COVID-19: England-Windies opener a new frontier for Test cricket

Test cricket will step into a new frontier when England face the West Indies in the opening match of a “bio-secure” series at Southampton starting on Wednesday.

With the coronavirus pandemic having brought the world game to a halt in March, there were fears this three-Test campaign might also fall victim to COVID-19.

But, with the West Indies agreeing to go ahead despite Britain’s virus death toll of over 44,000 being the highest in Europe, the series is set to mark cricket’s return from lockdown instead.

However, a number of anti-virus measures mean next week’s match will look like few others in 143 years of Test-match history.

For a start, both sides will be staying at on-site hotels at Southampton’s Ageas Bowl and Old Trafford in Manchester - the venue for the second and third Tests - in a series originally scheduled for elsewhere in England in June.