.
Toilet facilities can be opened if the venue wishes, but particular care should be taken by those using them and those cleaning them. Where they are open, venues must ensure soap and water is provided and they are cleaned regularly.
No indoor cricket activity at all.
We recommend using your own equipment if possible. If equipment is being shared, please follow UK Government’s guidance on the sharing of equipment. Players should stick to using one ball in training either by bringing their own or being assigned a numbered ball that is cleaned in between sessions.
No saliva or sweat should be applied to the ball at any time.
Wash hands at home before and after using the outdoor facilities. Bring your own hand sanitiser where possible.

England & Wales Cricket Board, Lord's Cricket Ground, London, NW8 8QZ