Ashes-winning captain’s tweet has led to Southern Premier Cricket League chairman feeling ‘really positive’ about games taking place in 2020

Steve Vear admits a tweet from government official Oliver Dowden in reply to a question from a former Ashes-winning England captain has altered his previous mindset.

Dowden, the secretary of state for Culture, Media and Sport, was tagged in a tweet from Michael Vaughan last week.

‘Shops now open ... People all over the place ... Yet recreational cricket still hasn’t been given the green light !!!!!! Come on @OliverDowden let’s get the game back up and running !! #Cricket’, Vaughan wrote to his 1.5m Twitter followers.

Dowden replied: We’ve said early July at the earliest providing it can be done safely. @ECB_cricket are helping plan with govt & medical experts.’

Vear, for one, was heartened by that exchange.

In a video update, he said: ‘Things have gained momentum in the last few weeks - it’s really, really encouraging.

‘If you had asked me in April or May did I think we would have any cricket this summer I would have said ‘definitely not.’

But if you ask me now if I think we’ll actually get some cricket, I would say ‘yes’.

‘I’m going to be really positive. The vibes from the government, the vibes from the ECB, say it’s on for a return.’

The ECB published a five-step roadmap on June 10 for the return of recreational cricket.

Currently at step 3, the next step involves ‘adapted’ gameplay incorporating social distancing rules.

But cricketers are hopeful step 4 could soon be with them.

Last Friday the government reduced the level of covid threat, and prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce reducing the current two-metre social distancing rule to help the hospitality industry reopen on July 4.

It is not yet known what exactly ‘adapted’ gameplay would mean.

Vear said: ‘That’s another question I have been asked by cricketers; do I think adapted play is going to bear any resemblance to normal cricket?

‘Again, if you’d asked me that a few weeks ago, I would have said ‘no’ probably, because I think there were suggestions it was going to be smaller team sizes, amended formats of the game and that sort of thing.

‘Actually, the current indication - no promises - is that if the government gives cricket and the ECB special dispensation, and other social distancing rules are relaxed, then I think we could be heading for an 11-a-side match which would be really exciting.

‘But specific social distancing rules would be in place, and we are expecting some further guidance from the ECB in the coming days and weeks with regards how we can make cricket clubs, leagues, covid safe.

‘We are certainly not there yet. There is a bit of a way to go.

‘We need to make sure the ECB have really successful and engaging discussions with the government in order to allow cricket to return in a form we would all recognise.’

Vear’s positivity has also been strengthened by a recent ECB release to leagues nationwide.

‘This is the most encouraging part of where we are right now,’ he said.

‘The last paragraph of the press release says ‘in preparation for further ECB announcements, competition organisers across counties and leagues are encouraged to begin considering how they will respond when the ECB advise we will be able to move into step 4 and whether local competitions are feasible’.

‘Step 4 is moving into actual game play, albeit adapted, but moving into game plan nonetheless.

‘So, where does that leave the Southern Premier League? I said a few weeks ago it was always our intention to facilitate cricket as much as we can.

‘That’s the responsibility of an ECB Premier League to support our member clubs in whatever way we can.

‘There may be things we need to think about with regards to travel, advice is against extensive travel .. there may be players that don’t want to travel, and it might be better that cricket is done at the local level for local games, who knows?’

Vear said the Southern Premier League’s management committee will meet tomorrow ‘and we are going to start talking and scenario planning with some ‘what ifs?’

‘Let’s imagine if cricket starts here or here, what would it look like? What could we do as a league to help clubs and what might cricket look like?

‘Can we still run a League Cup, we started thinking about that several months ago, is that still the right thing to do?

‘But whatever we do I can assure you that we will be following the government guidelines, the ECB guidelines … we need that restriction to be lifted on recreational cricket and we need the guidance on how to make cricket covid safe.

‘Once we have all that information, we will put it all in a pot and come up with some scenarios.

‘When we’ve had a chance to digest all that information, we will reach out to our clubs.

‘I imagine we will talk to our clubs and ask them what they want to see happen with regards to the current feelings of the players.’

Vear summed up: ‘This is the most encouraging piece of news for cricket this year so far.

‘I hope it gives you the ray of hope I have now got to see some cricket during this year.’