Cricket Wales Statement 19 June 2020

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Cricket Wales welcomes today’s announcement by First Minister Drakeford in respect of the easing of lockdown restrictions, which positively affects cricketers wishing to undertake socially distanced practice and non-contact activity on outdoor facilities.  

The regulation change, as the First Minister detailed, will come into effect from next Monday 22nd June 2020.

We should reiterate, also, that cricket clubs should only open their facilities if and when they feel they are able to operate safely, ensuring that all travel and social distancing regulations and hygiene protocols are observed, and where the facility can be robustly managed and controlled.  

Many cricket clubs in Wales will have already seen and considered the Guidance document issued by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for clubs in England last month; Cricket Wales will now work urgently with ECB to align this guidance, to reflect the detail of the regulations and the situation as things now stand in Wales and, as soon as this is approved, it will be communicated to clubs and posted on our social channels.  

While this is clearly positive news for cricket today, we would remind clubs and participants that this only means, in the short-term, an opportunity to return to individual practice - or activity undertaken by up to two households. It is NOT YET the ‘green light’ for a return to team activity such as squad practice, bilateral or intra-club matches, or any formalised regional pathway activity.   

This said, we will continue to work with colleagues in the sport sector, Sport Wales and the Welsh Sports Association (WSA) with regards to the next phase of the return to sporting activity in Wales, alongside Welsh Government.  

Cricket Wales CEO, Leshia Hawkins, said, “I would like to sincerely thank the clubs and cricketers of Wales for the patience they have shown, but also their adherence to the regulations during what I know will have been a frustrating time without cricket. There has been an inordinate amount of work undertaken behind the scenes in the last couple of months to allow this easing of regulations with regards to outdoor sports facilities to be approved by the Welsh Government and I would also like to express my particular gratitude to colleagues at WSA, Sport Wales & ECB for their support.

“The safety of everyone in the game remains our top priority and we will issue Welsh-specific guidance to clubs and participants as soon as we can, and we will turn our attention to securing as much ‘competitive’ team activity as we are able to this summer, in whatever form that can viably take. I hope, in the meantime, as many people as possible, especially our young cricketers, will be able to enjoy some socially-distanced cricket practice and reignite their love of our beautiful game.”    

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