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World Cup-winning fast bowler Mark Wood
World Cup-winning fast bowler Mark Wood says English cricket could lose 'the next Ben Stokes or Joe Root' if the game doesn't continue at the grassroots at the earliest.
"I'm sure a lot of people in this country would love grassroots cricket to be back up and running," he said.
"We don't want to lose the next Ben Stokes, the next Joe Root, the next superstar that might be coming through for the game," Stokes was quoted as saying by BBC Sport.
The COVID-19 pandemic has managed to cause a severe blow to recreational cricket in England. Cricket stands suspended since March. It will keep on remaining so in spite of the easing of lockdown rules in the nation. This is for the safety of the players and the common people.
Restarting the recreational cricket
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) needed to restart recreational cricket from July 4. And they said it was still in regular talks with the UK government. This is in spite of Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday precluding its prompt return in light of the fact that the ball, as indicated by him, is a "natural vector of disease ". In the meantime, Basketball and tennis courts will open up on July 4, too.
Wood, notwithstanding, said the continued restriction on cricket around the nation doesn't bode well. He mentioned that the lockdown has been easing around the nation.
"If you can go to the pub, and go to restaurants - you'd hope that cricket could be on the horizon as well," the 30-year-old pacer said.
For someone like Wood, who cut his teeth at Ashington Cricket Club and still holds solid ties there, it signifies an unrelenting issue as he does not want to see the potential stars of the future turning to other sports in the short-term.
Wood is part of England’s training group that has assembled at Southampton earlier this week but, in spite of stellar displays in two of his last three Tests, he trusts he is not part of the first-choice side at home matches.