Amid the ongoing Corona Virus threat worldwide, the Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC) is mulling over the option to play Two match test series against England in the empty Stadiums, Cricket Age reliably learns. A final decision, however, has not been taken as yet.
“We are planning to play the two tests behind closed doors. However, as we are still analyzing the situation, no final decision has been taken yet” a top SLC administrator told Cricket Age.
The first Test is scheduled to starts on March 19 in Galle, while second Test will be played from March 27 at the SSC in Colombo.
In another notable development, the England Cricket Board (ECB) Chief Executive Tom Morrison, on Thursday, wrote a mail to SLC, with a strange request of keeping a player in hotel room, if someone gets affected with the Virus.
“It was a strange request from the ECB, as like any other organization in the country, SLC is also bound to obey the government advisory on the deadly virus, that says that if a person gets infected, he must be quarantined for 14 days” the top administrator added further.
The ECB are also in consultation with the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and a decision to cancel the tour was expected yesterday [Thursday] but the Government’s refusal to implement stronger measures against the Covid-19 virus – specifically not suspending sporting events as has happened across Europe – means the ECB has been unable to make a firm decision on the tour.
An ECB statement, on Thursday, said: ‘’We are in regular contact with the Sri Lankan and British High Commissions in addition to Sri Lanka Cricket around the Sri Lanka v England Test matches, scheduled in the next few weeks.
Sri Lanka has so far only had two confirmed cases of the Coronavirus but the country’s government this week took the decision to shut all schools for six weeks and have already put restrictions on foreigners entering the country, including halting all on-arrival visas and the quarantining of anyone who has spent time in Italy, South Korea or Iran in the past 14 days.
But with around 2,000 English fans scheduled to travel to the country from this weekend, it is expected action will be taken to call off the tour as Sri Lankan authorities look to control the spread of Coronavirus within their borders.
With the country’s quarantine facilities only able to hold around 2,500 people and cases of Covid-19 markedly increasing in the UK every day, complete cancellation of the series appears would appear the most sensible option available. However the ECB are deferring to Government advice and will only call off the tour if advised to do so. That could be taken out of their hands though if Sri Lanka follow the example of India and ban entry to all foreign travellers in the coming days.
Sporting events have taken a hit across the globe; among others, the NBA have suspended their season until further notice, ATP tournaments in California stand cancelled, and the Bahrain Grand Prix will be closed to spectators. On the other hand, the India-South Africa, and the New Zealand-Australia ODI series are set to go ahead as planned.
A call on the Indian Premier league (IPL) which is set to feature players from several nationalities, will be taken after a governing council meeting on March 14, although Cricket Age had already published that the tournament will take place behind closed doors.
