PLAYING league cricket this summer would be a ‘logistical nightmare’ that is best abandoned, insist concerned captains.

While some sports have been given the go-ahead to resume under Government easing of coronavirus lockdown restrictions, cricket remains in limbo.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) says all activity is suspended until August 1 at the earliest but clubs the Advertiser has spoken to say there is little point starting then.

Simon Palmer, skipper of Shropshire League Division Four club Bishops Castle, said: “If you are playing away, players would have to travel in separate cars.

“If you’re playing at home, how do you do the teas? What about the handling of the food? It’s all a logistical headache, a nightmare.

“Even if you say we start in August, the league season is three-quarters of the way through by then. I just can’t see how you can organise league cricket.

“If we are lucky, we might be able to scrape together a few friendlies in the middle of August or early September. That’s the best we can hope for.

“It’s a shame because the ground is looking brilliant – the first six weeks of the season has been the best weather in living history and we haven’t been able to bowl a ball!

“But if we call it off, that gives the authorities nine months to sort something out for next year.”

Peter Lee, Church Stretton CC captain, who were relegated to Shropshire League Division Five at the end of last season, agreed.

He said: “Personally, I wouldn’t play any cricket this year, I would abandon the season completely so everyone knows where they stand. The risk might be getting smaller but it’s still a risk.

“You would have to turn up to games already changed into your kit, you wouldn’t be able to have tea, you wouldn’t be able to have any contact.

“We will go along with the ECB guidelines but, as a club, we believe the best solution is not to play this year.”

Both clubs believe they will survive despite the financial impact of the shutdown but Castle captain Palmer admitted: “We have lost £4,000 in income through junior membership, subs and match fees.

“We will just have to cut our cloth accordingly but there are clubs with smaller memberships who might not resurface.”

Stretton skipper Lee added: “Getting sponsorship will be a lot harder because revenues have been hit, that would be the biggest challenge, but financially we are okay.”

Louis Watkins, new skipper of Shropshire Premier outfit Ludlow CC, told the Advertiser several weeks ago the season should be a ‘write-off’ and this week said his outlook had not changed.

“If we have to have a year out, we should have a year out,” he said.