13th July 2020
| Mallory Gray
Return to Play Guidance for
Wales – Tuesday 14 July 2020
With the Welsh Government
this evening publishing its guidance for a phased return of Sport, Recreation and Leisure at https://gov.wales/sport-recreation-and-leisure-guidance-phased-return, Cricket Wales and the England
& Wales Cricket Board (ECB) are pleased to now be able to share Return
to Activity Guidance for Cricket in Wales (Step
4 of the ECB Roadmap), which can be found here
We are very grateful to our
participants and volunteers for their patience since the good news of Friday,
which now permits organised outdoor activity for up to 30 people and which
therefore allows recreational cricket to return in Wales.
Cricket Wales looks forward
to hosting club representatives at our scheduled webinars this Thursday evening, and we remain at your disposal as we work through the next steps of
preparing Cricket’s return with you.
Further guidance specific to Wales, pertaining to the use of clubhouses and additional guidance for Officials, can be found below and will also appear on Cricket Wales’ social channels.
Use of Clubhouse & Facilities in Wales
8 Step Infographic for return to cricket in Wales (*Welsh translation version coming shortly)
Before, during and after Cricket activity in Wales
Roadmap for return of cricket in Wales
Welsh Officials Guidance
Return to Nets Practice
Risk Assessment for clubs returning to play
Spectator Statement
Welsh Government guidance https://gov.wales/sport-recreation-and-leisure-guidance-phased-return is very clear on Spectators;
Supporters
and other spectators should be limited at this stage to only those persons who
need to attend, e.g. parents or guardians of children who require their
attendance for health or safeguarding reasons.
Gatherings, outside of
organised outdoor activity, are still not permitted under Welsh law.
The reality is cricket is in
an extremely privileged position to be the first team sport back playing in
Wales, and we must take the lead in showing how organised outdoor activity – in
our case, a game of cricket (with a few adaptations) – can take place safely
and responsibly and within the guidelines. We must not abuse that privilege.
Cricket CANNOT be seen to be
encouraging gatherings. We have been permitted to take part in organised
activity in groups of up to 30; anyone who strays within 2m of the boundary
would count among those 30, so clubs should absolutely NOT be encouraging
spectators to their game.
I urge people to be sensible
and work within the guidelines, not try to find a way to circumvent them; The
focus here should be on getting back to playing (a slightly adapted version of)
the game we love, not trying to leap straight back to where we left off.
Respect the law. Be safe, be
sensible and let’s have cricket be part of the positive solution to our
communities recovering from the impact of Covid.
Leshia
Hawkins
Chief
Executive / Prif Weithredwr