Counties warned rapid return to four-day cricket poses 'significant' injury risk and threat of player litigation

The 18 counties have been warned that returning to four-day cricket without eight to 12 weeks of preparation poses a “significant” risk of serious stress fractures and could leave them open to litigation from injured players.

A document circulated to counties by the ECB’s science and medical department, seen by Telegraph Sport, has warned of the significant risk of injury, particularly to fast bowlers, posed by playing four-day cricket without the recommended eight to 12 weeks of preparation.

“Preparation time for return to cricket, especially bowlers, will need to be carefully considered and special playing conditions, such as substitutes, must also be considered. This is a unique period of shutdown and a rapid return carries well documented risks,” the report states. “The risks of soft tissue island bony injury, especially lumbar stress fractures following an accelerated return to cricket are significant.”

The England & Wales Cricket Board on Friday gave the go ahead for a four-day competition, entitled the Bob Willis Trophy, to start on Aug 1.

The ECB’s own research, adopted as guidelines by the International Cricket Council, states that players should have eight to 12 weeks preparation to play multi-day cricket.

But most counties will have only been in full training for four weeks when the Bob Willis Trophy starts because the majority were furloughed during the lockdown.

In a draft schedule seen by Telegraph Sport, counties will play five rounds in total including a run of four four-day games with only three days rest between each match from Aug 1 to Aug 25.

Such a schedule does pose potential injury risks, but mitigating those presents problems for the first-class status of matches. The report recommends the use of bowling substitutes in 12-a-side teams but that would invalidate its first-class status.

Instead the counties are planning to reduce overs from 96 to 90 per day and setting limits on how many overs bowlers can bowl.

There are worries from some counties that they could face legal action from a player who suffers a career-threatening injury if the appropriate preparation time has not been followed. It is the governing body, the ECB, that will set the playing regulations and counties believe it is the board that should carry the legal risk.

The report reveals that injuries in the Bundesliga are 250 per cent above normal since the players returned after the Covid lockdown. The NFL in the United States saw three years’ worth of Achilles ruptures in the first three weeks after the return to play following a players’ strike.

“Adequate player preparation takes months, not just weeks. Therefore consideration needs to be given to mitigate the risk of ‘preventable injuries’,” the report warns.

“A working group of county CMOs (chief medical officers) consulted over these guidelines believe this is the greatest risk associated with the return of the four-day format and consideration for limits on overs and or substitutes would be a minimum contingency for injury mitigation. Their belief is that there should be careful consideration of the liability for any significant injury and importantly risk mitigation measures such as replacements and limited overs for bowlers.”