England likely to play 3 tests against WI without crowd; clearance awaited from UK govt

In an attempt to restart cricket, the England Cricket Board (ECB) has announced the dates and proposed venues for the upcoming tour of West Indies in July. However, the tour is subject to clearance by the UK government. Following the Coronavirus outbreak and consequent lockdowns, all matches and tournaments including the IPL had been indefinitely postponed. The three-match Test series between England & West Indies will take place without a crowd. 

West Indies team to be quarantined

The first test of the series will commence on July 8 at the Ageas Bowl. The second and third test will be played at the Old Trafford subsequently dates for which are July 16 and July 24. The West Indies are set to arrive in the UK on June 9 and will be quarantined at the Old Trafford for three weeks. The ECB has also stated that decision on other scheduled matches for England Men and England Women this summer will be determined at a later date.

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“We are in daily dialogue with Government and our medical team, who have been incredibly supportive during this period. These are our proposed dates and they remain subject to UK Government approval. We would like to thank Cricket West Indies for their co-operation and dedication in making this tour a reality, and we all look forward to the prospect of cricket returning in the coming weeks,” the ECB said in an official statement on Tuesday. 

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Ticket purchasers for the original England v West Indies Test series will be entitled to a refund. From 2 June, the venues will begin contacting ticket buyers to inform them of the refund process as well as any other options available to them.

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