Written by: Pranjal Khatiwoda - 2022013, Grade X
Posted on: 12 August, 2020
International cricket had not got anything since the start of this Coronavirus pandemic globally. The cricketing world was affected badly by ending all the leagues around the world with the last international match being played on March 13 between Australia and New Zealand and it was without any crowd attendance because of the order from the Australian government and Cricket Australia to follow it. It was the 1st match to be played without the crowd attendance and was weird too. The batsman hitting the sixes and the fielder’s to get the ball themselves as there was no crowd to pass out the ball. That match was won by Australia by 71 runs. New Zealand was touring Australia for a three-match ODI series and just after the 1st ODI, New Zealand went into complete lockdown because of the pandemic and the player’s return to the country, leaving the ODI series. After then all the series were canceled or pushed forward.
There was a slight improvement from ECB regarding hosting WI for a three-match test series. The WI cricket board approved that call and became the first nation to move to another country for playing matches. It was very hard for them because they had to stay in 14 days quarantine in WI and had to go for several COVID-19 tests and then finally could move towards England. Many players opted out of that series because of the fear of the virus. Finally, West Indies moved to England in a private chartered plane with the players and the background staff. They were asked to stay in a 14 days quarantine in England too before the start of the series and in a Biosecure bubble in the ground hotel at Southampton. They were not allowed to go anywhere else that hotel in Southampton, Ageas Bowl where the 1st test was going to be played. After 14 days of quarantine, they were allowed for practice in the practice ground around Ageas Bowl with the England team following the same protocols of not leaving the hotel and meeting their family. The ECB had done the perfect work with their chairman Colin Graves and Steve worthy regarding all the important things to look after that series. There was another thing going on between the pandemic which was Black Lives Matter (BLM) and that thing was also kept in mind before the start of the series with both England and West Indies players putting the BLM tags on their shirts before the start of the play and also taking the lap as called by the WI players with the commentators forwarding a deep message regarding the BLM, mainly Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent, former England Women Cricketer. The series was named as #raisethebat series marking the respect for all the doctors who were involved in helping the peoples in this pandemic. After all these things on July 8 at Ageas Bowl, the international cricket returned and returned with style with the West Indian Pacer Shanon Gabriel knocking off the top of the off-stump of England’s opener Dominic Sibley. The first test was going in the favor of West Indies and they won the 1st test match by 4 wickets and Shanon Gabriel packing the Man of the Match award for his excellent spell of bowling. With a short turn around 4 days on July 16, the second test match was played in Old Trafford, Manchester with the same Bio-Secure bubble. The ECB also took action against England’s pacer Jofra Archer for leaving the team Hotel and going home and risking the other’s life. He was banned for the 2nd test and had to undergo 2 COVID-19 tests and came out negative and available for the 2nd test. The 2nd test was won by England by 113 runs with Ben Stokes bagging the Man of the Match award for his excellent display with the bat and the ball.
The third test would also be played on Old Trafford, Manchester starting from July 24. This #raisethebat series marked the return of International Cricket and after that, a lot of improvements have happened with Three team cricket (3TC) in South Africa and England passing the form for the start of recreational cricket around the country. Pakistan and Ireland are already present in England for their series and finally IPL 13 happening in UAE starting from September 19 to November 8. Everything would be played without crowd attendance because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
