FEATURE: Northants skipper Adam Rossington on lockdown life without cricket!

These are strange times for all of us as we adjust to life under lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and it’s no different for cricketers.

Like all of his Northants team-mates, skipper Adam Rossington is currently at home wondering when he is going to get the chance to resume his career.

The wicket-keeper and batsman, who turned 27 last week, should be well into leading the County in their first Specsavers County Championship Division One campaign since 2014.

Northants should currently be in Guildford, playing the final day of their fifth Championship clash of the season against Surrey.

As it is, all the players are isolating at their homes and trying to do all they can to stay in shape, just in case cricket is given the go-ahead to start again.

The Government last week revealed they are open to some professional sport resuming behind closed doors from June, but cricket has already announced the sport is suspended until July 1 at the earliest.

It is all very frustrating for Rossington, who has been keeping himself fit with plenty of running, and has now also signed on for the Peleton online cycling workout.

He hasn't been able to play any sort of cricket, and admitted: “It would be nice to get out there again.

“I think this is the longest I have gone without picking up a bat since I was about five-years-old!

“But we just have to keep ticking over as we go, and see what the Government says and how and when we can get back to it.

“Hopefully in the not too distant future it would be great if we could get back in, even if it’s only training in small groups or something like that, just to get back into the swing of things.

“I think a lot depends on how likely they think it will be us getting some form of cricket in.

“If we get a start date, or a potential start date, then at least we would have something to work towards.”

The England & Wales Cricket Board have stated it is the intention to try to get some sort of season played if it is safe to do so.

There has been talk of Test matches being played behind closed doors, while at county level, Rossington feels it is inevitable if they do get to play this summer, it will be either T20 or 50-over cricket rather than first-class matches.

And he also feels that although it wouldn’t be an ideal scenario, he would be prepared to play behind closed doors.

Asked about what sort of cricket may be played in England this year, Rossington sad: “I would imagine it would be white ball cricket.

“I think logistically it is probably easier to organise a T20 game, rather than trying to fund four-day cricket somewhere.

“But we don’t know yet, and it will just be a case of seeing what comes of everything, and once we have a rough idea of what may happen we can start planning for the season, or not.”

And he went on: “It would not be ideal to play behind closed doors, but if that is the case then I am sure the lads will be itching to get out there and play some form of cricket.

“If it is the case and there are a few games on TV, then I am sure all of us would love to just get out there and play some cricket.”

The County players haven’t been together since the beginning of March, but Rossington revealed they are still managing to keep in touch - and maintain a competitive edge!

“The lads all keep in contact through WhatsApp and we have Zoom and all that sort of thing,” he said.

“The boys are staying in touch, and we have a weekly fitness challenge, so we have a bit of competitiveness with that.

“I think we need to check on Vasco’s (Ricardo Vasconcelos) counting though, because he has won a couple of them now - and that’s a bit dubious!”