Due to the enormous size of the COVID-19 epidemic, most major sports, including tennis and cricket, have been halted since February. The Tokyo Olympics and UEFA Euro 2020, two of the year’s most important athletic events, have been postponed by at least a year.
In this situation, the safety of players and spectators is paramount, hence the cancellation of practically all live sports was unavoidable. However, given the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the availability of a COVID-19 vaccine, it’s time to reconsider the policy of banning all sports for an indeterminate duration.
Tennis’ top players, in particular, have expressed worry about the lower-ranked players. The latter is almost totally reliant on tour matches to stay afloat, and have been hurt the hardest by the tour’s cancellation. The ATP and WTA circuits are both on hold until July 13, 2020.
In the midst of much speculation about when cricket will return in its entirety in the United Kingdom, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) offered some hope to cricket fans and enthusiasts by announcing that it is looking at July 4 as a possible date to resume recreational cricket in the country. Cricket is a low-risk activity, according to the board, because it is a non-contact sport. “We feel that cricket is a non-contact sport with extremely minimal risks of exposure and that it can be played as safely as many other already authorized activities,” the ECB said in a statement.
All tournament categories on the ATP and WTA circuits, including Grand Slams (non-ATP/WTA tournaments), are canceled at this time. Due to financial constraints, the lower-ranked players would find it more difficult to survive in such a system.
Tennis and cricket are both non-contact games. To guarantee that there is no touch at all, some criteria might be created that each participant must follow.
There were no ball boys and no handshakes in tennis, as was the case recently in Germany during an exhibition tennis match featuring Dustin Brown.
Similarly, in cricket, the use of saliva may be completely restricted. Other such precautions might be taken to ensure the players’ and organizers’ safety.
The board has also stated that everyone’s health and safety would be prioritized, and cricket will be resumed in the country after that. “We are encouraged that other ball sports, like tennis and basketball, have already been allowed to resume, and we are certain that our understanding of the hazards associated with ball transmission is compatible with these other games,” the ECB added. “We can confirm that any advice we provide to the game will include instructions on how to minimize any risk from handling the ball, as we continue to put the health and safety of the cricket family first in all of our decision-making,” it said.
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Is Cricket A Contact Sport?
Strains, sprains, fractures, bruises, and open wounds are the most prevalent forms of cricket injuries. The upper body, particularly the hands and fingers, is affected by many of these ailments.
The most prevalent sorts of hospital-treated injuries are injuries to the face, finger, and hand from a cricket ball, followed by falls. Overuse problems, such as back and shoulder ailments, are common among bowlers.
At a time when the COVID-19 epidemic has played havoc on the athletic calendar, including his own, Australian fast bowler Pat Cummins considers himself “fortunate” that cricket is not a full-contact sport. In the midst of the epidemic that has cost over 5000 lives, Australia and New Zealand played the first ODI of the three-match series in an empty venue on Friday.
The board has also stated that everyone’s health and safety would be prioritized, and cricket will be resumed in the country after that. “We are encouraged that other ball sports, like tennis and basketball, have already been allowed to resume, and we are certain that our understanding of the hazards associated with ball transmission is compatible with these other games,” the ECB added. “We can confirm that any advice we provide to the game will include instructions on how to minimize any risk from handling the ball, as we continue to put the health and safety of the cricket family first in all of our decision-making,” it said. Boris Johnson, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, announced new liberalizations in the country on Tuesday.
Due to the coronavirus epidemic, all international cricket has been stopped since March. It will, however, resume on July 8 when England and the West Indies face off in a three-match Test series.
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