The following important information was approved by the General Committee of Hartlepool Cricket Club on the 28th March, 2021, :-

Introduction :

This document has been prepared by Hartlepool Cricket Club, (“the Cricket Club”), and approved by its General Committee in response to the ECB’s document entitled “Organised Outdoor Recreational Cricket Guidance for England in 2021 Version 1 - Government Roadmap Step 1B - March 2021”, which can be found at :https://resources.ecb.co.uk/ecb/document/2021/03/26/c1d0973a-94d1-410b-a400-826f6a71feb5/Recreational-Cricket-COVID-Guidance-in-England-26.03.21.pdf

It summarises the important provisions that must be applied to recreational cricket played outdoors delivered by the Cricket Club from Monday, 29th March, 2021 until Step 2 of the Government’s Roadmap out of Lockdown is applied. The ECB is to issue updated guidance once Step 2 can be implemented. This document does not set out matters relating to the operation of the Clubhouse, or associated issues. These are being addressed separately by the Cricket Club.

For the avoidance of any doubt, the General Committee’s paramount consideration is to ensure that cricket activities are undertaken in a way that protects the health and safety of everyone in and around the game.

Key Points :

a. Due to Covid-19, the Cricket Club is required to do things differently in its provision of cricket activities. If a participant chooses to take part in cricket activities they have decided to take part in the modified version of the game, including relevant Covid-19 measures. Participants are required to comply with these measures as a condition of their participation in cricket;

b. Owing to the changes that the Cricket Club is required to put in place due to Covid-19, at present visits to Park Drive will be different to “normal visits”. In the first instance, it’s expected that cricket activities referenced in this document will be provided at Park Drive;

c. Those attending an organised cricket activity involving the Cricket Club should carry out a self-assessment for COVID symptoms before leaving home and should follow the NHS and PHE’s self-isolation procedures if they are symptomatic. Anyone who is required to self-isolate must not attend an organised cricket activity. As to parents and carers of Young Players, it’s expected that the parents and carers will undertake such assessments;

d. Cricket is a socially distanced game. On the field, social distancing must be maintained, wherever possible. Off the field, social distancing guidelines and legal gathering size limits must be observed. At present, this means the Rule of 6, or a group made up of two households. A group made up of two households can include more than 6 people, but only where all members of the group are from the same two households, or support / childcare bubbles, where eligible;

e. Those with disabilities can participate in organised outdoor and indoor cricket without being subject to social contact limits;

f. Changing rooms must remain closed, except for use by disabled persons and to meet emergency requirements;

g. Participants must arrive in their kit ready to play and should return home in their kit;

h. Participants should bring their own food and drink. Drinks bottles must not be shared with any other person, The Clubhouse is presently closed. It cannot open and provide hospitality until the 12th April, 2021 at the earliest. Information about the re-opening of the Clubhouse will be confirmed in due course, ie. once finalised;

i. There is a legal requirement to record participant and attendee contact details for the purposes of NHS Test and Trace. The Cricket Club is required to ensure that data is collected in accordance with data protection law;

j. At present, spectators are not allowed to attend cricket activity. However, this does not apply to carers for people with disabilities, or adults needed to supervise Under 18s in a safeguarding role. Where it is necessary for such persons to attend, they should not mix with others from outside their household, or support bubble;

k. For the avoidance of any doubt, as to Junior Cricket, those children in the following age groups are required to have only one parent, or carer remain at the venue when attending a cricket activity due to safeguarding reasons : Monkeys; Silverbacks; Stags; and Under 11s. This similarly applies if a 1-2-1 Coaching session is being delivered to a Junior Player, (ie. a person under the age of 18 years), by one of the Junior Section’s Coaches under such 1-2-1s provided through the Junior Section;

l. As to the Under 12s to Under 17s, as required, a parent, or carer is required to drop off and collect their child whilst maintaining social distancing requirements. Coaches are to be notified by the Junior Player’s parent, or carer when they have arrived to collect their child;

m. The Cricket Club will make hand washing facilities and hand sanitiser available for use at the venue. Hand sanitiser will be provided at the entry and exit point next to the “Admissions Hut”;

n. When arriving for cricket activity, attendees are required to do so in a socially distanced manner. Once cricket activity has concluded, attendees should leave the relevant venue, as soon as possible, in a socially distanced manner;

o. Participants should feel safe when participating in cricket activity at the Cricket Club. The Cricket Club will listen to feedback relating to its cricket provision. Any issues raised be raised with Mick White : 07540188618, or mick147@icloud.com;

p. Only members of the Cricket Club, (ie. members of the Senior Section and the Junior Section), are allowed to use the cricket facilities, ie. those who have paid their respective membership fee for the year 2021; and

q. The Risk Assessment that has been undertaken by the Cricket Club is shown below. This should be read in conjunction with the information that is set out here.

Important NHS Test and Trace Information :

1. The Cricket Club is required to keep a record of all visitors, customers and staff at the venue to support NHS Test and Trace. Visitors includes parents and carers; and
2. As to participants in cricket activities the Cricket Club is required to ask every player, match official and coach to provide their name and contact details.

Attendees are encouraged to use the QR codes that are located adjacent to the Admissions Hut and the cricket nets.

Guidance on Organised Cricket – Prior to Attending :

1. All participants, officials, volunteers and spectators, (where permitted), must self-assess for Covid-19 symptoms before they decide to attend organised cricket activity : high temperature; new, continuous cough; a loss of, or change to, their sense of smell, or taste. If they have one, or more of these symptoms they must not attend any cricket activity. They must follow NHS and PHE guidance on self-isolation;

2. To assist in the self-assessment process attendees may want to complete the ProActive Covid-19 Symptoms Checker Form that can be accessed at :

https://app.proactivereporting.com/covid19/form/3RtuHw9WnOU4Si26

It’s important that the requested details are completed honestly. Once completed the individual will receive an e-mail confirming whether, or not they are able to attend the activity. The results are stored on the “ProActive Database” which can be accessed by David JB Thompson, (Chair of the Junior Section). If a person is unable to attend, then David JB Thompson will be notified of this. A ProActive Covid-19 Symptoms Checker Form should be completed each time you attend. One Form should be completed for each attendee. This includes each Junior Player;

3. Those with health conditions putting them at increased risk of Covid-19 should consider the risks of participating in cricket activity;

4. Any applicable Government guidance on shielding and protecting people who are clinically extremely vulnerable from Covid-19 must be applied if it has application to a person;

5. Personal hygiene measures should be carried out at home before and after attending;

6. Where possible, attendees should bring their own hand sanitiser and practice strong hand hygiene at all times. The Cricket Club will have hand sanitiser available;

7. Attendees should travel to and from the venue in accordance with the prevailing Government guidance on public transport, or car sharing;

8. As per the ECB guidance, there is a minor increase in transmission risk associated with taking part in socially distanced group activity, such as cricket;

9. Attendees are required to limit the time spent congregating at the venue before and after the cricket activity. In terms of training sessions, it’s vitally important that attendees meet for their cricket activities about 10 minutes before the allocated start time. Details of start times have been published on the website;

10. For cricket matches played at home participants should meet no earlier than has been communicated. For away fixtures, the Cricket Club will be notified of arrival times;

11. Participants should arrive in their cricket kit and be ready to warm-up. They should also bring their own food and drink. Drinks bottles should be clearly marked with the owner’s name and must not be shared; and

12. Upon arrival, attendees are required to use the provided hand sanitiser at the “Admissions Hut” before entering the ground.

General Guidance on Organised Cricket :

1. Government social distancing guidance should be adhered to at all times, including during warm-ups and training sessions. However, the following exceptions apply during competitive play when social distancing of 1 metre plus is permitted. :-

a. Wicket keepers standing up to the stumps; and
b. The distance between slip fielders.

2. Participants should enter the venue and prepare their personal equipment whilst maintaining social distancing;
3. Rules on social contact before and after sporting activity must be maintained;
4. Sharing of cricket equipment must be avoided where possible, particularly equipment for use around the head and face, such as helmets. If equipment is shared, it must be cleaned with disinfectant wipes before use by another person;
5. No sweat, or saliva is to be applied to the ball at any time. Any infringement must result in immediate disinfection of the ball. This does not prevent a bowler from shinning the ball on their clothing;
6. Attendees are not permitted to spit whilst at the venue;
7. As appropriate, attendees should consider applying sun cream as the weather conditions may dictate;
8. All participants must wash their hands, or use hand sanitiser prior to the start of the cricket activity and at the end of the cricket activity;
9. There should be no shouting, singing, or spitting;
10. Before commencing cricket activities attendees must use hand sanitiser before and after their training session, or match. A Coach must also use hand sanitiser too if they are taking a session. Coaches have been provided with hand sanitiser for use during training sessions and matches. The Junior players must use the hand sanitiser when requested by the Coach, or Umpire, if a match is being played;
11. The general rule is that hand sanitiser must be used before an individual training skill, or activity and after it has been done before moving onto the next training skill, or activity. This is especially important if equipment is being shared, such as balls;
12. If equipment, (such as balls and plastic bats), is being shared it must be cleaned with disinfectant wipes before being used by another group; and
13. As to training sessions, the ECB recommends that participants take part in solo activity before moving to “pairs activity” that maintains a distance of at least 2 metres and allows participants to operate in the same pair for the length of the session.

Additional Guidance for Socially Distanced Cricket Matches :

1. With exception of the wicket keeper and slip fielders, fielders to maintain social distancing;
2. Non-striking batter should remain socially distanced from the umpire and should run on the opposite side of the pitch to the batter on strike;
3. A “hygiene break” to take place every six overs, or every 20 minutes, whichever is sooner;
4. If pairs cricket is being played, (such as in Junior Cricket), then if the batters are batting for less than six overs, then a “hygiene break” is required to be taken when the “pairs” have completed their overs;
5. During “hygiene break” the ball must be cleaned with a disinfectant wipe and all participants’ hands must be cleaned using hand sanitiser. This routine must be followed at the commencement of a match, at the start of any drinks break and at the close of an innings;
6. The responsibility for sanitising the ball during the match falls to the fielding captain. It’s not the responsibility of the umpires;
7. Bowlers are unable to give their cap, hat, jumper, or glasses to the umpire for them to hold. They instead need to place these themselves at the boundary, ie. in a safe position;
8. Participants should adhere to social distancing when not actively participating in the match, such as during breaks in play, when waiting to bat, during post-wicket celebrations and during tactical discussions;
9. If two scorers are required, social distancing must be maintained, ie. only the home scorer is permitted inside the scorers’ box. Players are not allowed in the scorers’ box. The scorers’ box should be well ventilated. The Cricket Club’s electronic scoreboard will be remotely operated from a safe distance. There is also the option of using the small portable scoreboard for cricket matches as an alternative to a full scoreboard;
10. The passing of scorebooks from player to player another should be avoided;
11. There should be no handshakes, shouting, or spitting;
12. Ball sharing during the match must be limited, with the ball being returned by the wicket keeper direct to the bowler, ie. it must not be passed around the surrounding fielders;
13. If the ball is hit to the boundary, the ball must be retrieved by an on-field player. If it’s returned by somebody else, it must be cleaned with a disinfectant wipe, with any player who has touched the ball also being required to sanitise their hands;
14. Umpires should not have any contact with the ball. It can be returned to them by placing it at the base of the stumps during a “hygiene breaks” and when a wicket has fallen;
15. Only umpires are responsible for replacing dislodged bails and re-setting the stumps. They are responsible for the stumps that are closest to them;
16. Batters are required to sanitise their bat after having left the field of play;
17. Participants to bring their own food and drink. Players should bring their own tea and eat this outside, observing social distancing and social gathering size limits;
18. Changing rooms should not be used, except by people with disabilities, although toilet facilities can be accessed;
19. Changing rooms and toilets are areas of increased risk. Participants are required to shower and change at home, where possible;
20. If there is insufficient outdoor cover from rain to maintain social distancing, in the event of rain participants should return to their own vehicle to maintain social distancing requirements;
21. In the event of wet weather, covers should be applied to the wicket maintaining social distancing measures. The ECB recommends at least 1 metre between individuals. However, at Park Drive the covers are generally applied by the Head Groundsman, or his nominated person; and
22. A representative from the Cricket Club will ensure that the cricket stumps are cleaned with disinfectant wipes before and after a cricket match has taken place.

Additional Guidance for Supervised Children’s Activities :

1. Coaches are responsible for ensuring that they coach Junior Players in a safe environment and that they follow the relevant guidelines. The normal considerations continue to apply to the delivery of training sessions and matches, such as safeguarding provisions and compliance with the relevant ECB Directives, plus the taking of registers;
2. At the start of each individual coaching session the Coach will explain the safety guidelines of what is expected pre, during and post session, including what attendees are expected to do to maintain compliance with social distancing guidelines and all other health and safety provisions;
3. The ECB’s guidance on minimum supervision and coaching ratios for supervised children’s activity applies, (unless attendance numbers to be reduced due limitations on space), with social distancing requirements maintained, :-

Minimum Supervision Ratios :

a. Age Group 8 and Under : 1 adult for every 8 children; and
b. Age Group 9 and Over : 1 adult for every 10 children.

Coaching Ratios :

a. All Stars and Dynamos : 1 Activator, or Coach per 24 children;
b. Softball practice : 1 Coach per 24 children;
c. Hardball practice – not in nets : 1 Coach per 16 children; and
d. Hardball practice – in the nest : 1 Coach per 8 children.

4. For single gender groups there must be at least one same gender supervising adult;
5. For mixed gender groups there must be at least one male and one female supervising adult;
6. The times and dates of training sessions for the Junior teams have been posted on the Cricket Club’s website. Different days and start times have been applied to avoid peak drop off and collection points;
7. The Cricket Club requests that when Junior Players attend for training and matches that interaction between other groups is minimised. As to individual training sessions, where possible, children should stay in the same group;
8. Unless an emergency situation arises, Junior Players and Coaches are required to adhere to social distancing requirements at all times during training sessions and matches;
9. All groups are to be self-sufficient, ie. a Coach cannot oversee two separate groups at the same time, such as the Under 11s and the Monkeys; and
10. Where Junior Players cannot provide their own individual equipment the ECB recommends numbering cricket equipment such as balls, so that each participant has a specific numbered ball and / or cone which they use that for the entirety of the session to minimise sharing of equipment, where possible.

Additional Guidance for Using Nets Safely :

1. With the exception of the below, the cricket nets should be used in the same safe manner that would be normally used, including bowlers and coaches looking towards the batter to ensure that they are aware of the location ball at all times and the application of the ECB’s Directives relating to the use of helmets in junior and age-group cricket are required to be appplied;
2. At any one time in each net there will be a maximum of : one batsman; one batsman padding-up; and six bowlers. Bowlers to bowl in rotation and will rotate on cones which will be two metres apart to maintain social distancing; and
3. When batting the batter is requested to return the ball to the bowler by kicking, or knocking the ball back to the bowler using their bat; and
4. After each session all equipment provided by the Cricket Club must be sanitised by the Coach, or their nominated person, ie. stumps, cricket balls, cones etc. For the avoidance of any doubt : (a) if a Coach is taking a one-to-one coaching sessions they are responsible for cleaning equipment provided by the Cricket Club; (b) the Young Cricketer is responsible for cleaning their own equipment; (c) and any cloths, or paper towels that have been used in the cleaning process must be placed in the provided rubbish bags; and
5. Where Senior training sessions take place, a nominated Senior player is required to take responsibility for sanitising the stumps. The Senior players are responsible for cleaning their own equipment. Any cloths, or paper towels that have been used in the cleaning process must be placed in the provided rubbish bags.

Additional Guidance for Use of Bowling Machines :

1. If a bowling machine is used during a training session it must be cleaned thoroughly between uses with disinfectant cleaning products; and
2. All balls must be cleaned with disinfectant wipes before being used for an individual training session by an individual batter. This is the responsibility of the bowling machine operator.

Injuries and Emergencies :

1. Unless an emergency situation arises, social distancing requirements must be applied;
2. First aid boxes will always be available whilst cricket activities are being undertaken at the Cricket Club;
3. Coaches are required to have an appropriate first aid box with them at all times when delivering cricket activities. This applies to group and 1-2-1 sessions;
4. As a minimum, a first aid box will also be located in the “Admission Hut”, plus in the Pavilion;
5. Injuries sustained during training sessions, or matches must still be treated : participant safety is of the utmost importance;
6. Those administering first-aid must take care to protect themselves and others via rigorous cleaning and personal hygiene, including increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting equipment and surfaces. Where possible and practical, wearing a face covering is recommended for those administering first aid and the patient;
7. First-aiders must avoid touching their own mouth, eyes and nose;
8. After contact with the injured participant, the first-aider must clean their hands thoroughly with soap and water, or hand sanitiser at the earliest opportunity. This applies regardless of whether there was close contact, or the minimum social distancing was maintained;
9. If first aid is required to be administered then this should be recorded in the Cricket Club’s Accident Report Book;
10. Coaches and those from the Cricket Club who may who may provide first aid are required to familiarise themselves with the guidance for first responders and the advice issued from St. John Ambulance, :-

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-interim-guidance-for-first-responders

https://www.sja.org.uk/get-advice/first-aid-advice/covid-19-advice-for-first-aiders/

11. The Automated External Defibrillator is available for use : located beside the entrance to the Clubhouse in the car park; and
12. If somebody develops Covid-19 symptoms whilst in attendance at Park Drive, then then follow procedure will be applied, :-

- Social distancing will be maintained;
- If the person is able to travel home safely using their own transport they should travel home and follow Government protocols for getting a test and follow government self-isolation advice that is in force;
- If the person is too unwell to travel home safely, then they will be isolated from everyone else and someone from their household will be contacted to make safe arrangements. If this is not possible, then 111 will be telephoned with the provided instructions followed; and
- The isolation area will be well ventilated if located in doors. Once the person has left, the isolation area will be cleaned carefully using suitable cleaning products by persons wearing PPE. Such cleaning will be to recommended Government standards.