Speedster Mark Wood has called for the game to be resumed at the grassroots as soon as possible so that England doesn’t lose “the next Ben Stokes or Joe Root”.

"I'm sure a lot of people in this country would love grassroots cricket to be back up and running," he said.

"We don't want to lose the next Ben Stokes, the next Joe Root, the next superstar that might be coming through for the game," Wood was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.

The global COVID-19 outbreak has badly impacted the recreational cricket in England as it stands suspended since March and will continue to remain so despite the easing of lockdown norms in the country.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wanted to restart recreational cricket from July 4 but British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday (June 23) ruled out its immediate return by describing cricket ball as a "natural vector of disease".

As per Wood, the continued ban on recreational cricket around the country doesn't make sense when the lockdown has been eased.

"If you can go to the pub, and go to restaurants - you'd hope that cricket could be on the horizon as well," the 30-year-old pacer said.

Meanwhile, the international cricket is set to be resumed with the England-West Indies Test series, starting July 8 in Southampton.