Cricket South Africa get clearance to resume training
South Africa cricketers to resume training
|Cricket South Africa Acting Chief Executive Jacques Faul has revealed that the board has received the green light to resume professional training in the country amid the coronavirus outbreak. Faul has also added that no South African player or staff will be forced to return to training.
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, all cricket was suspended globally starting mid-March. More than 10 weeks since, there has been chatter of cricket returning and so far English cricketers have been allowed to resume training. The England and Wales Cricket Board, in fact, scheduled their home series against West Indies in July. Meanwhile, professional cricket in South Africa received clearance, on Saturday, for players to be able to resume training. The regulations for the resumption of training and playing of the professional non-contact sport were announced by the Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture. Cricket South Africa Acting Chief Executive Jacques Faul revealed in an official statement about the green light that the board has received and also added that no player, coach, or support staff would be forced to return to training.
"This is a big boost for the operational side of our cricket. We have been in regular contact with SRSA and the Minister and they have been very supportive of the game in these difficult times. At this stage, these regulations apply only to professional cricket and our next step will be to draw up a protocol covering the return to training and playing and submit it to SRSA for approval. Both our national teams and our franchises will in due time be given the green light to return to training," said CSA Acting Chief Executive Jacques Faul in an official statement.
"I have already had discussions with the South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) and I would like to stress that no player, coach, support staff or administrator will be forced to return to training if they are uncomfortable with it at this stage," said Faul.
In other news, South Africa’s limited-overs skipper Quinton de Kock and pacer Lungi Ngidi were among the top nominations for the 2019-20 Cricket South Africa (CSA) men’s international awards. The two were nominated in the following three categories: SA Men’s Cricketer of the Year, ODI Cricketer of the Year, and T20 Cricketer of the Year.
