The ECB has said that it is possible that parts of the English 2020 season could be postponed or cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement the governing body said that it is “undertaking a number of steps to prepare for potential outcomes that an ongoing situation with Covid-19 might bring for the cricket community here in England and Wales”.

“In conjunction with our partners across the network, we are building contingency plans across a number of possible eventualities,” it added.  “Our main priorities are to ensure we scope out the landscape for financial, logistical and scheduling implications.”

The statement revealed that matches could go behind closed doors or possibly even be scrapped.

“It is difficult for us to be sure of what outcomes the game might be expected to deal with,” read the statement. “Therefore, we will continue to plan for the expectation that the season proceeds as normal, but in parallel prepare for a range of scenarios. These could include the possibility of playing matches behind closed doors, or potentially postponing or cancelling elements of the season.”

The 2020 English domestic season is set to introduce The Hundred, a new 100-ball domestic competition. The County Championship starts next month on April 12. 

On the international front England’s men are scheduled take on West Indies, Pakistan, Australia and Ireland this summer, while England’s women are set to play India and South Africa.

“We continue to enjoy constructive dialogue with DCMS [Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee] and also our commercial and broadcast partners – who match our ambitions to see the game of cricket thrive in 2020 and beyond,” the ECB statement added. “We are certain that jointly, we will all come to solutions that best protect those who love cricket, and the game itself.”