England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Friday informed that no professional form of cricket would be played in the country until at least July 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has already killed over 18 thousand people there.

The ECB had previously set May 28 as the date for a potential comeback but extended the suspension in view of the prevailing situation and nationwide lockdown which can also be extended.

An ECB Board meeting on Thursday approved a number of measures – which would significantly restructure the English season if some cricket is played this summer – some of which include:

“The Vitality Blast will be pushed as late in the season as possible to give it the best opportunity of being staged. All matches previously scheduled in June will be moved later in the season.”

“International cricket, featuring England men’s and women’s teams, will look to be scheduled from July until the end of September, with the West Indies Test Series and the whole women’s series against India (Vitality IT20s and Royal London ODIs) both moving from their original slots.”

Meanwhile, an additional Board meeting will take place on April 29 to discuss the future of The Hundred, the ambitious project of the ECB where matches would see innings of hundred deliveries. The governing body in England previously said that The Hundred would also be prioritised.

The ECB Board also approved the concept of having blocks of red and white ball cricket in a revised schedule. Nine rounds of fixtures will be lost in the County Championship up to the beginning of July which means any red-ball cricket would be on a very different basis to normal.

“As much as we remain hopeful that we can deliver some cricket this summer, we are in the midst of a worldwide crisis and our priority — over and above the playing of professional sport — will be to protect the vulnerable, key workers and society as a whole over,” said ECB CEO Tom Harrison as quoted on the official website of ECB.

“That’s why, simply put, there will be no cricket unless it’s safe to play. Our schedule will only go ahead if government guidance permits.

“Our biggest challenge, along with other sports, is how we could seek to implement a bio-secure solution that offers optimum safety and security for all concerned. The guidance we receive from Westminster will help us shape how we deliver this.

“Our plan is to reschedule international matches as late as possible in the season to give the best chance of play. The Vitality Blast will also now occupy the latest possible season slot to offer as much time as possible to play a County short-form competition,” he added.