Bob Willis Trophy: English county match abandoned after player tests COVID-19 positive

Sports events are slowly finding their way back amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, but the viability of organising it in 100% safe environment is still debatable. Despite taking all the necessary precautions and playing in empty stadiums, cricket too has come under the scanner regarding the safety measures. In a first-of-its-kind incident, an English county cricket match had to be abandoned due to COVID-19. 

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English county cricket: Bob Willis Trophy match hit by COVID-19, will it affect Vitality Blast T20?

During the Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire English county cricket match at Bristol, a player from the Northamptonshire squad tested positive for the novel virus. This led to the Bob Willis Trophy fixture being abandoned at lunch on Day 1. Despite the player not being a part of the match, the decision was taken keeping in mind that several players came in contact with the concerned player within 48 hours of him developing the symptoms. 

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The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) also issued a statement on the incident where they put emphasis on the safety of the players, staff and officials' safety being the topmost priority for the cricketing board as well as the counties. Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire was the last encounter for both the counties as they have already been knocked out of the Bob Willis Trophy.

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With the Bob Willis Trophy and the Vitality Blast T20 going on simultaneously, it will be interesting to see what impact does this incident have on the Vitality Blast T20. Northamptonshire have different squads for both the events but there were two players in the Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire game, who also were a part of the club's Vitality Blast T20 encounter. 

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English county cricket teams are not instructed to remain under a bio-secure bubble for the Bob Willis Trophy or the English Vitality Blast like the visiting Australian cricket team. With cricket resuming in England and with a lot of international series along with English county cricket matches taking place simultaneously, it surely is a herculean task for the cricket board to ensure the safety of all the stakeholders involved. 

Bob Willis Trophy: Northamptonshire vs Gloucestershire match scores

Northamptonshire dominated the fixture before it was abandoned. In the first session of the Bob Willis Trophy match, Northamptonshire bowlers found success as they claimed six wickets for 66 runs before lunch. The game was adjudged as a draw at lunch on day 1. 

Image Source: Northamptonshire Cricket Twitter Handle