Updated, June 24th.

All participants in Cricket NL activities must abide by the Return to Play plan at all times. 

The plan is based on the Alert Level system put in place by the Provincial Government. To determine what alert level the province is at, and to get the latest official information on COVID-19, please check the Provincial Government’s web page.

In terms of cricket the following activities can take place at each Alert Level

Levels 4 and 5: No cricket activities can take place. The nets and any hard surface public space cannot be used. Players can fitness train individually

Level 3: if the facility is open, practice is permitted at the nets in small groups (details below). Fielding and other practice outside of the nets is permitted with limited numbers and under restrictions

Level 2: Return to match play under limited conditions. 

Detailed plans for participants

General

  • All public health measures required by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will be respected at all times.
  • No participant can be symptomatic – fever, cough, or difficulty breathing; or have had contact with any person who has tested positive in the prior 2 weeks.
  • Any participant feeling unwell should stay home.
  • All current isolation protocols must be respected (quarantine after travel etc.)
  • Activity can only take place if the organization has adequate supplies of hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and if specified, personal protective equipment.
  • Those considered in a vulnerable group based on age, underlying medical conditions, or sharing a household with those considered vulnerable should not take part until Alert 1 is reached.
  • An accurate record of participants (including multiple methods of contact) must be kept at any event (practice or match) in order to enable contact tracing in the event of a positive test from a participant.

Nets and practice: 

  • In order to enable contact tracing, clubs must provide a list of those who participated at a practice by e-mail within 24 hours of the conclusion of the booking; failure to do so will result in cancellation of future bookings.
  • Hand sanitizer must be available for all participants; dilute bleach or alcohol and paper towels available for cleaning shared equipment.
  • Shared equipment must be cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant between uses. Note that proper cleaning of batting gloves and helmets requires a careful and painstaking cleaning process which is not possible in the nets environment; therefore participants must provide their own personal gloves and helmets
  • Fielding practices need to be planned so as to respect social distancing, and hand sanitizer needs to be used frequently to prevent potential transmission via the ball. It is recommended that fielders use small personal bottles of hand sanitizer carried with them. Participants should self monitor, and monitor other participants to avoid touching face with hands after touching the ball.
  • Bowlers to main adequate social distance while waiting their turn to bowl.
  • Bowlers bowl with one ball only for the entire practice, returned to them by batsmen wearing gloves
  • Balls should be rubbed with hand sanitizer, bleach or soap and water before and after use
  • No more than one batsman and three bowlers in single bay at one time, eight people in total inside the nets area; other participants can be preparing / warming up outside the net area. Total number present at one time 14 people
  • Fielding practice limited to 10 people. Only practice allowed is that respects the 2 m social distance.

Match play (including practice matches)

  • Sharing of rides to field should be avoided if possible, but otherwise no more than four to a car; if possible members of same household travel together
  • Non batting team needs to be spaced appropriately – 2 m between players
  • No handshakes or high fives, huddles
  • No sharing of water bottles; players need to have their own individual water supply
  • Participants provide their own batting gloves and helmets; sharing of this equipment is not permitted.
  • Other shared equipment (pads etc.) must be cleaned with an appropriate disinfectant between uses.
  • Fielders are permitted to wear protective gloves if they wish
  • Hand sanitizer must be available on the field; each bowler at minimum should have a personal bottle for use, and it is recommended that players use a personal supply as well. Players are encouraged to use it at the end of the over if they have touched the ball. Bowlers should use it at the beginning and end of every over.
  • Participants should self monitor, and monitor other participants to avoid touching face with hands after touching the ball.
  • Each team is responsible for having an adequate supply of hand sanitizer. If they do not have this available the game will not proceed.
  • Absolutely no use of saliva on the ball permitted; any bowler observed doing this will be removed from the attack immediately.
  • Fielders should observe a 2 m distance between them. The only exception would be a wicketkeeper standing up to the stumps, where a minimum 1.5 m distance should be maintained.
  • Batsmen should maintain a 2 m distance between themselves and the umpire.
  • If an umpire observes at any point that social distancing is being compromised they should call dead ball and ask the captain responsible to take appropriate action.
  • Umpires should not take possession of the ball at the fall of a wicket or at intervals, and avoid handling it unless necessary. Umpires are advised to wear protective gloves when handling the ball.
  • Umpires should not be asked to hold bowler’s clothing or equipment; players are responsible for their individual equipment on the field.
  • Umpires and bowler will be briefly close to each other as the bowler runs past the umpire to deliver the ball. Umpires need to adjust their position and bowlers their run-ups to maintain social distance. 
  • The non-striker should run wide of the pitch, at least 2 m from umpire/ bowler and striker; popping creases must be marked onto the grass to allow this.
  • Spectators are not encouraged but if present must sit separate from the teams, and respect social distancing amongst themselves.
  • There must be a supply of disinfectant wipes or appropriate cleaning supplies to allow portable toilet surfaces to be cleaned after use.
  • Portable toilets are for emergency use only

Guidelines for umpires

  •  At the fall of a wicket or a break, do not handle the ball; ask for it to be placed on the pitch where you can observe it. You can alternatively request that it be placed in a zip-lock bag and kept in your possession
  • Bowler’s equipment can be left on the field placed behind the wicket-keeper. It will result in a 5-run penalty if the ball strikes it when in play
  • If a batsman needs to change equipment they should leave the field directly to do this rather than have a 12th man bring out equipment
  • If a batsman or any other player requires a drink, only personal drinks bottles should be used. 12th men bringing drinks onto the field should place the bottle on the ground so maintain social distance, and must sanitize hands before and after handling the drinks bottle. 
  • ICC guidance should be followed if saliva is observed to be used on the ball. The captain of the fielding team should be warned if this occurs and the ball cleaned with sanitizer under the supervision of the umpire. After two warnings, the next occurrence will result in the awarding of 5 penalty runs. 
  • Social distancing should be maintained at the coin toss. The umpire should have their own coin and toss for the captains.