The English county cricket season will begin on August 1, the England and Wales Cricket Board introduced on Monday. The precise kind of cricket has nonetheless to be determined, though the ECB mentioned this was “resulting from be agreed” by the 18 first-class counties in early July. Officers had beforehand introduced that the inaugural version of the new-format Hundred franchise competitors had been scrapped due to the coronavirus pandemic. The primary Take a look at between England and the West Indies behind closed doorways at a bio-secure Southampton, beginning on July eight, is about to be the primary main worldwide cricket match since lockdown.
The opening spherical of the first-class County Championship was initially scheduled to start on April 12.
However within the months for the reason that season was delayed by the virus the ECB have made it clear that Twenty20 Blast fixtures are their most profitable home format, with worldwide fixtures their greatest money draw.
Well being and security stays the main concern for the ECB, which has accredited the return to coaching of first-class counties on or earlier than July 1.
“It’s a vital step for our sport that we’re in a position to approve the beginning of the boys’s home season for August 1 and one which will probably be welcomed by everybody related with county cricket,” mentioned ECB chief govt Tom Harrison.
Harrison, who beforehand warned a season with none fixtures in any respect may price the ECB 252 million kilos ($309 million),” additionally welcomed the enter of the counties and the Skilled Cricketers’ Affiliation in making ready for a “home season not like any the sport has confronted earlier than”.
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Harrison pressured British authorities well being steerage “will proceed to form our planning and preparation”.
Two-day pleasant matches between Surrey and Middlesex and Yorkshire and Lancashire in July had already been introduced earlier than Monday’s assertion by the ECB.
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