Cricket Australia have postponed the announcement of the central contracts list for 2020-21 to the end of April, in light of the uncertainty caused by the breakout of the novel coronavirus, Covid-19.

CA were set to announce the list in March, as opposed to April, when they usually do. But with the virus breakout having muddled the picture and pushed organisations around the world into financial turmoil, the board has opted to wait and see how the situation unfolds before making the announcement.

“Given the uncertainty around what’s happening around the world at the moment, it makes sense to take a minute, take a breath and work out what we’re dealing with and what potential impacts it might have for the game moving forward,” Meg Lanning, the captain of the women’s team that lifted the T20 World Cup earlier this month, said.

“We’ve been communicating really well with Cricket Australia and the ACA, working together with them. At the moment, it’s about waiting a little while for everyone to get the relevant information and is ready to move forward with that.”

The pandemic has already had its impact on the board’s finances, with CA executives set to take a pay cut, while a freeze on hiring has been implemented. The players, too, could lose a chunk from their current salaries, as the board works towards restoring normalcy.