Pleased that John Winn managed to see some cricket last weekend, despite the wintry weather which I believe caused several of the games in the Leeds and Wetherby League to be abandoned. However looking ahead to next weekend, when most other leagues start, leaves one in a state of total confusion. The original road map for April 12th suggested that spectators would be allowed at recreational cricket grounds as from today. However the latest version of ECB guidance, which runs to several pages of small print, now states that spectators are not allowed at Stage 2 of the road map.
However clubs are allowed to sell food and drink from their premises as long as they are consumed outside, with appropriate social distancing. As players and officials are still told to bring their own teas and drinks, who are the clubs supposed to be selling things to? Perhaps people can wander into the ground, order food and drink, but keeping their eyes averted from events on the field. What total nonsense.
I feel that clubs will in fact take things into their own hands and given the small numbers who normally attend club cricket matches take no action, as long as the usual handful of spectators keep socially distanced. The other point John raised about next week regarding the suggested break in play during the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral has already caused consternation.
The Greater Manchester cricket league has outlined their position in no uncertain manner, using a great deal of common sense, of which we see very little at present. The League's statement reads as follows:-
'The Directors of the GMCL have considered the request of the ECB to halt our games for an hour on Saturday 17th to mark the funeral of HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
We know that our players and club official will want appropriately to mark the passing of HRH at all our games with a period of silence at a designated time, however we believe it is impracticable for the players at a recreational level to be asked to sit around for an hour with no access to buildings or changing rooms under current regulations, unlike those in the professional game.
The GMCL Board asks all our clubs to celebrate Prince Philip's life and love of our great game by playing on in his name and every ground to hold a two minute silence at 3 p.m.to remember him. R.I.P. Prince Philip'.
One can only hope that other league's will follow this example and ignore yet another of ECB's many hair brained ideas. I am sure many of us can just imagine Prince Philip's own reaction should he have heard of such a decision.
1 comment:
Good to see GMCL taking a stand on this: it will be interesting to see if other leagues follow suit. I will look out for any statements and report on line. John Winn
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