Clubs busy planning for cricket this summer

Working partnerships have always been key in cricket and tapping into the expert support available is vital to provide the best possible chance of getting the game on this summer

For the first time this summer, tentative plans are being made for competitive cricket to return to grounds up and down the country at grassroots level. The timeline isn’t clear yet, but clubs are busy working out logistics and seeking guidance and expertise to help them get the game on.

One such company providing advice are Yorkshire-based insurance brokers Marshall Wooldridge, who run the ExtraCover Insurance scheme and sponsor The Cricketer Village Cup.

“We’ve had hundreds, probably thousands of emails in the past two months from clubs asking for advice,” said sports development manager Mark Dearden.

“And we’ve tried to be as flexible as we possibly can and work with the clubs rather than against them. We are doing our best to help in these unusual times.”

A theme of this entire period has been uncertainty as all industries have had to interpret government guidelines in their own way.

ExtraCover have rolled up their sleeves and are helping clubs up and down the country to remain afloat and continue to operate into the future.

If a club is a customer or not they will provide advice and assistance in this trying time and are an essential cog in keeping cricket turning.

Last week the ECB released encouraging guidelines that outlined that nets could reopen. Of course, there are regulations in place and players must adhere to social distancing but this is an incredibly positive step.

Another friend of The Cricketer, grounds equipment manufacturers Durant Cricket, are working hard to allow as many cricketers as possible get out and enjoy the game, despite the necessary restrictions.

^{Durant Cricket's mobile cage}

One such restriction is that there must be a lane between active nets, meaning of a three lane facility only the outside two can be used. But Durant have come up with a solution, as Managing Director Cristian Durant explains:

“We can provide extra capacity if clubs use our mobile cages on the square. All the wickets are immaculate at the minute, and our cage allows players to put them to use.”

The mobile cages can be easily moved by just one person, so social distancing is respected, and they make no indentation into the ground, keeping groundsmen happy.

These cages would have previously been used to replicate a match situation for batsmen, being out on the square, but Durant have been keen to adapt their approach so more cricketers can benefit from club facilities.

“We just want to help people latch on to the feel-good nature of getting cricket back on again, while also helping players get back outside responsibly.”

Helping clubs welcome more players back to the game after the delayed start to the summer is not the only way that Durant are keeping cricket alive.

“We have also been doing a lot of work in people’s gardens installing mobile cages and fixed practice nets.” Cristian continued.

“Recently, we’ve worked with ex-England and Leicestershire batsman Darren Maddy, who is now coaching at Solihull School and Nottinghamshire assistant coach Ant Botha. They’re priming themselves to do one-on-one net sessions in their gardens.”

Working partnerships have always been key in cricket and tapping into the expert support available from the likes of ExtraCover Insurance and Durant Cricket is vital to provide the best possible chance of getting the game on this summer.