LONDON: The England under-19 team’s proposed tour of Australia has been postponed for a second time because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said on Wednesday.

The tour, originally scheduled for this month, was pushed back to April but both the boards have decided to postpone it further.

“It’s disappointing that we have had to postpone it for the time being, but clearly the right decision given the current climate,” ECB Performance Director Mo Bobat said in a statement. “Both boards will continue to explore options for rescheduling.”

The ECB remains hopeful of hosting the return leg of the series during England’s domestic season. Cricket Australia’s national talent and pathways manager Graham Manou said the boards had considered the “significant logistical challenges’ involved in staging the series and players’ well-being before taking the decision.”

Published in Dawn, February 18th, 2021