Australia's tour of England boosted with UK government set to relax quarantine rules
The chances of Australia touring England this summer have been boosted by the UK government’s willingness to relax quarantine rules for elite sport.
Australia are due to tour England for three Twenty20 internationals and three one-day internationals. The series was considered highly unlikely if Australia had to quarantine for two weeks on arrival, which would have meant that the quarantine period would be as long as the series itself.
But the UK government has signalled that quarantine rules for professional sport are set to be changed by the end of June, meaning that foreign teams would not need to quarantine for two weeks as long as they remained in a biosecure environment.
If the exemptions are confirmed, they would significantly increase the chances of Australia touring later this summer.
Their series against England was originally scheduled for July but it is now hoped that it could be played in September, after England’s other international series. Australia are also due to play a T20 against Scotland, which Cricket Scotland still hope could be rearranged too.
The West Indies and Pakistan, the two tourists for Test series in England this summer, have already indicated that they would be willing to quarantine for two weeks upon arriving in the country.
The West Indies are set to arrive for their Test series on June 9, meaning they are still likely to have to quarantine for the full period, but Pakistan’s squad may not have to go through the quarantine period if they remain in a biosecure environment.
If Australia were able to tour, it would mean that England were able to fulfil all their men’s international fixtures this summer, which would save the England & Wales Cricket Board an estimated £280 million. Kevin Roberts, the chief executive of Cricket Australia, has maintained a regular dialogue with the ECB about playing the matches in September.
If Australia do tour, it is possible that the matches could be played at Edgbaston or Chester-le-Street, rather than exclusively at the Ageas Bowl and Emirates Old Trafford, the two biosecure venues which will host all England’s Test matches this summer.
The tour would also depend upon approval being given by the Australian government, with a travel ban from Australia in place. But the prospects for the series are considered significantly better than several weeks ago.
