Sorry for the formal article on the website this morning, but it is important if we are to be able to keep our facilities open. Below is a statement issued by the ECB yesterday (May 29th). In short, the guidance has not changed. That means that the guidance that we have already issued must remain in place. You must read and comply with this guidance if you wish to use RCC facilities. We are actively encouraging the ECB to allow small group training / practice but it is not allowed at this time. For the avoidance of doubt that means:

only 2 people per net session (including a coach if present)
the only exception is that up to 4 people all from the same household may participate in the same session
note that you must not get round this by having, say, 4 people involved but two sitting out at any one time
you must read all of the guidance

ECB Statement
Last night the government confirmed that groups of six can meet outside from Monday June 1, provided people from different households observe social distancing (staying 2m apart).

While this is good news, it is not an immediate ‘go’ for organised team sports. We are having discussions with Sport England and DCMS about what this means specifically for cricket, to then understand how we can support our clubs to initiate plans to get people back playing cricket.

Yesterday ECB published guidance for the professional domestic season, which will not restart before 1 August.

Recreational cricket will work to a different timeline, but one that again, will be guided by changes to Government advice. We continue to work with DCMS to see its phased return, and it is our hope that we can provide opportunities to play to everyone this summer.

For now, the recreational game remains suspended with no cricket to be played with the sole exception of the ability to use outdoor cricket facilities (nets and pitches) for the purpose of undertaking exercise.

Like all fans of cricket, we wish to see our players, from every part of the game, safely return to the field as soon as possible. With the brilliant spell of weather, we have enjoyed lately, we too understand the immense frustration an absence of play is causing. Thank you all for your patience, as we, alongside everyone else in society, abide by the timelines we have been given by Government.

On behalf of the RCC Committee and our members we ask you to resist the temptation to ignore this guidance for the good of your club and of the other clubs that share Old Deer Park.

Rich Zotov and Chris Goldie