ECB exploring diplomatic channels to ensure 'some leniency' for players on Ashes tour

Amid the looming uncertainty over the fate of the Ashes series scheduled towards the end of the year due to the strict Covid-19 norms in Australia, the England and Wales Cricket Board is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure the series goes on as per the schedule.

ECB's chief executive, Tom Harrison, has said that the ECB is having “right conversations” at the very highest level to persuade the Australian government to have some “leniency” for its players. The CEO said that the ECB will also take diplomatic help to ensure that “reasonable requests” of players will be granted.

"We are working very closely with CA and I had my latest conversation with my counterpart at CA yesterday. We are speaking every few days on this matter. All the right conversations are happening at the government level in Australia, and we will be using our own diplomatic channels in the UK to ensure that the view of the players and the ECB,” Harrison said.

"This is not players asking for anything unreasonable. These are very reasonable requests that we are asking the Australian government to give some leniency frankly towards. Because it's going to be important for us to ensure that we can give comfort to players that their families are going to be able to be in Australia and that those conditions in which they are quarantined will be reasonable.”

"It's a conversation that's going to take place over the next few weeks. We are not going to have an answer by the end of this Test [against India at Lord's], for example. But I am very confident we will get to a place where we can fulfil our obligations to tour."

The Australian federal government has employed strict quarantine measures for people entering into the country and at the same time, has also limited the number of people who would be allowed to enter the country swiftly.

The first loggerhead that the ECB and Cricket Australia has to resolve is the issue of permission to players and touring members of travelling with their families. Next, they have to negotiate on the duration and terms of the quarantine upon their arrival.

England multi-format players will travel to Australia directly from the UAE after playing the ICC World T20 and if the families will be not allowed to travel, it will be a very long period for them to be away from their families.

Even in case, they will be allowed to travel, the period of 14 days will mean the family members will have to stay in the country for a long period of time that the ECB calls unsustainable.

Harrison has said that both the ECB and Cricket Australia agree on the point of preserving the “integrity” of the Ashes series which might get hampered if players will be denied the chance to play in comfortable environments.