BCEW Announce Cancellation of  2020 Blind Cricket Season

original post on the bcew website

We’re very sorry to have to inform everyone that after carefully examining the Return To Cricket Regulations and speaking with the ECB we have now reached the point where BCEW have no option but to call off all competitive cricket for the 2020 season.

For the avoidance of doubt this does include the Development Festival.

We would also strongly advise against playing any friendly matches as based on the Return To Cricket Regulations we cannot see how a VI game could be staged safely and within the rules.

We list below the Return To VI Cricket rules that YOU MUST FOLLOW if you are going to attempt a friendly. These are not negotiable and cannot be ignored, any club failing to follow them risk sanction by the ECB. Whilst these have a few adaptions for the VI game they are not significantly different to those red ball cricket have to follow and most are in fact identical.

This Decision Has Also Prompted the Following Set Of Announcements:
* All 2020 cup draws will carry over to the 2021 season.
* All league structures will remain the same for the 2021 season.
* All entry fees received for the 2020 season will carry forward to the 2021 season.
* As no competitive cricket has been played in 2020 all sight tests will be extended by one year so that they will still have been valid for four seasons.
* BCEW will not have any end of season awards in 2020.
* As a one off the 2020 BCEW AGM will be held via Zoom, this will be in November.
* AGM Voting rights will be the same as at the 2019 AGM as no cricket has been played in 2020 and therefore nobody’s eligibility to vote has changed.

Return To VI Cricket Rules

General Principles:
1. Cricket activity must only take place outside.
2. Players must not use public transport to get to venues.
3. Where car sharing or use of minibuses is considered this must comply with government guidelines on social distancing. For minibus travel all on board must be seated at least two meters apart unless they are from the same household or social bubble.
4. 11 a side cricket will be allowed but with no more than a total of 30 people at the ground. This includes players, match officials, coaches, spectators and anyone else who is present.
5. A hygiene break must be held every 20 minutes or every 6 overs, whichever happens sooner. During each break the ball must be thoroughly cleaned with an anti-bacterial wipe. All players must also clean their hands during each break using hand sanitizer. All of this must also take place at drinks breaks and the start or finish of any innings. The fielding captain will be responsible for cleaning the ball, not the umpires.
6. Participants not adhering to COVID-19 rules, face punishment including but not limited to, player ejection and match cancellation.
7. In the event of rain, participants should return to their own vehicle to maintain social distancing if there is insufficient outdoor cover from the rain to maintain social distancing.

Cricket Specific Rules:
A. Anyone involved in a match must not attend if they have any CoronaVirus symptoms or if they have been told to self-isolate or to shield.
B. In all friendly matches the wicketkeeper must stand at least 2 metres back from the stumps
C. In all friendly matches all fielders must be a minimum of two metres apart
D. In all friendly matches all fielders must be a minimum of 2 metres back from the edge of the playing strip, those in front of or level with the wicket must stay at least 4 metres back from the strip, this is to comply with the rules on running between the wickets.
E. Players running between the wickets must do this using a line 2 metres away from the popping crease, this must also be two metres from the close fielders in the case of VI cricket. It is essential that when running players stay two metres away from the bowler, the other batsman or runner and all fielders.
F. Participants should under take personal hygiene measures at home before and after matches.
G. Participants should bring there own hand sanitizer to games where possible and should maintain strict and frequent hand hygiene measures at all times.
H. Hand sanitizer must be used before the match starts, at every break in play, before leaving the ground and before eating or drinking.
I. Players should refrain from spitting or rinsing out their mouths.
J. Club representatives should ensure all participants are aware of expected social distancing and hygiene requirements.
K. Club representatives should ensure that all players are aware that they are increasing the risk to themselves of infection by participating and that participation must be strictly optional without pressure placed on anyone to take part.
L. Players should arrive already changed and ready to begin the warm up.
M. Time spent at venues prior to any match should be minimised, meet up times should reflect this.
N. Bats, helmets and other equipment cannot be shared.
O. Bowlers must not hand any personal items or items of their own equipment to the umpires, they must place these at the boundary themselves.
P. When leaving the field all batters must sanitize their bats and all wicketkeepers must sanitize their gloves.
Q. In line with current UK Government guidance, clubs should not prepare food for participants. Individuals should bring their own food and drink for ‘teas’ or practice. Water bottles or other refreshment containers should not be shared.
R. After games social gatherings will be allowed but only inline with government guidelines on hospitality.
S. One club representative should be responsible for collecting and disinfecting the stumps, balls, boundary markers and fielder exclusion zone disks at the end of each match.
T. During any practice or training sessions stumps, balls, etc must be disinfected between groups of players using them.
U. Clubs must have a record of all players, officials, coaches and spectators present at any match or training session. This record must be held for at least 21 days after the event in case NHS Track and Trace need the information.
V. If two scorers are required for a match only one may use the scorers box and if outside they must stay 2 metres apart. No players may enter the score box if it is being used for the match. Scorebooks may not be passed from the scorer to any other official or player.
W. Social distancing must be observed when celebrating wickets, during drinks breaks, having tactical discussions and by spectators.
X. The number of people touching the ball should be minimized, spectators should not return or stop the ball whilst on field the ball should be returned to the bowler by the most direct route with as fewer fielders as possible involved.
Y. Umpires should not have any contact with the ball but should be the only people replacing the stumps if they are knocked over or they need to be realigned.
Z. During the toss the coin should be provided by the person tossing it and it should not be handed to anyone else.
AA. Pre and Post Match Handshakes should not take place, hand contact of any kind should be avoided during all matches.

NB Further rules exist for those who run their own ground, for coaches, for training activities and for matches between junior teams. We can provide these on request.

original post on the bcew website

 All at metro are Very sorry to hear this news,  but we will look forward to play resuming in 2021