English people would accept busy winter of cricket, says Robert Key
Former England cricketer Rob Key says English people would accept a busy winter of cricket in England with coronavirus decimating the 2020 calendar. England's two-Test series in Sri Lanka this month has been postponed due to the outbreak and could potentially be rescheduled for January 2021.
The coronavirus outbreak has spread fear worldwide, taking the lives of more than 13,500 people, and spreading across more than 180 nations. This situation of the medical crisis has impacted the sporting world severely, with almost every competitive event being called off. England's Test series in Sri Lanka this month has been postponed due to the outbreak and could be rescheduled for January 2021. Cricket expert and former cricketer Robert Key revealed that people would snap their hand's off to witness cricket in the winter, given that the summer is barren.
"Wouldn't you just take anything at the moment? If it meant that you had a lot of cricket in the winter, I think you'd snap people's hand off to see it," says Key, reported Sky Sports.
Key believes the series in Sri Lanka should be played as it forms part of the inaugural World Test Championship, the final of which is due to be played in England in 2021.
“The point of the World Test Championship is to give games context. It's not like in the past where if you didn't have a Test series there is no bigger picture," expressed Key.
The former Kent captain believes it will be some time before the 2020 county season gets underway - there will definitely be no play before May 28 - and is one of many people to suggest the campaign could be prolonged into the autumn.
“The longest format might not be played, because with counties not bringing in any revenue right now, they are going to try and bring in money which is T20 and the shortest formats,” added Key.