The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has published guidelines for cricket indoors, offering practical guidance to venues, coaching providers and clubs on the steps they should take while undertaking cricket indoors.
The guidelines should be read in conjunction with latest UK and Welsh Government regulations. These guidelines could change in response to the current COVID-19 Alert Level or other Government advice.
In order to keep cricket going as it moves indoors, there will need to be adaptations in place for all, including venues, coaching providers, players, parents/carers, spectators and officials. Those adaptations relate to activity prior to, during and after cricket activity. There are also adaptations from the Step 4 outdoor guidance.
A summary of the adaptations is listed below but please read the full guidance documents via the below button for England for comprehensive details.
Venues
- Carry out a COVID-19 Risk assessment, act on it, communicate it, publish it.
- Include ventilation, occupancy, social distancing and cleaning as a minimum.
- Implement and communicate control measures.
- H&S, First Aid, Safeguarding and Access legislation and requirements remain in place.
- Continually review and update.
- Communicate and work in partnership with Coaching Providers and Clubs to make sure government guidance is followed.
- In Wales, venues should appoint a Coronavirus Officer
Coaching Providers and Clubs
- Carry out a COVID-19 Risk assessment, act on it, communicate it, publish it.
- Plan and adapt your coaching activity to be COVID-19 compliant.
- Plan and adapt pre-session and post-session processes to be COVID-19 compliant (including NHS Test & Trace (England) / Test, Trace, Protect (Wales) requirements).Allow time for handover between sessions.
- H&S, First Aid, Safeguarding and Access legislation and requirements remain in place.
- Check venues when you hire them and work in partnership with them to make sure Government guidance is followed.
- In Wales, coaches must wear facemasks in indoor areas when they are not actively involved in aerobic activity.
- In Wales, coaching providers and clubs should appoint a Coronavirus Officer
- Please note that ‘Coaching Provider’ is a cover-all term that includes all coaching activity, including coach development activity.
Participants
- Enjoy your cricket and enjoy it safely.
- Cricket indoors is different from normal under COVID-19 and different from outdoor cricket under COVID-19, but everything will be explained to you – just follow guidance from your coaching provider or club.
- Individuals should undergo a personal symptom check prior to all activity and not take part if they demonstrate any COVID-19 symptoms, in Wales, participants are required to self-declare this and other requirements (see the guidance).You should maintain 2 m social distancing at all times.
- Players should minimise handling of the ball in all activity, by limiting contact as it makes its way back to the bowler and using small groups in training.
- No sweat or saliva should be added to the ball at any time.
- Limit the sharing of equipment where possible. Where not possible, practise strict hand and equipment hygiene. If you have any queries do not hesitate to contact your coaching provider or club.
- In Wales, participants must wear facemasks when entering an indoor facility, and when not participating in cricket activity. They are permitted to remove facemasks during cricket sessions.
Supporting Documents
To support delivery of cricket indoors ECB have provided an infographic for England.
In relation to England: Checklists for venue operators and coaching providers and clubs and a risk assessment template are all available.
All of these documents can also be accessed in the ECB Resource Hub here. A reminder to create an account if you have not done so already.