Update - 12th May

First of all I hope that you are all OK and coping with these continuing strange times.  Some of you may be returning to work soon if you have been confined to home through the lockdown, many will be continuing to work from home and for others the uncertainty and worries may be continuing.  Dulwich CC and the ‘DCC family’ is here to support anyone through these difficult times as best we can. I have not written to you for a few weeks as there has been no new news.  However, the announcement from the Prime Minister on Sunday and the detail published yesterday seemed to offer a small ray of light to a very limited return to cricket.  There was mention of a few sports or pastimes being able to take place from Wednesday such as tennis, fishing and golf subject to restrictions.  The Government issued more general guidance that, from tomorrow, people can exercise as often as they like and can play outdoor sports together within their family or household, as well as being able to meet up with one person from outside of their household.  (Note that there has been no change to the previous ECB guidance that there should be no recreational cricket in any organised or group form (matches or practice) until at least 1st July.) The latest Government guidance seemed to offer the potential for use of outdoor nets although in a very limited way (families / households only, or just 2 people) and subject to the normal public health restrictions plus any others that Dulwich CC would need to put in place.  However, yesterday evening the England & Wales Cricket Board issued a statement of which the main points are quoted below. ‘ We are working closely with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Welsh Government, Sport England and Sport Wales on providing further guidance on what this means specifically for the use of cricket clubs, their facilities and coaches. We are also looking at what future plans for both recreational cricket and cricket behind closed doors could look like, as we move to Step Two and Step Three, as and when the Government advice allows. As such, all recreational cricket across England and Wales remains suspended until further notice, this includes practise/training – however, we will endeavour to provide a further update as soon as possible. ‘ Therefore, until further guidance is issued from the ECB, our ground and facilities unfortunately REMAIN CLOSED for any cricket activity.  We desperately hope that this will change in the near future. If any restrictions are lifted to enable use of our outdoor nets we will let you know as soon as possible.  But any use of the nets will not be permitted until Dulwich CC has set out some guidance and protocols for their use, which will be limited both in terms of numbers and availability. Hopefully I will be in touch in the near future with more positive news.  Until then, keep well and keep safe.