Cricket Ireland releases ‘Safe Return to Training’ protocols at domestic level

The set of rules include detailed guides and checklists for preparing a cricket club for restarting activity consisting cleaning guides, a risk assessment, booking forms and contact tracing process, advice regarding training practices that comply with social distancing and health protocols, and access for a nominated representative for each cricket club to undertake an accredited online training course for dedicated COVID-19 Club Safety Officers.

Speaking about the development, Cricket Ireland Participation Director Elaine Nolan said, “Today is an important one for cricket in Ireland – while we still have a while to go until competitive club cricket returns, the return to training step is a crucial one in salvaging what was once considered to be a likely lost season. It’s been heartening to see so many from the cricket community pull together over recent months and help their clubs, their communities and the sport during a time of strain and uncertainty for all.”

“The detailed set of protocols released today provides clubs, players, coaches, volunteers and families of cricketers’ guidance on how they can begin to re-engage with the sport in a safe and healthy way – minimising the risk of spread of the virus. This next stage, more than ever, will need to see us all working together for the good of the game and the health of the community,” she added.

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The cricketing board also announced that if a club’s nominated COVID-19 Safety Officer has already completed accredited COVID-19 Safety training through an alternate provider they are not required to complete the Cricket Ireland course. However, details of the alternate course completed must be lodged with their Provincial Union. Cricket activity should not resume until a club is set up to comply with the requirements in the return-to-train protocols, it added.

Nolan also informed that in addition to relying on the advice of sporting and health experts, Cricket Ireland has also adopted the recommendations of the International Cricket Council around starting with one-to-one training routines in the early stages. Although the matter is under constant review, the board will be working closely with the Provincial Unions in order to increase training sizes in the coming weeks.

“We felt strongly that we should give clubs the best chance to get started as quickly as possible – bearing in mind how different this season’s restart would be from normal – so we have put together a package of supports for clubs to avail of that includes the provision of online education, signage and subsidised hygiene starter packs, risk assessment, cleaning checklists and booking templates, as well as advice on zoning configurations for training that complies with current Government directives on social distancing,” Nolan, who had played four ODIs for Ireland from 2006 to 2008, stated.

“We would also remind clubs that, in line with recent government announcements, electronic records of attendees at all training sessions must be maintained to support Contact Tracing work. Clubs will need to register through an online form for the Covid-19 Education and Awareness Training.”