English cricketers to resume training from Thursdsday

London:Up to 18 bowlers will take part in staggered sessions across seven grounds from Thursday as the first England players to begin individual training.

Chester-le-Street, Edgbaston, Hove, Old Trafford, Taunton, The Oval and Trent Bridge will each host at least one session this week.

Batsmen and wicketkeepers will return to individual training from 1 June.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will confirm which players have been invited to train next week.

About 30 players in total – centrally contracted and from the county system – will be invited to train.

The ECB says it expects additional venues will be added to accommodate these sessions and will confirm which grounds are to be used nearer the time.

There will be no cricket in England or Wales until at least 1 July because of the coronavirus pandemic, a shutdown which has meant the postponement of the Test series against West Indies, which was scheduled for June.

With the ECB in talks with Cricket West Indies (CWI) over the rescheduling of those three Tests, England director of cricket Ashley Giles has said the return to training coincides with a seven-week build-up to what could be the start of the series on 8 July.