Reports | ECB set to reschedule season ahead; priority for The Hundred, T20 Blast

Since its outbreak on the global stage, the COVID-19 crisis seems to be dictating how each walk of life must re-align itself to its tunes. With sports suffering severe economic hardship as a consequence, an attempt to squeeze in only the most immediately lucrative formats seems inevitable. As a result, the growing possibility in the UK is that, for the first time since 1945, the County Championship will be called off.

According to a report from ESPNCricinfo, an announcement on the same will be made within the next three or four days if the upcoming discussions between the top officials in the ECB proceed without complication.

It is understood that the priority for 2020 will be to host the T20 Blast first, with The Hundred following later in the summer. The 50-over competition seems least likely to fit into the truncated schedule, though it could be played as a knockout competition. 

However, if the coronavirus pandemic keeps on spreading at its current pace, it remains possible that no cricket at all will be played in the 2020 season. As for the ECB, they do appear to have drawn up contingency plans to give the game the best chance to survive beyond this crisis.