Employed personnel with the England & Wales Cricket Board were furloughed on September 26th. The ECB was forced into making this decision after profits continue to dwindle during the coronavirus pandemic. Nobody had anticipated the England & Wales Cricket Board to announce that 62 employees lost their jobs. It’s unknown if these individuals were provided severance packages from the ECB, with that likely not be the case with continued losses being sustained.

An official statement regarding the unfortunate layoffs was issued by Tom Harrison, the Chief Executive Officer of the England & Wales Cricket Board. Harrison mentioned that throughout several months, unthinkable scenarios have been placed onto ECB leaders & forced them to make unwanted decisions. Tom Harrison’s prompt words reflected that the professional sport of Cricket in the United Kingdom is at risk. Harrison believes that COVID-19 will be the most prominent challenge that ECB faces in the modern era. The CEO finalized his statements by saying the future is uncertain, and that they have to take the steps required to ensure financial sustainability for ECB future generations.

The England & Wales Cricket Board have lost £100 million throughout the first eight months of 2020, with that figure expects to extend towards £200 million by 2021. Financial losses accumulating more than £300 million would finalize the closure of EBCs future campaigns. One factor that enables the England & Wales Cricket Board to sustain safeguarded finances is by furloughing employed personnel. The 62 positions terminated allowed a 20% increase in their workforce budget, which will be restructured towards internal savings.

ECBs Strategies

Most supporters are shocked that the ECB have sustained such losses, with all eighteen international matches for 2020 still being played before December 31st. Those matches haven’t meant consumer attention for Jersey Kits, Team Memorabilia, and Signed Autograph’s. Most teams in the ECB have begun contacting sportsbooks to receive sponsorship, providing them minimal profits for this year & minor sustaining for 2021.

It should be clarified that Tom Harrison’s ECB is steadily declined, with employed personnel having been told previously that salaries would drop by 25%. The Chief Executive Officer hopes that additional furloughs aren’t required throughout 2021 & will gain investor financial aid if needed to sustain the ECB.

The Australian & England ODI Series was filled with expected moments and saw a consistent state of leadership in this competition. It was anticipated that England would dominate over their Australian opponents, winning the first of three matches without any challenges. England would move forward & win the remaining two matches. Australia’s Glenn Maxwell & Alex Carey stunned the cricketing community, obtaining five wickets before being overpowered by England’s best players.

Australia & England’s ODI Series saw Glenn Maxwell & Alex Carey obtain a record stand at 212. It came after five back-to-back wickets from the two Australians, which are considered heroes of the sport in Australia. It should be noted that before Glenn Maxwell & Alex Carey obtained those notable wickets, Australia was losing at 5-73. It’s the lowest score that Australia’s National Cricket Team obtained since 1977. That was until Glenn Maxwell assisted Alex Carey at the crease, marking a substantial shift in the game. That shift wouldn’t be enough to press Australia to victory & potentially tie the ODI Series. England’s cricketers, like Jofra Archer, overpowered the combination of Alex Carey and Glenn Maxwell.

Maxwell known for lackluster performances

Glenn Maxwell is unfortunately known for not playing his best when required. Most times he’ll fail when stepping to the crease. That didn’t change on September 16^th. Glenn would smash four boundaries with seven sixes, just enough for Australia to avoid their worst defeat since 2015. Australia maintained a final score of 146/5, and England rallied 146/6. It should be mentioned that the skillsets displayed by Glenn Maxwell & Alex Carey is considered the 6^th highest-ranking partnership in ODI history. For all accomplishments made by Australia during the 2020 ODI Series, it wasn’t enough to dominate past

Alex Carey & Glenn Maxwell couldn’t compete against the skillsets of Jofra Archer, or Mark Wood. They are considered England’s best duo, which prompted Australian coaching staff to switch-out Maxwell/Carey for Mitchell Starc & Pat Cummins. Commentators at the Australia & England ODI Series expressed that what they’d seen from Team Aussie was nothing short of a victory. Most have given Australia the consolation victory prize, with their formidable efforts more impressive than what England displayed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has drastically altered how international sporting competitions engage with each other. For months, national teams weren’t permitted to travel across their respective borders. Exceptions weren’t made until June 2020, six-months after the coronavirus was declared an international pandemic. The first exceptions for professional cricket were provided through the United Kingdom, permitting the West Indies & Indian national teams to compete against Great Britain. Similar exceptions were also given to the “Australia’s National Cricket Team”, who are competing against England’s squad between September 6th to 16th.

Cricketers from Australia that travelled to the United Kingdom were informed that they’d have to sustain a 14-Day quarantine upon arriving home. Team representatives provided details on where these cricketers will be quarantining after returning home. The Adelaide Oval Hotel will permit the entire squad to quarantine for 14-Days. Adelaide Oval Hotel was selected because of its on-site cricket field, which will be exclusively given to the “Australia’s National Cricket Team” for their two-week stay.

The Chief Executive Officer for the South Australian Cricket Association, Keith Bradshaw, provided clarification behind the Adelaide being selected. The CEO evoked that the Adelaide Oval Hotel will become the primary quarantine zone for Australian Cricketers upon their arrival home. “Australia’s National Cricket Team” is next slated to compete against India after England. It’s supposed to be the highlighted series for 2020 and will likely see the Indian National Squad arrive at the Adelaide Oval Hotel. That is under the condition that Hotel Staff provides secured isolation zones, where outbreaks are present.

New Hosts for Indian ODI Series

Australia versus India ODI Series was slated to arrive at Adelaide, Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne. Scheduling alterations have been required amid the COVID-19 pandemic & inside sources indicated that the Adelaide Region would become the primary host for this ODI Series. CEO Keith Bradshaw announcing that the Adelaide Oval Hotel will become the primary quarantine location for Australia’s professional cricketers & could likely host the Indian ODI Series is an essential confirmation of what’s to come. Australia versus India ODI Series will begin on December 16th, 2020. It’ll end on January 15th, 2021.

England has seen numerous cricketers rise to prominence & retire before their 40s, evoking the pain that their sport places onto the body after decades. The most recent cricketer to announce his retirement is Ian Bell, who last competed for England’s National Cricket Team in 2015. Ian Bell played his final match with Islamabad United on March 15th against the Quetta Gladiators, and won’t return to the Pakistan Super League in Fall 2020.

Ian Bell provided his long-time supporters with an official goodbye. He stated that the sentiment of knowing when the time’s right is accurate and that for himself, that time has arrived. He mentioned that his enthusiasm & hunger for professional cricket hasn’t ended, that it’s more vital than ever before. However, Ian Bell noted his body could not sustain the physical demanded need for professional contention & his expectations.

The famous cricketer debuted for the England National Cricket Team in 2004, sustaining an eleven-year career with the squad. This team support five victories over the Ashes Series during Ian’s reign, allowing for the footballers to obtain “Player of the Series” in 2013. Throughout his time with the ENCT, Ian Bell maintained 562 Wickets & averaged a 62.44.

Ian Bell didn’t exclusively play with the England National Cricket Team, competing in multiple ODI Series. He was the leader of Britain’s ODI Squad for years until Eoin Morgan overtook him in 2018. That’d mark the moment when Ian Bell switched over to the Pakistan Super League. His professional career will be remembered for sustaining one of the most elegant forms of playing, which notable cricketers after 2004 have tried to copy.

Ian’s Retirement Announcement

Statements from Ian Bell didn’t conclude with the physical demands of professional cricket. He’d evoke that it’s been an honour & privilege to reach his boyhood dream of playing for England’s top cricket clubs. Ian remarked that playing just once would’ve been good enough for him and that a 22-year tenure in professional cricket is more than he could’ve ever desired. Ian Bell finalized his goodbye statement by mentioning his thanks for all staff, coaches, players, supporters, and executives that he’s worked with during those 22-Years. Ian Bell will now look towards coaching professional cricket.