Cricket could welcome back fans from May 17 as government releases roadmap for exit from lockdown

Attendances of up to 4,000 people or half a venue's capacity - whichever is lower - will be permitted according to the government's roadmap, while larger stadiums will be allowed to welcome 25 per cent of capacity or 10,000 - whichever is lower

Up to 7,500 fans could be allowed into England's first Test match of the summer under government plans for England to come out of lockdown.

Prime minister Boris Johnson revealed in the House of Commons on Monday that stadiums will be permitted to open their turnstiles from May 17, providing the Covid-19 vaccination rollout continues apace, and hospitalisation, infection and death rates keep falling. 

Attendances of up to 4,000 people or half a venue's capacity - whichever is lower - will be permitted according to the government's roadmap, while larger stadiums will be allowed to welcome 25 per cent of capacity or 10,000 - whichever is lower. 

It is unclear whether Lord's, with a capacity of 30,000, will be classed as a larger venue but in the likely event that it is, England could face New Zealand in the first Test of the summer from June 2 in front of a crowd of as many as 7,500 supporters. Edgbaston is due to host the second Test from June 10.

An ECB statement read: "The ECB welcomes the government’s decision to permit grassroots cricket to return across England in time for the start of the 2021 season. We will continue to work closely with the Welsh government on the return of recreational cricket in Wales.

"We are also very pleased to see the return of spectators to grounds from mid-May. Our leading venues strongly believe they have the technology and know-how to return capacity crowds and we look forward to working in close partnership with the Government to identify ways in which this can be achieved in a safe and controlled manner this season."

^{Full houses might be some way away, but fans could be back at cricket games in England from mid-May}

Pilot events will be run in the spring to allow officials to establish the best safe practice ahead of the reopening of major venues, and county cricket could once again find itself playing the role of guinea pig - just as it did in the summer of 2020.

The introduction of rapid lateral flow testing could be a crucial element in the accelerated reintroduction of capacity crowds at major venues, while it is likely supporters will initially be asked to wear masks in the stands.

The county game, meanwhile, will take note that in the best-case circumstances, gates will not be allowed to open fully until at least June 21, fully 12 days into the current T20 Blast fixture list.

The short-format competition accounts for around 90 per cent of the counties' matchday revenue, and discussions have taken place behind the scenes about the possibility of pushing the competition back to late August and September to enable the maximum possible number of fans into grounds.

While the entire county fixture list has been released by the ECB, leading figures from the 18 clubs will discuss their Plan B further at a meeting of chief executives on Thursday. 

At present, 52 Blast matches are scheduled to take place prior to the government's loose June 21 marker. 

Plan B involves the County Championship being packed into the early months of the season, in front of no or few supporters, with the Blast following The Hundred. 

Counties are desperate to recoup lost revenues from 2020, with many expecting further sizeable losses in 2021 even if capacity crowds are permitted from late June.

Surrey chief executive Richard Gould said on Monday that he hoped fans could be allowed back into The Oval for the first game of the Championship season - the visit of Leicestershire which is currently set to begin on April 15.

"Everyone was waiting for what the government was going to say this afternoon and it seems like good news for cricket fans," Gould said.

"With outdoor leisure attractions like Thorpe Park, London Zoo and pub beer gardens all allowed to reopen on Monday, April 12, we very much hope that we will be permitted to open up the Kia Oval to some Surrey members for our first home game of the season, three days later.

"After this, we will continue with a phased reopening of the ground, working towards the government’s subsequent key dates of Monday, May 17 and Monday, June 21, when we host a T20 match against Essex."

While The Oval will aim to accommodate 6,5000 supporters initially, smaller venues have the additional challenge of catering for Covid-19 biosecurity measures.

The Cricketer has been told of at least two counties who will struggle to accomodate more than 25 per cent of their capacity while zoning off relevant sections of their grounds as per coronavirus safety guidelines.

There is better news for the recreational game, however, with the government's roadmap permitting organised outdoor sport to recommence for adults and children from March 29, providing the return of children to schools from March 8 does not vastly accelerate the transmission rate of the virus.

If that timeline comes to pass, club cricketers should be able to take part in a full season in 2021.

Guidance is expected to be released by the ECB in due course relating to Covid-secure measures but kit-sharing is not expected to be prohibited, as it was for the abbreviated season last summer, while changing facilities may also be allowed to open and teas could return to something approaching normality.