CWI offers to host Pak-England Test series

KINGSTON: England's home series against West Indies could be rescheduled until September or even played in the Caribbean due to the COVID-19 crisis.

At present the sides are scheduled to play three Tests in England with the first due to start at The Kia Oval on June 4. But with it now all but inevitable that the start of the English domestic season will be significantly delayed and a peak in COVID-19 cases in the UK anticipated in June, it seems highly unlikely the series will proceed as planned.

It is understood that the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket West Indies (CWI) have held several discussions in recent days. The options under consideration include the possibility of rescheduling the series - with September the most obvious time - or staging it in the Caribbean. It is understood CWI have also offered to host England's three-Test series against Pakistan, scheduled to start on July 30.

While there only two COVID-19 cases in the Caribbean, the virus would appear, at this stage, to have taken hold far more in the UK. There have, for example, been only two reported cases in each of Barbados and St Lucia and one in Antigua. “I've spoken to Tom Harrison a couple of times in the last few days,” Jonny Grave, CWI's CEO said “and assured him that we will be as flexible, supportive and helpful as possible.