The England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is due to face more challenges. After postponing first summer series against West-Indies and all cricket till July now they face a fresh challenge associated with Australia tour of England.
Australia opening batsman David Warner has said that the side’s upcoming tour of England and Scotland is unlikely to go ahead due to the coronavirus pandemic. Australia is slated to play against Scotland in a one-off T20I on June 29 while the side is scheduled to take on England in three T20Is and three ODIs from July 3. England has already pushed the start of their domestic season to July 1 and the Three Lions’ series against West Indies set for June has been rescheduled. But Warner feels that the Kangaroos will not travel to England in the current circumstances.
“At the moment it’s highly unlikely we’re going to go over there given what’s happened in England,” cricket.com.au quoted Warner as saying.
“No doubt at all, you want crowds no matter where you go and where you play,” Warner said.
“I love playing in England, it’s awesome. You’ve always got someone they always try and rev up, and fortunately for the team it’s pretty much just me, and that takes a lot of the heat off the other guys,” he added.
UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson had also tested positive for COVID-19. Warner said that the coronavirus remains a serious problem throughout the world and there are far important things than just sport being played.
“He’s back up on his feet now and that’s fantastic news, but there’s a lot more to this than just sport being played,” Warner said.
England Cricket Board’s Summer in trouble
The series against the West-Indies team is already postponed. Now the big question in front of ECB is how to save the entire summer amid Covid19 threat. Post the West-Indies series in June, ECB is due to host Australia for 3ODI’s and 3T20 games in July. In August – Pakistan is scheduled to travel to England for 3 Test matches and 3T20 game series followed by short series against Ireland.
June – 3 Test vs W.I (Home) – Already Postponed
July- 3Odi/3T20 Aus (Home)
Aug- 3T/3T20 vs Pak (Home)
Sep – 3Odi vs Ireland (Home)
Oct – 3Odi/ 3T20 Ind (Away)
Why for ECB entire summer season is important ?
ECB from this summer onwards is starting a new media rights deal with BBC and Sky Sports. Both the deals put together are slated to bring USD 1.35 billion to ECB coffers over the next 5 years. The new media rights deal starting from this summer will mark the return of live televised English international and domestic cricket to the BBC for the first time in 21 years, while Sky takes its partnership with English cricket into its third decade. If any of the scheduled matches this summer gets cancelled then straightway it will impact the balance sheet of ECB.
Other than this ECB will also have to take loses from their deals outside UK with Sony Pictures Network in the Indian Sub-Continent, BeIN Sports in Middle East and various other territories. Under the circumstances the biggest challenge in front of ECB is to somehow save its summer.
Meanwhile Warner further says that for world over the big challenge is to overcome Covid19 and flatten its curve, than only normalcy can return.
“The biggest picture is making sure we’re doing all the right things we can to flatten this curve and doing what we can do to play our bit in that. We’ve done a great job so far and all Australians should be credited,” he added
The Sunrisers captain for IPL 2020 season, Warner was last seen in action during the first ODI of the three-match series against New Zealand earlier this year. After the first ODI, the series was postponed due to COVID-19.
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