ECB announce further financial support to help cricket get through the COVID-19 pandemic

The England and Wales Cricket Board announced a further financial support package of 35.7 million pounds for professional and recreational cricket on Wednesday (June 17). Earlier in March, the board had announced an interim package of 61 million pounds to withstand the financial effect of the COVID-19 pandemic.



The financial package is meant to help protect the game’s future and to support cricket at all levels during this period of uncertainty.



“It is the ECB’s responsibility to protect the whole game’s future during the financial uncertainty we face as a sport,” said Tom Harrison, ECB’s Chief Executive Officer.



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"We continue to work closely with all levels of the game to understand the challenges that are being presented and to map out a plan for the future. While I am pleased the ECB Board has been able to approve this financial support package for the remainder of this year we are still only at the beginning of addressing the impact of this crisis on cricket."



“We still should not underestimate the significant financial burden that is ahead of us across all levels of the game. We must seek to reduce the cost base across the game, as we face up to the sobering reality of what lies ahead of us."



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Meanwhile, the England men’s team have returned to training in preparation for their Test series against West Indies beginning next month. The England women's team are expected to return to training on June 22. While their series against India has been postponed, it is understood that the board is in talks with Cricket South Africa and the Board of Control for Cricket in India to hold a tri-series soon.



“It remains our priority to get cricket started again this summer, from the grassroots to the elite level, and we will continue to work with Government to try and do in a way that keeps people safe but that limits the ongoing impact of this crisis on our game,” Harrison said in his concluding statement.