Former England batsman, David Gower, lauded West Indies cricket for agreeing to tour the UK for three Test matches in July and help the global game get back to its feet amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The three-Test series against England, starting July 8, with bio-secure arrangements put in place at venues in Southampton and Manchester will mark the return of international cricket after a lengthy hiatus.
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"The West Indies have done us a favour," Gower told Britain's Press Association, with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) having estimated it could lose 252 million pounds ($316 million) if there was no cricket played this summer. International fixtures are extremely important to the game's survival at all levels.
"It is a unique situation and one with huge pressures. It will be a huge relief for these games to happen because getting going again is the key."
"Let's face it, last year was extraordinary with the World Cup win (by England) and an exciting Ashes but the problem for any sport is that the public consciousness only lasts a short while," added Gower, the newly-installed president of the Lord's Taverners, a cricket-related charity that supports disabled and disadvantaged young people.
"With the exception of football, probably, if you haven't got live sport you've got nothing to pin tomorrow's newspaper or the next five-minute clip on television or radio."
"The losses this year will be sizeable and any loss of income impacts the whole game, from the Test team to counties, to clubs and schools."
Gower thinks other cricket boards should take a cue from West Indies and imbibe a "spirit of co-operation" in them for life even post the pandemic.
"There were lots of problems in cricket before Covid-19, particularly in terms of the nations outside India, Australia and England, and issues around finance and structure."
"They won't go away on their own but if all this does help foster a spirit of co-operation, so much the better," he said.
"It would be great if there was a feeling of all being in this together and if the old power struggles could be set aside in favour of keeping everyone in business, getting games on and keeping everyone safe."
(Inputs from AFP)
