ECB Unveils Support Package for Professional, Recreational Cricketers Amid COVID-19 Outburst

London [UK], Apr 1 (ANI): The England Cricket Board has decided to come up with a 61 million pounds package to aid cricket to negate the impact caused by the coronavirus pandemic. The ECB's plan has detailed a measure for the whole sport, ranging from elite to grassroots, including the MCC, the first-class counties and their county cricket boards. Through the package, local cricket clubs will also be offered support to see them through the coming months. Coronavirus Outbreak in UK: Britain Reports Record 381 COVID-19 Deaths in 24 Hours, Toll Reaches 1789.

"With revenues impacted across the game - from both cricket and non-cricket activities, the ECB Board approved plans to expedite payments from a number of areas within its 2020-2021 planned distribution budgets," the ECB said in an official statement. Through the package, around 40 million pounds will be made immediately available through the early release of three months' (May-July) county partnership distributions to the first-class counties and their county cricket boards. A further £21 million will be provided as interest-free loans with a particular focus on ensuring that the game can survive at a recreational level.

The ECB also said that the international staging fees for four months has been suspended and also added that the international staging fees payable in 2020 will be waived if the match is not played as scheduled due to COVID-19. Earlier, the board decided to suspend all professional cricket till May 28 due to COVID-19. The series between England and Sri Lanka was also postponed due to the coronavirus. The matches between both sides were to be a part of the World Test Championship (WTC).

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