New Zealand’s BJ Watling, Australia’s Glenn Maxwell and James Faulkner will no longer play for Lancashire this season because of the impact of the coronavirus spread, the English county said this Friday. Cricket fixtures in England have been cancelled until May 28 due to the pandemic, with further delays likely given the British government’s announcement Thursday of a further three weeks of lockdown. 

Lancashire has cancelled it’s Contract with New Zealand Batsmen BJ Watling, after the Hampshire put an end to Nathan Lyon’s Contract last week due to pandemic

New Zealand wicketkeeper/batsman Watling was signed for the opening nine County Championship games whilst Maxwell and Faulkner would have played for Lancashire in the Twenty20 Blast competition, having both featured in last season’s edition for the northwest county. Lancashire said their contracts would be ended by “mutual termination”.

The Virus hit has barred the fans from seeing the Maxwell-Faulkner duo in the Twenty20 Blast

“I would like to thank BJ, Glenn, James and their representatives for their total understanding of the current situation and full agreement of this decision,” Lancashire director of cricket Paul Allott said in a statement.

The former Lancashire and England paceman explained that “uncertain and challenging times” for county finances had led the Old Trafford club to think it “prudent to mutually come to an agreement with the players we had originally signed

Paul Allott is a former English cricketer and present director of Cricket, Lancashire

Allott added Lancashire had the option to sign the trio again in 2021. He said that one potential benefit from their absence this year would be greater opportunities for homegrown players should a shorten season eventually get underway. Meanwhile Allott confirmed Lancashire’s players had “unanimously agreed” a 20 percent salary reduction for the month of May that will also apply to the Red Rose club’s other staff.

Hampshire last week announced that Australia off-spinner Nathan Lyon would not play for the southern county this season because of the spread of COVID-19.

By Shivanshu Chauhan

A Professional Cricketer for past 4 Years for the teams of Lucknow and CISCE. He keeps an eye on all the Cricket insights which sometimes professional journos lack. He Keeps the wicket on the 22 Yards and takes care of the board meetings over here. No Official Statements go off from the website because of him. He keeps you updated by breaking News both in English and Hindi.

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