Return Of Cricket and The New Normal..!!

Hello to all the Cricket Fans out there…!!! After a Long long break of Almost four months due to COVID19 scare we are finally getting back into the action with The New Normal. Finding it hard to stay away from Cricket we now have something to cheer for and its the England Lions taking on the Carribbean Kings with the First Test Match Post COVID.

With the Last Test being played between Pakistan and Bangladesh in January this year there has been a halt to Test Cricket. With the Normalcy coming back,ICC has also allowed the Cricketing Nations to have bilateral series starting of which the two Test playing nations having glorious history in Test Cricket lock horns on Wednesday Morning in The Ageas Bowl, Southampton and will be played in closed doors, with no crowds allowed and will be the First Instance in 143 year History of Test Cricket.
Also Both the Teams would be having ‘Black Lives Matter ‘ emblem on their Kits supporting Black Lives Matter movement.

New Regulations

With the COVID scare not settling down completely there are few precautions which have to be taken by both the Teams and even the officials as provided by The England and Wales Cricket Board(ECB) with a 74 page booklet.

• Only The Two Captains and Match Referee will go out for the Toss, No Cameras and No Handshakes After.
• Umpires will carry their own bails and will stop play for cleaning breaks and to Sanitise the stumps.
• Digital Team sheets and Scorers won’t share Pens and Pencils.
• If the ball goes to the stand for six then squad players wearing gloves will throw it back
• Players Can’t share gloves,shirts,water bottles,bags or sweaters.
• Media to follow the signs for medical screening.

The Teams

England

In the Absence of their Permanent Captain Joe Root not playing the First Test due to Personal Reasons , Ben Stokes will lead the Team with Jos Buttler to be the Vice-captain.

The Middle Order looks pale on paper as England lacks on Experience with Dom Bess, Zak Crawley and Ollie Pope the three new faces to England’s cricket arena. Zak Crawley is expected to bat at Number 4 in absence of Joe Root.
While the Bowling attack looks quite settled barring a selection headache between Woods and Broad, the Captain might go with the Latter having seen the Loads of Experience he has in Red Ball Cricket.

Windies

Captain Jason Holder also have a power packed bowling attack with Shannon Gabriel’s fitness confirmed during the Warm-up Games will definitely boost them up with confidence along with Kemar Roach and Alzarri Joseph.
The Big man Rahkeem Cornwall will be the Off-Spinner.
Batting Line up is more or less settled as Shai Hope, Kraigg Brathwaite and Roston Chase will be the Backbone of the Middle order with Shamrah Brooks taking up the Fourth Spot.

The Prediction

While both the teams will be itching to go out to the middle and perform, Hosts will have the advantage of the Home conditions with the Dukes ball swinging both ways but if the Visitors some how manages to get away with the intial spree of English Pace Battery then the tables can be turned and with the Experience of Hope and Chase you never know what to expect from the Carribbeans.
I’ll put my money on The English Team because of the Stability their bowling attack has.
All Eyes will be on these two teams and we can expect a thrilling game of cricket in coming days.

The Typical England Weather might play a spoil sport in waiving off a few sessions but the pitch as expected might have some pace assisting Fast Bowlers can counter the rain effect.
Toss as always going to be crucial….so get down on your couch along with your Laptop and enjoy a typical English summer from home.
Stay Home Stay Safe..!!!