The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to affiliated clubs and organisations of Hampshire Cricket Board Ltd (HCB), Southern Premier Cricket League (SPCL) and the Hampshire Cricket League (HCL), in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
These FAQs have been collated jointly by the HCB, SPCL and HCL, to keep clubs up to date with the latest Government and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) advice, and to answer questions raised by clubs. By communicating in this way we hope to provide consistent information to clubs across the three organisations.
We appreciate clubs will have many concerns and questions. HCB, SPCL and HCL will do everything we can to support clubs through this very challenging period. Whilst we have attempted to provide as much information as possible there are areas where advice is being sought from ECB. Consequently, this document will be updated as and when new information is received from the Government or ECB and would urge clubs to revisit this page on a regular basis.
GENERAL ADVICE
What advice and support will be available for clubs and organisations?
• Facility maintenance
Click here for ECB guidance on Coronavirus and Grounds Maintenance in the Recreational Game. This has been sent separately to club secretaries and grounds maintenance contacts.
• Health and hygiene
Click here for the latest government guidance.
• Cancelled courses and lapsed qualifications (1st aid, Health and Safety)
We are awaiting advice from ECB which is expected in the coming days.
• Safeguarding new arrangements ECB Statement:
“The safety of our clubs and centres remains a priority. Whilst we have suspended all Safe Hands courses, we will be introducing an interim training package to everyone that needs it. Full details will be shared through County Welfare Officers.
We have had to make changes to the standard practice of Disclosure and Barring Service Checks but will be following the Government guidance on temporary changes which include:
DBS Certificates will now be able to be emailed to safe.guarding@ecb.co.uk instead of posting.
Overseas Certificate of Good Conduct will now be able to be emailed to dbs@ecb.co.uk instead of posting.
Access has been temporarily changed for ID verification to the top levels of access: ECB Staff / Regional Users / Primary County-Wide Users / Secondary County-Wide Users (which would include all County Welfare Officers & their deputies / Regional Programme Execs / City Programme Execs.
ID Verifications will now be supported via video conferencing instead of Face to Face meetings.”
• Small group training / net practice / 1 to 1s
All forms of recreational cricket are suspended. This includes training, pre-season friendlies and any associated cricket activity. For a list of permitted activities, please click here for the latest Government advice.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Eligibility for 100% rate relief and Government grants
Click here for Government advice on 80% rate relief and 100% ‘discretionary relief’ for Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs), charitable, non-profit and voluntary organisations. Contact your council for details, we have been informed by a member club that their local authority has now decided to grant ‘discretionary relief’.
Click here for information on the Government’s support for businesses that pay little or no business rates. Your local authority will write to you if you are eligible for this grant.
Will there be emergency ECB grant aid to cover facility maintenance, insurance, running costs and loss of income?
ECB are currently looking at ways to provide financial support for clubs. Details will be confirmed in the coming weeks. We recommend that clubs contact all their suppliers to renegotiate 2020 costs.
Will clubs have to continue to make England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT) Interest Free Loan Scheme repayments?
The Trustees of the England and Wales Cricket Trust (ECB’s subsidiary charity) have agreed that loan repayments will be suspended until May 2021. All other terms and conditions remain in place. If you have any questions, please contact loans@ecb.co.uk .
Will insurance companies either pay out on lost income due to business interruption or rebate / refund premiums due to the lack of cricket?
In the first instance, please refer to your insurer. Many premiums are due in April. Discussions between HCB, leagues and insurers are taking place and this section will be updated.
Can we request a pause of Sky/BT Sports channels ?
Some providers are allowing customers to pause subscriptions:
• BT Sport customers click here.
• Sky customers click here.
• Virgin Media customers click here.
LEAGUES AND HAMPSHIRE CRICKET BOARD
Will affiliation/entry/match ball/handbook fees be refunded?
• HCB affiliation fees will be waived for 2020 season.
• SPCL – league stance will be confirmed asap
• “HCL cricket balls that the clubs ordered have been paid for and are being stored by Dukes. These will be distributed later this season at a date yet to determined. Since any excess balls not used in the 2020 season can be used in the 2021 season it will mean, inevitably, a smaller order by each club for the 2021 season. Handbooks are being made available, at no cost for the first 12 for each and every club, again distribution will be a date yet to be determined. If there is no cricket in the 2020 season then the question of the entry fees for 2020, would be discussed by Committee and may be held over for 2021 entry fee.” (Philip Wilson, HCL vice-chair)
Will there be flexibility to Get The Game On in terms of formats, scheduling of matches and rules and regulations? Will there be promotion and relegation?
• Click here for HCL statement.
• SPCL statement (already emailed to clubs) will appear on their website shortly.
• Hampshire Cricket Board will be consulting with junior leagues.
WHEN CRICKET RESUMES
Will there be a national recruitment campaign to encourage participation in grassroots cricket?
We are awaiting further information from the ECB. HCB and the leagues will work tirelessly to ensure the recreational game resumes in the best possible shape.
Will there be consultation with the FA if there is cricket in September on use of facilities shared with football?
This point has been referred to the ECB and updates will be provided as and when they become available.
WHO TO CONTACT
The following activities have been suspended and all participants have been contacted. We will let you know when activities/courses resume.
• All Stars Cricket / Dynamos Cricket: rob.pfeiffer@ageasbowl.com
• County Club Championships
o Open competitions contact: simon.jones@ageasbowl.com
o Girls’ competitions please contact: michael.pollard@ageasbowl.com
• Courses and Events
o Coach education courses please contact: john.cook@ageasbowl.com
o Safeguarding courses and Play-Cricket please contact: simon.jones@ageasbowl.com
o Umpiring and scoring courses, click here to contact the Hampshire Association of Cricket Officials (HACO).
o Women’s Cricket Expo and Women’s Softball Coaching Course contact: emma.cowdrill@ageasbowl.com
• Disability Cricket (Super1s / County Teams)
o Super1s please contact: lee.purton@ageasbowl.com
o County teams please contact: michael.pollard@ageasbowl.com
• Girls’ Regional Performance Centres (RPCs): michael.pollard@ageasbowl.com
• Schools Cricket: emily.munro@ageasbowl.com
• Street Cricket: rob.pfeiffer@ageasbowl.com
• W10: michael.pollard@ageasbowl.com
• Wicketz: sam.moss@ageasbowl.com
These FAQs have been collated jointly by the HCB, SPCL and HCL, to keep clubs up to date with the latest Government and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) advice, and to answer questions raised by clubs. By communicating in this way we hope to provide consistent information to clubs across the three organisations.
We appreciate clubs will have many concerns and questions. HCB, SPCL and HCL will do everything we can to support clubs through this very challenging period. Whilst we have attempted to provide as much information as possible there are areas where advice is being sought from ECB. Consequently, this document will be updated as and when new information is received from the Government or ECB and would urge clubs to revisit this page on a regular basis.
GENERAL ADVICE
What advice and support will be available for clubs and organisations?
• Facility maintenance
Click here for ECB guidance on Coronavirus and Grounds Maintenance in the Recreational Game. This has been sent separately to club secretaries and grounds maintenance contacts.
• Health and hygiene
Click here for the latest government guidance.
• Cancelled courses and lapsed qualifications (1st aid, Health and Safety)
We are awaiting advice from ECB which is expected in the coming days.
• Safeguarding new arrangements ECB Statement:
“The safety of our clubs and centres remains a priority. Whilst we have suspended all Safe Hands courses, we will be introducing an interim training package to everyone that needs it. Full details will be shared through County Welfare Officers.
We have had to make changes to the standard practice of Disclosure and Barring Service Checks but will be following the Government guidance on temporary changes which include:
DBS Certificates will now be able to be emailed to safe.guarding@ecb.co.uk instead of posting.
Overseas Certificate of Good Conduct will now be able to be emailed to dbs@ecb.co.uk instead of posting.
Access has been temporarily changed for ID verification to the top levels of access: ECB Staff / Regional Users / Primary County-Wide Users / Secondary County-Wide Users (which would include all County Welfare Officers & their deputies / Regional Programme Execs / City Programme Execs.
ID Verifications will now be supported via video conferencing instead of Face to Face meetings.”
• Small group training / net practice / 1 to 1s
All forms of recreational cricket are suspended. This includes training, pre-season friendlies and any associated cricket activity. For a list of permitted activities, please click here for the latest Government advice.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT
Eligibility for 100% rate relief and Government grants
Click here for Government advice on 80% rate relief and 100% ‘discretionary relief’ for Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs), charitable, non-profit and voluntary organisations. Contact your council for details, we have been informed by a member club that their local authority has now decided to grant ‘discretionary relief’.
Click here for information on the Government’s support for businesses that pay little or no business rates. Your local authority will write to you if you are eligible for this grant.
Will there be emergency ECB grant aid to cover facility maintenance, insurance, running costs and loss of income?
ECB are currently looking at ways to provide financial support for clubs. Details will be confirmed in the coming weeks. We recommend that clubs contact all their suppliers to renegotiate 2020 costs.
Will clubs have to continue to make England and Wales Cricket Trust (EWCT) Interest Free Loan Scheme repayments?
The Trustees of the England and Wales Cricket Trust (ECB’s subsidiary charity) have agreed that loan repayments will be suspended until May 2021. All other terms and conditions remain in place. If you have any questions, please contact loans@ecb.co.uk .
Will insurance companies either pay out on lost income due to business interruption or rebate / refund premiums due to the lack of cricket?
In the first instance, please refer to your insurer. Many premiums are due in April. Discussions between HCB, leagues and insurers are taking place and this section will be updated.
Can we request a pause of Sky/BT Sports channels ?
Some providers are allowing customers to pause subscriptions:
• BT Sport customers click here.
• Sky customers click here.
• Virgin Media customers click here.
LEAGUES AND HAMPSHIRE CRICKET BOARD
Will affiliation/entry/match ball/handbook fees be refunded?
• HCB affiliation fees will be waived for 2020 season.
• SPCL – league stance will be confirmed asap
• “HCL cricket balls that the clubs ordered have been paid for and are being stored by Dukes. These will be distributed later this season at a date yet to determined. Since any excess balls not used in the 2020 season can be used in the 2021 season it will mean, inevitably, a smaller order by each club for the 2021 season. Handbooks are being made available, at no cost for the first 12 for each and every club, again distribution will be a date yet to be determined. If there is no cricket in the 2020 season then the question of the entry fees for 2020, would be discussed by Committee and may be held over for 2021 entry fee.” (Philip Wilson, HCL vice-chair)
Will there be flexibility to Get The Game On in terms of formats, scheduling of matches and rules and regulations? Will there be promotion and relegation?
• Click here for HCL statement.
• SPCL statement (already emailed to clubs) will appear on their website shortly.
• Hampshire Cricket Board will be consulting with junior leagues.
WHEN CRICKET RESUMES
Will there be a national recruitment campaign to encourage participation in grassroots cricket?
We are awaiting further information from the ECB. HCB and the leagues will work tirelessly to ensure the recreational game resumes in the best possible shape.
Will there be consultation with the FA if there is cricket in September on use of facilities shared with football?
This point has been referred to the ECB and updates will be provided as and when they become available.
WHO TO CONTACT
The following activities have been suspended and all participants have been contacted. We will let you know when activities/courses resume.
• All Stars Cricket / Dynamos Cricket: rob.pfeiffer@ageasbowl.com
• County Club Championships
o Open competitions contact: simon.jones@ageasbowl.com
o Girls’ competitions please contact: michael.pollard@ageasbowl.com
• Courses and Events
o Coach education courses please contact: john.cook@ageasbowl.com
o Safeguarding courses and Play-Cricket please contact: simon.jones@ageasbowl.com
o Umpiring and scoring courses, click here to contact the Hampshire Association of Cricket Officials (HACO).
o Women’s Cricket Expo and Women’s Softball Coaching Course contact: emma.cowdrill@ageasbowl.com
• Disability Cricket (Super1s / County Teams)
o Super1s please contact: lee.purton@ageasbowl.com
o County teams please contact: michael.pollard@ageasbowl.com
• Girls’ Regional Performance Centres (RPCs): michael.pollard@ageasbowl.com
• Schools Cricket: emily.munro@ageasbowl.com
• Street Cricket: rob.pfeiffer@ageasbowl.com
• W10: michael.pollard@ageasbowl.com
• Wicketz: sam.moss@ageasbowl.com