Could play an ODI or T20I a day before or after a Test, suggests Ashley Giles
According to Ashley Giles, in order to make up for the lost time due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ECB could consider scheduling ODIs or T20Is one day before or after a Test match. The director of the ECB has looked into the feasibility of holding a white and red ball series simultaneously.
Ashely Giles, the director of England men's cricket, revealed that the English cricket fraternity remains positive during these testing times and the board is hoping to conduct some international cricket during the ongoing summer. While that depends on the other national boards and their players, Giles was sure that English players will be ready to take the field when, or if, they are required to do so.
Last month, the ECB had already announced that no cricket at any level will take place until at least May 28. According to Giles, the date when cricket resumes could likely be extended into June at the earliest. England are scheduled to be hosting the West Indies in a three-match Test series at the start of June and then Australia, Pakistan and Ireland in various red and white-ball fixtures following that.
As the ECB are working on a number of scenarios and looking at their feasibility to carry out the matches in a delayed schedule. One of the options that have has been considered by the ECB is playing white and red ball series simultaneously, for example, having an ODI could be scheduled on the same day that a Test match was also taking place.
"That's what we're looking at right now and we're working with the other boards around the world on seeing if that is possible. Technically it's feasible. You could put two different groups together. We haven't really looked at that, like that, yet. We have certainly looked at playing two formats around the same time. You could have a Test match running and play a T20 or an ODI the day before or the day after a Test match,” Giles was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz
"But it's also working with the broadcasters on what's best and what they want. That's another important partnership for us. They will be suffering at the moment and we are very much all in this together. We will do whatever we have to do. Whilst it may not be ideal from a playing point of view, in the long run it might give us a better look at other players and a broader group of people that we might have to play in that way in the future. In that sense it might be an opportunity."