Minister's warning is bad news for local cricket

Just how long that wait is remains to be seen, however anyone following the comments of Irish Minister for Health, Simon Harris, this weekend will know the signs aren’t great as coronavirus continues its grip on daily life.

Mr Harris suggested that the government was highly unlikely to sanction any large gatherings until at least the end of 2020 and it seems that unless a vaccine is discovered pretty sharpish, we’ll be living off scraps for now.

The reality is of course that while we love our sport, it is pretty far down the list in terms of current priorities.

As far as cricket is concerned, discussions are continuing on an almost daily basis regarding what we might expect for the year ahead. The North West Cricket Union (NWCU) has just contacted its clubs again today to give them an update on events at committee level, however there was little in terms of positive news on potential start dates.

Strangely, the New Zealand series hasn’t yet been called off although the suspicion is that we’re pushing for a postponement as opposed to a cancellation. There’s as much chance of me opening the batting in that series as there is of the Kiwis being at Bready in June.

The bottom line in all of this is that the threat of the pandemic will still be just as real and just as potent even once restrictions start to ease.

If it were to be possible to get a game of cricket once in a while, it is likely to be governed by very strict guidelines. It’s hard to imagine that social distancing will be abandoned by the authorities and that being the case, changing rooms, clubhouses, bars and tea facilities will all remain out of bounds.

Indeed it has also been suggested that there will be time restrictions in place too, so at best that would conceivably mean only T20 games would be possible.

International cricket, with the cast of hundreds that brings, looks a long way off while Interprovincial cricket, including all-Ireland cups are highly unlikely to be entertained either. All that would leave then is local competition and a severely disrupted programme at that.

On the flip side of course, there will be some desire for the return of at least a shade of normality. By mid-summer, many folk will have been cooped up in their homes for four months and a few hours watching a game might be just what the doctor ordered.

In terms of competitive cricket, the Unions will continue to talk to their clubs however everything will be governed by the state in the final reckoning.

Things are changing fairly quickly at present and no-one is really in a position to project what may or may not happen. Without a major breakthrough in the fight against the virus however, a very truncated season with little or no 50-over cricket is currently as good as it looks like getting.

Most clubs will by now have abandoned plans to bring an overseas player this summer and it is conceivable even at this early stage that we may be looking at a season with just a handful of friendlies.

The health, safety and well-being of players, officials and spectators is the force that will decide how this season unfolds, and rightly so.

It’s doubtful that anyone would want it any other way.

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