Given the developments of the last couple of weeks I would like to take this opportunity to fully update everyone. The ECB and County Boards continue to pour out information so hopefully everyone remains fully up to date with the general picture and certainly our League What’s App group (all clubs are members) has proved a valuable tool for dissemination of information and sharing of best practice.

This e mail has several important attachments which are:

* League strategy update as at the 8th June.
* NYSD June newsletter.
* Info graphic on the current guidance for return to cricket activity.
* Fixtures if contingency 1 (or 2) can be implemented.
* Updated Club Survival Guide.

Could I just make the following points on each document:

STRATEGY UPDATE :

Our contingency plans continue to include the possibilities of a July start to unrestricted league cricket as we don’t want to shut any doors until the ECB indicate those scenarios are out of the question – we remain firmly committed to facilitating as much cricket as possible for our clubs and players as soon as this is given the green light by the governing body.

That said I think the current ‘soft signal’ would be that an August start for unrestricted cricket is certainly looking the more likely – although, of course, there can be no guarantees even of that. The gradual easing of lockdown restrictions will continue to be on a careful step-by-step basis with safety for all as a priority and it may be that some form of ‘adapted cricket’, where certain restrictions apply, will precede a move to unrestricted cricket.

The League have a lot of planning to do no matter what contingency plan becomes operative, and therefore we are now needing some feedback from our clubs. The strategy update includes five questions – may I respectfully ask that you consider these and come back to us with the best level of information you can supply by the 20th June. It is recognized that there will be some uncertainty in certain areas but if you could give us your best ‘estimate’ it would be greatly appreciated.

NYSD JUNE NEWSLETTER :

I am delighted to enclose a copy of our June Newsletter. This is produced as part of our commitment to remain fully engaged with our member clubs during this crisis and is primarily for your enjoyment. I do hope you will pass this around all your members. I also hope a few of your members will attempt the quiz this time - any number of members can enter it and if they are successful then your club will win the autographed bat - I’m sure you would find this a useful fund raiser.

INFO GRAPHIC :

This has been produced by the ECB – there is a copy on the front page of the League website but it is a very useful visual summary of the current guidelines that you might like to share via your own websites or with your members.

FIXTURES PLAN :

The attached fixtures pdf allows you to see at a glance how fixtures under contingency 1 look – it also allows you to consider how fixtures under contingency 2 would look. These are already loaded into Play-cricket but we thought a ‘paper’ copy would be of some help to you as well. Of course, if we need to go to contingency 3 then fixtures would be provided to you as soon as possible after that is known – and that is one of the reasons why your responses to our questions in the strategy update are important.

NYSD CLUB SURVIVAL GUIDE UPDATED EDITION :

Many thanks for all the positive feedback we have had about this document, and particularly the financial signposting which you have indicated proved invaluable in the early days of the crisis when our main aim was to protect our clubs as best we could and identify as much help as possible. I am also given to understand the NYSD has provided the most comprehensive package of direct financial help when compared to the vast majority of other leagues around the country, something which we were really keen to facilitate.

As mentioned above the ECB and County Boards are now signposting everything quite clearly, but this guide remains a handy one-stop shop for the vast majority of your queries, so please delete any previous copies and replace with this updated version.

And finally….cricket balls. Dukes have been slowly working their way through ball deliveries – I think two thirds of clubs now have them. Don’t panic if you haven’t received yours yet, I have been assured we will be given notice of the delivery dates for all the remaining outstanding clubs in due course and I will let the person you allocated to receive the balls know when delivery is about to take place.

As ever, if you have any queries please feel free to be in touch, and as ever my very best wishes to one and all. In the meantime, happy reading!

Chris West,
President,
Darlington Building Society North Yorkshire & South Durham ECB Premier League

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