Five former sports ministers have united to urge the Prime Minister to reverse his decision to block the return of club cricket.
Sir Hugh Robertson, Lord Moynihan, Tracey Crouch, Richard Caborn and Gerry Sutcliffe joined the growing list of those calling on Boris Johnson to think again, writes Ben Rumsby of the Daily Telegraph.
The England & Wales Cricket Board had been expecting the Government to give the go ahead for organised club cricket to return from July 4 and were shocked when Johnson said the risk was too great, describing the ball as a “vector for the disease”.
British Olympic Association chairman Robertson, who is a Kent County Cricket Club member and was among those recently considered for the role of ECB chairman, said: “I would’ve thought, of all the team sports, cricket is one of the easiest to play in a socially-distanced way.
“And I see no reason relevant protocols shouldn’t be introduced to ensure that the ‘vector of disease’ is cleaned on a regular basis and becomes less contagious.”
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Lord Moynihan said cricket needed to return “urgently”, adding: “Cricket can return safely, of that there is no doubt. And it’s critically important, not least for young people, who UK Active says will be going into the summer holidays 80 per cent less fit than ever before. I’m certainly supportive of the campaign. We need to get cricket back at all levels.”
Crouch said: “While everyone in the sport understands these are unusual times, cricket has waited patiently to restart. Given there is natural social distancing, it is time to let cricket shine again and bring its quintessential glory back to our villages and towns.”
Caborn said: “Scientists say the transferring of the virus reduces considerably outside. If you follow that science-based logic through then those games that are being played outside are considerably safer than those played indoors.”
Sutcliffe added: “If people can go to the parks and people can go to the pubs, they should be able to play cricket.”
Article reproduced by kind permission of the Daily Telegraph.
Sir Hugh Robertson, Lord Moynihan, Tracey Crouch, Richard Caborn and Gerry Sutcliffe joined the growing list of those calling on Boris Johnson to think again, writes Ben Rumsby of the Daily Telegraph.
The England & Wales Cricket Board had been expecting the Government to give the go ahead for organised club cricket to return from July 4 and were shocked when Johnson said the risk was too great, describing the ball as a “vector for the disease”.
British Olympic Association chairman Robertson, who is a Kent County Cricket Club member and was among those recently considered for the role of ECB chairman, said: “I would’ve thought, of all the team sports, cricket is one of the easiest to play in a socially-distanced way.
“And I see no reason relevant protocols shouldn’t be introduced to ensure that the ‘vector of disease’ is cleaned on a regular basis and becomes less contagious.”
Campaign
Lord Moynihan said cricket needed to return “urgently”, adding: “Cricket can return safely, of that there is no doubt. And it’s critically important, not least for young people, who UK Active says will be going into the summer holidays 80 per cent less fit than ever before. I’m certainly supportive of the campaign. We need to get cricket back at all levels.”
Crouch said: “While everyone in the sport understands these are unusual times, cricket has waited patiently to restart. Given there is natural social distancing, it is time to let cricket shine again and bring its quintessential glory back to our villages and towns.”
Caborn said: “Scientists say the transferring of the virus reduces considerably outside. If you follow that science-based logic through then those games that are being played outside are considerably safer than those played indoors.”
Sutcliffe added: “If people can go to the parks and people can go to the pubs, they should be able to play cricket.”
Article reproduced by kind permission of the Daily Telegraph.
