NCL bosses fear local cricket season could be wiped out

The outbreak of the coronavirus has seen all sports halted across the UK but cricket might not even get the chance to get started.

On the grander scale, the ECB confirmed the professional season has been delayed until at least May 28.

But local cricketers are facing the prospect of no league matches at all this summer.

The NCL was due to get under way on April 25 and vice-chairman Robert Pack chose to throw some perspective on the situation, suggesting that if each club gets to play at all then it will be a “winning situation”.

Pack said: “If I am honest, I will be very surprised if we do play but it’s changing each week at the moment isn’t it?

“We are one of those sports where everyone puts their hand on the ball and when you think about everything that goes into the game, it may be some time before teams can get out there.

“There’s been no further recommendation yet and they have given the end of May as the timescale for the professional game.

“Everyone wants to keep their hopes up and if we can be back in June or July then great.

“And when that time comes, the question will be about wins and losses but, after all this that we are going through, does it really matter for this year?

“Even if each team gets two matches, just being outside with your friends and playing, I would deem that a success considering where we are at the moment.

“This is recreational cricket and just to be out there and playing would be a winning situation.

“But when you look at it quite sensibly and without a cricket hat on, it may well be the case that we don’t play this year.

“I might be being a bit over the top and people may well disagree but that’s just me looking at it through a bit of perspective.”

Pack also believes the other concern for clubs during a summer that may see limited or not cricket will be keeping players interested.

It’s been widely reported in recent times that participation levels in the sport have dropped and he added: “There could be good and bad that comes out of all this.

“There will be people champing at the bit to go out and play but we might lose cricketers out of this because people could find other things in the meantime.

“We could lose people or we could even find that there are those who want to get back into it after seeing it disappear for a short time.

“It could go two ways. For some, it will bring people together and for others, they could have players who wander away so we just have to see what happens."