Wyncote Ramblers Cricket Club

In order to minimise the likelihood of the cancellation of a significant number of potentially ‘high risk’ long format fixtures we have taken an extremely cautious approach during the construction of the 2022 programme.

A similar rate of risk based ‘Covid Cancellations’ to that of 2021 would almost certainly have an extremely deleterious impact on membership levels which could easily send our Club into a potentially irreversible spiral of decline. We have therefore taken a strategic ‘holding position’ from which our activities can be expanded as and when the science and data indicate it is safe to do so. It is obviously extremely difficult to ascribe a specific time scale to a projection of this nature, especially given the complete abandonment of behavioural and societal safety measures following the statement made by the PM on 24th February. A time scale projection of at least another two years does not however, seem in any way unreasonable.

In order to both minimise potential risk based cancellations while also endeavouring to ensure the longer term sustainability of our Club, the following rubric has been applied to the construction of the 2022 programme.

[1] A significant reduction in long format fixtures.

[2] The suspension, until further notice, of all fixtures that involve either/both long distance travel/overnight accommodation.

[3]An increase in short format T/20 fixtures.

This sadly means that a number of long standing fixtures do not appear in our programme. We hope that these omissions are only temporary. The programme was scheduled to commence a little later than would ordinarily be the case with an evening fixture at New Brighton on 18th May. The opening declaration fixture has been scheduled for 2nd June.

Even if a proportion of the remaining long format fixtures require cancellation on the basis of risk, the application of the above rubric should at least ensure both a sustainable programme and the maintenance of or even increase in membership levels. In the worst case scenario, the club may be left with a fixture programme comprising largely, or even entirely of short format games. While this would obviously be less than ideal and run counter to the ethos and underlying philosophy of our Club it should at least ensure its survival.