England cricketers set to return for individual training next week: ECB

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), earlier today, announced that the contracted cricketers would return to begin an individual training program in a controlled environment at the stadiums next week.

The ECB has planned to utilise the venues to ensure that all the safety and social distancing protocols would be followed by the players, coaches and others as and when the training begins. 

It has been reported that the ECB’s Men’s Elite Performance Programme will implement an individualised training programme for several bowlers, who are centrally contracted and invited through the county system. After a couple of weeks, the training for batsmen and wicket-keepers would begin.

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Ashley Giles, Managing Director – England Men’s Cricket, said that the safety of the players staff and the community remains their top priority. “We are committed to adhering to public health guidelines and Government directives intended to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

To be clear, we will only train and potentially play cricket behind closed doors if we know it is absolutely safe to do so and is fully supported by the Government,” he said.

Here are a list of protocols that the ECB said would be followed.

• Players will train individually on a staggered basis with a coach, physio and, where possible, a strength and conditioning coach in attendance.
• Each individual will observe strict social-distancing, hygiene and temperature testing protocols.
• The ECB, working with counties, will request a number of county coaches to assist with one-to-one coaching. The ECB will fund this.
• Players and support staff to arrive in the training kit ready to practice.
• Players and support staff temperatures will be taken before they will be allowed to train.
• The physio will have to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to treat injuries. The PPE will be sourced and funded by the ECB.
• Dressing rooms and other venue facilities will be closed.

“We are in constant dialogue with players, coaches and counties to determine what is possible during this period and what facilities will be available to us. We are thankful that we have a united front across all of cricket’s stakeholders to prepare the players in a safe and secure environment,” Giles concluded.