West Indies offer to host England home series this summer in response to coronavirus pandemic
Friday 20 March 2020 13:35, UK
West Indies have offered to host England's home Test series between the teams this summer in response to the coronavirus' impact on the United Kingdom.
Joe Root's side are due to begin a three-Test series against West Indies on home turf in June, but the global outbreak means all future cricket may have to be rescheduled.
The England and Wales Cricket Board has already recommended that all forms of recreational cricket be suspended and is expected to provide an update on domestic and international fixtures shortly, although a final decision is not likely before the weekend.
With major changes to the calendar likely, the possibility of England transferring their home series to the Caribbean - where a handful of COVID-19 cases have been reported - is on the table.
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West Indies CEO Johnny Grave told Sky Sports News: "I have had discussions with (ECB chief executive) Tom Harrison over the past week regarding the disruption to our respective cricket programmes due to the outbreak of the coronavirus and the impact that it may have on our planned Test series in June.
"I have said to him that we will be as supportive and flexible and even creative as much we can in helping the ECB.
"We don't have any home international cricket until July, when New Zealand come. Then we have South Africa and then the Caribbean Premier League. We would be open to doing whatever we can to help the ECB.
"If that means playing the series later in the summer, if it means playing during the CPL or even for us to potentially move the CPL to later in the year, that is something we would consider and discuss with the players, CPL and other stakeholders.
"Effectively, I have said to the ECB that we will be as flexible and creative as possible. We are clearly monitoring everything very closely because it is evolving on a daily basis."
England's last tour of West Indies, which ended in a 2-1 defeat for the tourists, brought Shannon Gabriel a four-match ban from the ICC after the paceman asked Root if he liked boys.
The England captain responded to the remark by saying: 'Don't use it as an insult, there's nothing wrong with being gay'. Gabriel subsequently offered "an unreserved apology" for his remark.
