Headingley closed as Yorkshire CCC players ordered to train at home
YORKSHIRE’S cricketers will train at home until at least mid-April due to the coronavirus crisis.
Martyn Moxon, the club’s director of cricket, said that the players’ health and safety was paramount and that Yorkshire are following government guidelines.
The club’s Headingley headquarters are now closed until after Easter, with staff working from home where possible.
Yorkshire’s AGM is still going ahead this morning, but it will be a skeleton affair and a rubber-stamping exercise expected to neither last very long nor be attended by many members.
Safe distancing measures will also be observed.
For the first time, the AGM is being live-streamed so that members can watch from home as the club, effectively, dissuades them from attending.
The meeting will carry none of the usual reports from senior management, only dealing with essential items, with a special members’ forum set to take place when circumstances allow.
Yorkshire’s players have been following their own individual training programmes since their pre-season tour to India was cut short last weekend as a result of the pandemic, which means that the season will not now start until late May at the earliest.
“The lads have been at home since they got back from Mumbai and following the current government guidelines, which is to stay at home as much as possible and reduce contact with groups,” said Moxon.
“They are currently training at home and will do so now until at least April 14.
“They are all doing their own individual training programmes, which have been set up by the S&C (strength and conditioning) staff here at the club.
“We’ll keep reviewing the situation as events are obviously ongoing, but there’s not going to be any group sessions until at least the middle of next month.”
Yorkshire are giving their players as much physical training equipment as possible, with gymnasiums now out of bounds following last night’s intervention by the government.
Outdoor running and walking are obvious methods of staying in shape, as well as keeping fit mentally amid concerns for the mental health of everyone in the prevailing predicament.
“That’s a concern for all of us, I think, not just the players but the general public,” added Moxon.
“Potentially being stuck at home all the time is a concern for everyone, and it’s clearly impacting on everybody’s lives.
“Players are human beings at the end of the day, so they’re going to be affected just like any other human being is going to be affected.
“Clearly, we’re in constant contact with them, while the medical staff at Yorkshire and the PCA (Professional Cricketers’ Association) are there for any help that they may need in the coming weeks (with regards to mental health).”
Moxon said that the Yorkshire players – “touch wood” – are all fit and well, with no one currently self-isolating as they are at some clubs.