Old Trafford cricket ground plans for social-distancing fans

The Old Trafford cricket ground is spearheading plans in England to try to bring fans back into a sports venue during the coronavirus pandemic.

Lancashire Cricket Club chief executive Daniel Gidney believes social distancing can be applied in their 26,000-seat ground to allow in at least 2,000 fans.

Not only are mass gatherings still banned by the government, but sports teams aren't allowed to play or train together. A cricket season that was due to start in April won't begin until July at the earliest.

"I'm hopeful that we can get some domestic cricket away in the back end of August and September, at least behind closed doors, but possibly even with some small crowds," Gidney told The Associated Press.

"Sometimes you can get into this negative box. And when I'm being positive, I'm not being reckless or saying things that can't happen from a safety perspective."
"As long as the infection rate continues to drop, then I believe that we should be able to get some form of domestic cricket back and hopefully with some small crowds."
"Then, in theory, it's a bit like going to lockdown with your family and over a period of time, as long as you don't step outside of the bubble, then that's possibly as safe as you can be."
"The environment needs to be safe and secure as no event or match is bigger than life," Azam said on a media call. "My family will be more worried than me but if the PCB (Pakistan Cricket Board) tells me that it's safe to go, I will definitely travel."