Coronavirus Outbreak: Cricket West Indies in talks with ECB over three-Test series in bio-secure stadiums in England

The chief executive of West Indies’ cricket team says a plan is in place to fly a 25-man squad to England around 8 June ahead of a three-Test series starting a month later in bio-secure stadiums with no spectators. [caption id=“attachment_7277401” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File image of West Indies Test team. (Photo by Randy Brooks / AFP)[/caption] Johnny Grave says he has been in discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board for the past six weeks and that Cricket West Indies is expecting a formal offer to go ahead with the tour in the coming days. Grave says in an interview with espncricinfo.com the players would take privately sourced tests for COVID-19 three or four days before the departure date. They would then convene at a base in Antigua and fly out in one aircraft on the same day, before being transported to their quarantine and training venue where they would spend about three weeks. He adds that the current plan is for the Test matches to start 8 July, 16 July and 24 July. The tour was due to start on 4 June but no professional cricket can be played in England before 1 July because of the coronavirus outbreak. Grave says there is still some apprehension among players and support staff about leaving their families for seven weeks, travelling to Britain and playing in bio-secure venues, but that no player has said formally he does not want to tour. Click here to follow LIVE updates on coronavirus outbreak