The Boris Johnson government has not lifted the ban on grassroots and recreational cricket, much to the ire of professional cricketers and experts. However, many voices have started to rise in support of letting the light form of the game restart after the Coronavirus lockdown.
England batsman Zak Crawley said that it's time that the government lifts ban on recreational cricket, who feels cricket is a game that can be played with precautions.
"I'd like to see that decision reserved to get community cricket back on. The England players are well aware of it - we have friends who want to play. I feel like it's time to bring it back," Crawley was quoted as saying by the BBC.
"You can social distance easily in cricket. You can't put saliva on the ball at the international level, and you could easily do that at the community level," he added.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson had said recreational cricket cannot be played since cricket balls are a "natural vector" of coronavirus.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is hopeful of resuming club cricket in the first week of July and Crawley is part of the 30-player England squad gearing up for the series against the West Indies, starting 8 July at Southampton.
According to a BBC report, all England's players and staff have tested negative for coronavirus - among 702 tests carried out between 3 and 23 June - while pace bowler Jofra Archer was cleared to join the group on Thursday.
Crawley admitted that he needed to score runs and stand out in order to grab a place in England's top order.
"It's great to see. I remember the Australia team of the early 2000s - some really good players didn't get in that side and that is why they were so strong. They had such good training environments, where everyone is always trying to improve and it feels like we have something similar at the moment. We've got strength in depth and that's what pushes you harder," he said.
(PTI inputs)
