The ECB published this roadmap, on Friday 19th March 2021, for the return of cricket.  Click on the link below.

ECB_COVID_Roadmap_V4 (emlfiles4.com)

I have taken on the role of Suffolk County Cricket Officer which was previously held by Andy Broome. I would like to thank Andy for all of the work he carried out on behalf of the counties scorers.
I am starting from the beginning and therefore would like all clubs to contact me with a list of their scorers, any qualifications they have and are they members of Suffolk Association of Cricket Officials or the ECB Association of Cricket Officials. I will then go through the list and see if they would like to develop their skills further with courses and to join the associations too. A further development is to get new scorers and young scores involved in the game. The pathway to introduce new people to scoring is Basics of Scoring Course, this is an online course through the ECB Portal. Link to Basics of scoring https://booking.ecb.co.uk/d/pjq1gj There will be a course for Young Cricket Officials titled “An Introduction to Officiating” this will cover both Scoring and Umpiring and aimed at 14 to 16 year olds. The County Cricket Board will be running this course upon its release later in the year.
Some courses carry a fee, would clubs be prepared to pay for the courses as Club Development or do they feel it is up to the individual to pay out of their own pocket?
If you already have a competent scorer who would like to develop their skills there are Club Scorer qualifications Level 1 and Level 2. These are in the process of being put online and pilots are about to begin so we will have to wait and see how they are progressing.
My plan is to take all the course’s myself and see how they work, that way I can determine who needs to do what to progress.
Another nutty topic is paying scorers expenses. I would appreciate it if clubs can divulge who pay expenses to their scorers or if they offer and the scorer declines any form of remuneration. There is quite a disparity between umpires and scorers, at higher levels in the leagues and county junior/senior matches where the game cannot take place without either. All information will remain confidential unless I am told otherwise.
I’m looking forward to visiting as many clubs as I can while scoring this season and will always be happy to chat to anyone within your club who is interested in scoring or developing what they already know.

Regards Kathy Parker
e: grangefarm@btinternet.com t: 07740780460

To the Two Counties Cricket Championship Committee and Fellow Clubs

It is with great sorrow that we report that Ipswich Cricket Club find themselves in the position of not being able to fulfil our commitment to provide three teams in the league for the coming season. As you may know we have been grateful to use the opportunity in the past to use loan players to enable us to ‘Get the Game On’, and wish to thank both the committee and fellow clubs for that. The problem we face now is that most of our front-line batsmen and bowlers from the last full season are no longer available to the club or have indicated very irregular availability. Of the players who have indicated their availability for the coming season, only a couple could play first team at the standard required on a weekly basis, as a result the majority of the side would be drawn from our second or third teams, resulting in a knock-on effect to those sides. If players were forced to play at an inappropriate standard, as well as being a source of concern about their welfare there would be a possibility that we could lose these players to cricket altogether.

We have therefore asked the MSC to withdraw our side from Division Two, but continue to provide sides to Divisions Five and Eight.  They have agreed to this request

We would like to apologise to the league and also to the other sides in Division Two who will now have a vacant week. It is not a position we want to be in but believe it is a better solution for cricket as a whole.

Dougie Fairbanks

Chairman

Ipswich Cricket Club

Following yesterday’s Committee meeting I would like to confirm with you all that cricket is still waiting for formal advice from the ECB to give us guidance as to the way forward in terms of procedure for facilities and numbers of people at any one venue (plus a lot more do’s and dont’s).  Once these are in place we will share them with you as soon as we are able.

Currently we are aware, that given the guidelines set out in the government roadmap we should be able to commence the league programme as planned, but we can’t say more than that at present.

Geoff Eveling   Chairman – Two Counties Championship.

There seem to be some confusion.

As we understand the rules at present, you cannot currently enter the UK if you’ve been in or through a country on the banned travel list (sometimes known as the ‘red list’) in the last 10 days, unless you’re British, Irish or you have the right to live in the UK.  This ‘red list’ includes countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe and some West Indian islands.  We have heard nothing from the government or the ECB on any possible relaxation of these rules.  The link below explains the current position as we see it:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/transport-measures-to-protect-the-uk-from-variant-strains-of-covid-19

Travellers from Australia and New Zealand are not on the ‘red list’ at present but both have very strict rules in place to prevent/restrict overseas travel from their countries.

Following discussions in the Adult Participation Group last night, we can report that there is much optimism that Two Counties Championship cricket will start on Saturday April 17^th with a full fixture list as published.

Of course there will be restrictions in place, initially similar to last season (perhaps for several weeks after the start of the season) but the planned ECB Roadmap with full details of these plans should be published next week (nothing more specific than that has been indicated)  and we will then be an a position to update clubs further on what and for how long these restrictions will be in place.

At the MSC meeting last Monday the following was decided:

The MSC wishes to thank clubs for their input to the surveys sent out over the winter.

There will now be a 12pm start in all Division 1 matches as a result of clear support.   All other suggested rule changes were not conclusive and none will be adopted for the 2021 season.

The matter of power plays did receive clear support but the MSC are awaiting the conclusion of ongoing discussions before a decision on this can be taken.  If discussions do reach a satisfactory conclusion then this rule will also be adopted for the 2021 season – possibly on a trial basis for the first season.

A decision on a different ball for use in Division 1 matches will be taken at the end of the season when an objective assessment will be taken on the analysis of 3 other possible contenders.  These will be trialled during some Division 1 matches next season.

On the matter of the provision of teas, earlier start times and 80 over matches in lower divisions there was a lot of support but the MSC do not deem it sufficient for change. Clubs are reminded that it is within Championship rules to alter any of these by mutual agreement between clubs on a match by match basis.

In all other matters the status quo remains.

So it is looking promising for a start on time for the season 2021 …….

Most will have seen the press releases and the announcements yesterday but at the moment we do not know for sure what the playing conditions will be with regard to travel, changing and bar facilities or catering so could all please be patient for a few days until the ECB are able to clarify the exact position.

We will of course post details as soon as they are available.

The 2021 fixtures have now been published in Play-Cricket.

The fixture pages are correct as at the time of publishing this item. A number of changes have been made since they were first posted a couple of months ago, so every club should just check how they have been affected. Further changes may still be made before we actually announce the final list as final, and publish them all in Play Cricket.
There are still a few re-arrangements that are required, but these are clearly marked. Only the Ladies fixtures for 2021 have not been completed, fixtures for the season which have been confirmed are now listed on the Fixture pages.

We are now also awaiting guidance from the Government and the ECB with regard to resumption dates. In the meantime the Management Sub-Committee will be drawing up contingency plans in the event that a “full” season in inachieveable.

Clubs are reminded that the deadline for applications for 2021 for overseas players and player/coaches is the 16th February and currently the MSC have no outstanding applications on file  ……

It is worth noting at this stage that most successful applicants will be required to quarantine in a specified hotel on arrival in the UK at a cost of £1800.