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12 June, 2020

South Africans Re-start on TV



‘Made for TV’ games to restart South African cricket.
PTG Editor.
Friday, 12 June 2020.
PTG 3157-15624.

Cricket in South Africa (CSA) is set to resume in two weeks time following the coronavirus lockdown with a made-for-television event featuring three teams made up of the country’s leading players.  CSA chief executive Jacques Faul told 'The Citizen' newspaper on Thursday that government approval has been sought for a game to be played without spectators in Centurion. Faul said an "experimental format" would be used and it will be an opportunity for players to get together after being in lockdown since March and to provide match practice ahead of possible series against the West Indies and India in late July and August.  The players would assemble three days earlier in what CSA’s medical officer, Shuaib Manjra, described as a “sanitised eco-system”, with all players being tested for Covid-19 when they arrived and again five days after the event.
“We’re looking at the minimum number of people being there for the event to happen and be broadcast, which is about 200”, said Dr Manjra.  “We will limit the number of team staff, otherwise it will just be the broadcast personnel, officials, players and stadium staff. There will also be thorough cleaning of the stadium beforehand”.
Sports minister Nathi Mthethwa announced two weeks ago that professional sports could resume training, subject to government approval but a court ruling that lockdown regulations are unconstitutional complicated sport’s return, with new regulations needing to be gazetted.  Faul said he was confident that the legal issues could be overcome. “Hopefully we’ll be playing again at the end of June and we’ll start with the Proteas players, for obvious reasons”, he said.

Umpires should carry portable ball sterilisers, says Professor.
Sri Lanka Times.
Friday, 12 June 2020.
PTG 3157-15625.

Arjuna De Silva, a Professor with the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka, has suggested that "portable Ultra Violet [UV] boxes" be used to sterilise balls during play.  According to him what are “small boxes” could keep balls suitably sterile in the current Covid-19 environment if they were carried by the umpires and thus readily available to be used frequently during a match.  

Several such devices could be in use during a game so that the ones each umpire has out on the ground could be recharged whilst the others are in use.  De Silva indicated that a does of UV will, other than the sterilisation, "have no adverse effects on balls” and such a system "can easily and successfully work”.  He went on to say that “in China, the buses are being sterilised with such devices”.



Players who display coronavirus symptoms during a Test can be replaced under interim measures introduced by the International Cricket Council.
The world governing body also confirmed that applying saliva to shine the ball will be temporarily banned because of fears of spreading the virus.
Teams found to be in breach could be penalised five runs.
The new regulations will be in place for England's series against West Indies, which begins on 8 July.
  • West Indies become first international team to arrive in UK since lockdown began
Substitute fielders for injured or ill players have always been part of the game, but currently the only way a replacement can bat or bowl is if a player in the original XI suffers a concussion.
Coronavirus replacements will only be permitted in Tests, not one-day or Twenty20 internationals.
Umpires will initially show leniency towards players who apply saliva to the ball during a "period of adjustment" to the regulations.
Subsequently, teams will be warned. After two warnings in an innings, further indiscretions will result in penalty runs being added to the batting side's total.
Players are still permitted to shine the ball using sweat. The ICC's cricket committee last month heard medical advice that suggested it is highly unlikely coronavirus can be transmitted through sweat, but there is an elevated risk through saliva.
The ICC has temporarily lifted the requirement to appoint neutral match officials because of the "logistical challenges" of international travel, meaning English umpires could stand in the series against West Indies.
In addition, teams will also get an additional review per innings across all formats - three in Tests, two in limited-overs matches.
The ICC said this measure had been introduced because there might be "less experienced umpires on duty".BBCSport



Irish clubs get provisional approval to resume training.
John Kenny.
RTE Sport.
Friday, 5 June 2020.
PTG 3149-15588.

Cricket Ireland (CI) has received provisional approval for club cricket to resume activity in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  However, the governing body of the sport there is still awaiting confirmation that their national squad players can resume training.  A 20 km travel limit will be part of phase two of easing Covid-19 restrictions in the Republic of Ireland from Monday but the governing bodies of Irish sport want a waiver to ensure that their elite athletes can train at three designated hubs.  

In a statement, CI said that "limited cricket training will be able to resume once two key requirements are fulfilled: the Irish Government and the Northern Ireland Executive formally notify that their respective jurisdiction is moving to Phase 2 / Step 2, and that cricket clubs undertake pre-opening protocol compliance measures and undertake training”.

CI made its submission to the two governments on 22 May seeking approval to restart activity.  Following positive engagement with Sport Ireland and Sport Northern Ireland (SNI), the return-to-training protocols have now been approved for implementation in the Republic of Ireland, with SNI noting the protocols can be communicated to clubs in Northern Ireland ahead of implementation.  That means that Provincial Unions and clubs can actively progress their Covid-19 safety preparation work in anticipation of each government's progression to the second step of their respective reopening road-maps.

"Our priority from the outset was to take a safety-first approach - to ensure the health of players, coaches, volunteers and families”, said Warren Deutrom, CI chief executive.  "With this in mind, it’s important that we remind our club and grassroots family that the 20 km radius rule still applies to club cricketers, and that the ability to restart training depends upon being able to comply with the protocols”.


55 to Report For Duty


BBCSPORT

England have named 14 uncapped players in a group of 55 that have been asked to return to training in preparation for a revamped international summer.
Reece Topley, who has not played for England in four years after a long struggle with injury, is also included.
England are likely to need to separate Test and limited-overs squads to cope with a congested schedule, though players are yet to be separated.
Friday's expected announcement on the new schedule has been delayed.
England were due to host three Tests against West Indies in June, a series that was postponed when the coronavirus pandemic forced all cricket in the UK to be shut down until at least 1 July.
Those matches are now set to take place behind closed doors in a bio-secure environment and be followed by one-day internationals against Ireland, then a tour by Pakistan.
With the three one-dayers against Ireland likely to be crammed in between the two Test series, England will have to call on a larger number of players than usual.
The uncapped players are Gloucestershire wicketkeeper James Bracey, Warwickshire fast bowler Henry Brookes and his county colleague Sam Hain, who has an outstanding batting record in limited-overs cricket.
Batsmen Laurie Evans and Phil Salt, and seamer Ollie Robinson, all of Sussex, are included, along with Jamie Overton, the twin brother of England seamer Craig.
Fast bowlers Brydon Carse of Durham, Tom Helm from Middlesex and Lancashire's Richard Gleeson are named, alongside Yorkshire batsman Tom Kohler-Cadmore.
Surrey pair Will Jacks and Amar Virdi, a batsman and off-spinner respectively, and Essex batsman Dan Lawrence are also in.
Other names to note are Hampshire leg-spinner Mason Crane, who won his only Test cap on the last Ashes tour, and left-armer David Willey, who has not played for England since being left out of the 2019 World Cup squad.
No Hales
However, there is still no place for batsman Alex Hales, who was removed from the World Cup squad after reportedly failing a recreational drugs test. Limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan said this week there needs to be "more time" before Hales returns.
Eighteen bowlers returned to training at seven county grounds last week, with more due to practice at four additional venues from Monday.
England and Wales Cricket Board performance director Mo Bobat said: "The pool of players will give selectors strong options when it comes to selecting squads across formats further down the line, as we move closer to our aim of playing international cricket this summer.
"We will need to continue to work closely with our medical team and government to ensure that our return to training and play activities are in line with best-practice guidelines.
"We're also really grateful for the positive and collaborative response from our county colleagues who are doing a great job at facilitating coaching and support for the players."
England's women will return to training on 22 June, amidst ongoing talks over the status of their series against with India and South Africa.
Players that have been asked to return to training:
Batsmen and wicketkeepers: Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire), Tom Banton (Somerset), Sam Billings (Kent), James Bracey (Gloucestershire), Rory Burns (Surrey), Jos Buttler (Lancashire), Zak Crawley (Kent), Joe Denly (Kent), Ben Duckett (Nottinghamshire), Laurie Evans (Sussex), Ben Foakes (Surrey), Sam Hain (Warwickshire), Will Jacks (Surrey), Keaton Jennings (Lancashire), Tom Kohler-Cadmore (Yorkshire), Dan Lawrence (Essex), Liam Livingstone (Lancashire), Dawid Malan (Yorkshire), Eoin Morgan (Middlesex), Ollie Pope (Surrey), Joe Root (Yorkshire), Jason Roy (Surrey), Phil Salt (Sussex), Dom Sibley (Warwickshire), James Vince (Hampshire)
Fast bowlers (including all-rounders): James Anderson (Lancashire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), Henry Brookes (Warwickshire), Pat Brown (Worcestershire), Brydon Carse (Durham), Sam Curran (Surrey), Tom Curran (Surrey), Richard Gleeson (Lancashire), Lewis Gregory (Somerset), Tom Helm (Middlesex), Chris Jordan (Sussex), Saqib Mahmood (Lancashire), Craig Overton (Somerset), Jamie Overton (Somerset), Ollie Robinson (Sussex), Ben Stokes (Durham), Olly Stone (Warwickshire), Reece Topley (Surrey), David Willey (Yorkshire), Chris Woakes (Warwickshire), Mark Wood (Durham)
Spin bowlers (including all-rounders): Moeen Ali (Worcestershire), Dom Bess (Somerset), Mason Crane (Hampshire), Liam Dawson (Hampshire), Jack Leach (Somerset), Matt Parkinson (Lancashire), Adil Rashid (Yorkshire), Amar Virdi (Surrey) BBCSport

3 comments:

  1. Just to confirm the absence in the lists of a Notts batsman who hits the ball with massive power.

    Also that all above are actually saints
    None have done stupid or dangerous things, and certainly not in Bristol.

    None have cheated on their wives or girlfriends friends, and if they have neither, it is because they spend their time studying the Bible.

    I think ECB should write to His Holiness the Pope suggesting that holy orders of purity are bestowed on Eoin Morgan of Lourdes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, Rich. I suspect Saint Eoin calls the shots with his stock so high in the ODI set up and he can decide if he doesn't want someone. i.e. Baz(Hales). Does this now mean the slates wiped clean for Joe Clarke again given that Tom Kohler-Cadmore returns to the fold ?

      Delete
  2. Morgan clearly doesn’t fancy hales, he doesn’t tho say how he can he can set about rebuilding so called trust and when this might be.if he worked in Downing Street he wouldn’t of even been sacked .

    ReplyDelete

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