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Virus stops cricket

It's been a year since the coronavirus pandemic forced cricket to a standstill

Nishi Narayanan  |  

The last international match played before the pandemic-induced lockdowns

The last international match played before the pandemic-induced lockdowns Matt King / © Getty Images

On March 13, 2020, Australia and New Zealand played the first ODI of a three-match series in an empty Sydney Cricket Ground. It had been announced that morning that spectators would not be allowed into the ground, and players had to deal with the unusual experience of facing remotely operated cameras for interviews and climbing into the stands to fetch the ball themselves. The coronavirus was making its presence felt across the world and cricket was not immune.

England batter Tammy Beaumont makes do with a makeshift net in her garden

England batter Tammy Beaumont makes do with a makeshift net in her garden Matthew Lewis / © Getty Images

The rest of the Australia-New Zealand matches, and other series across the world, were cancelled or postponed as countries began to go into lockdown. Stuck at home for an uncertain amount of time, players started improvising on how to stay match fit (when they were not making Tik-Tok videos or interviewing each other on Instagram live).

Surrey's Amar Virdi (right) cooks food in a Southall kitchen to feed the homeless

Surrey's Amar Virdi (right) cooks food in a Southall kitchen to feed the homeless Richard Heathcote / © Getty Images

Some players were out on the streets, feeding vulnerable people who didn't have access to other support systems.

A game on a deserted beach in Mumbai

A game on a deserted beach in Mumbai Rajanish Kakade / © Associated Press

A small upside of everyday life coming to a standstill was all the space freed up for occasional games of cricket - particularly in the populous Indian subcontinent.

Friendly neighbours of the Wookey Hole Cricket Club swing by to help the ground staff

Friendly neighbours of the Wookey Hole Cricket Club swing by to help the ground staff Michael Steele / © Getty Images

In the absence of lawnmowers, and people to operate them, cricket grounds occasionally turned into hangout spaces for sheep.

Jason Holder and Ben Stokes talk to the TV commentators through a remotely operated camera

Jason Holder and Ben Stokes talk to the TV commentators through a remotely operated camera © Getty Images

International cricket returned in July when West Indies toured England in a summer that looked very different from those of the past.

Josh Hazlewood gets a neck rub to collect sweat with which to shine the ball

Josh Hazlewood gets a neck rub to collect sweat with which to shine the ball David Gray / © AFP/Getty Images

Cricket was now played with a set of new protocols and parlance - biosecure bubbles, Covid tests, tracking apps, quarantines, no saliva, no spectators.

Peter Siddle exercises on a stationary bike in his hotel room during a period of quarantine

Peter Siddle exercises on a stationary bike in his hotel room during a period of quarantine Ryan Pierse / © Getty Images

Bio-bubbles have largely made it safe to conduct cricket events during a pandemic, but the extended periods of quarantine and time spent away from family have been mentally taxing for many players. On the positive side, even teams previously reluctant to address the problem of high workload are now actively working on rotating their squads. To an extent, it has also normalised conversations around mental illness in cricket.

Fans enjoy cricket and the sun at the Basin Reserve, Wellington

Fans enjoy cricket and the sun at the Basin Reserve, Wellington Marty Melville / © AFP/Getty Images

After so many months of lockdown for most of us, it was a bit odd (and envy-inducing) to see crowds in Australia and New Zealand, where the pandemic did not gain as much of a foothold as it did elsewhere around the world.

Spectators mix entertainment with safety when arriving for the SCG Test between India and Australia

Spectators mix entertainment with safety when arriving for the SCG Test between India and Australia Brook Mitchell / © Getty Images

PPE kits as fancy dress at the cricket? Only in 2020 (and maybe 2021).

A dog and its humans enjoy a match in North Devon's Valley of Rocks

A dog and its humans enjoy a match in North Devon's Valley of Rocks Jed Leicester / © Getty Images

In other parts of the world, keen spectators took social distancing a little too seriously perhaps.

A man wears a mask featuring MS Dhoni and other Chennai Super Kings players

A man wears a mask featuring MS Dhoni and other Chennai Super Kings players Arun Sankar / © AFP/Getty Images

But there are some pandemic-related things we'll continue to see in the game (and elsewhere) for some more time.

Spectators at the SCG make sure their hands are clean

Spectators at the SCG make sure their hands are clean Saeed Khan / © AFP/Getty Images

With all the sanitiser around, perhaps players could use it instead of saliva to shine the ball?

Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes' players greet each other at the end of their WBBL game

Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes' players greet each other at the end of their WBBL game Mark Metcalfe / © Getty Images

Boxing's contribution to the world at large, the fist bump, looks set to be around for a while.

Shaun Marsh has his documents inspected at Perth airport after taking a flight from Adelaide

Shaun Marsh has his documents inspected at Perth airport after taking a flight from Adelaide Paul Kane / © Getty Images

We've seen a return to the days of extended tours, with time set aside for quarantines and warm-up games.

The South Africa-England tour was called off in December following an outbreak of Covid-19 among both teams

The South Africa-England tour was called off in December following an outbreak of Covid-19 among both teams © Gallo Images/Getty Images

And of course, a great number of tours have been cancelled or postponed because of outbreaks.

Dom Bess with his parents' dog, Tilly, in Shipton, Yorkshire

Dom Bess with his parents' dog, Tilly, in Shipton, Yorkshire Stu Forster / © Getty Images

With all the time they had on their hands in 2020, cricketers around the world got to cuddle up to their pets a whole lot more than they usually do.

Nishi Narayanan is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo

 

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