Coronavirus: Switching England series to Caribbean “an unrealistic option”

Switching this summer’s Test series from England to the Caribbean is “an unrealistic option”, says Cricket West Indies chief Johnny Grave.

The three-Test series, set to start at The Oval on June 4, is in doubt because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Grave is reported as saying a switch was a possibility but he told BBC Sport: “I have not had any discussions with England over whether we can host.

“It would be strange that England can’t have cricket but the Caribbean can.”

He added: “Realistically, without knowing anything about pandemics, if England can’t hold cricket then it almost certainly means the rest of the world can’t hold cricket either. I think it is an unrealistic option.”

Grave did say the West Indies are being as “flexible as possible” to get the series played.

The ECB will discuss the possible rescheduling of the season at a meeting on Thursday.

England’s Test tour of Sri Lanka was called off last week with captain Joe Root saying the decision was a “relief” because players were distracted, thinking about families in the UK.

The sporting calendar has been decimated by the pandemic with football’s European Championship one of many events already called off.

The first Test in London is set to be followed by matches at Edgbaston and Lord’s starting on June 12 and 25 respectively.

“I have been in contact with [England and Wales Cricket board chief executive] Tom Harrison a few times over the last week,” Grave said.

“The only discussions we have had are, in principle, having flexibility over warm-up games, when the series would start and how many rest days [there would be].

“We have given the ECB assurances that we will be as flexible as we can. We have not had any discussion about not playing them in June.

“We have not had any discussion about playing them later in the English summer. We have not had any discussion about hosting the matches here.” (BBC Sport)