West Indies arrive for a cricket series like no other

With bio-secure bubbles, personal protective equipment and players in quarantine this promises to be a sporting tour like we’ve never seen before

West Indies arrived in the UK on Tuesday (PA)

The West Indies touched down in the UK on Tuesday morning ahead of a cricket tour the like we have never seen before.

That they are here at all deserves applauding with the England and Wales Cricket Board and English cricket itself owing them a great debt.

Staring at a £380million loss and 800 days without cricket the ECB were left looking for answers. Cricket West Indies heeded the call and will play a three-Test series on these shores next month.

Not that it’ll be like any of the cricket series that have gone before, however.

All three matches – one at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton followed by two back-to-back at Old Trafford in Manchester – will be played behind closed doors without supporters in what will be completely ‘bio-secure’ environments.

That means quarantine periods for all players and staff - hence why the touring party have arrived so early - with all involved tested before they jetted off from the Caribbean and when they touched down here.

There will be strict measures over who and what can come and go from inside the ‘bubbles’ at each venue too with the tourists bringing with them 25 players to guard against the effect of possible illness or injury to any of them prior to the Test series.

There will be regular testing for all those in and around the group throughout with contact with the outside world kept at the bare minimum.

There remain unknowns on the field too with an ICC ban on saliva set to change how the ball is swung one of many wrinkles players and coaches will have to get used to on the fly.

This is cricket but not as we know it, something touring captain Jason Holder is all too aware of.

“A lot has gone into the preparations for what will be a new phase in the game,” he said ahead of the tour departure.

“I’m happy for the support and well-wishes we have been receiving from our loyal and dedicated fans once it was confirmed the tour would go ahead. This has been a source of great inspiration.”

Holder’s opposite number, Joe Root, might not play at all with wife Carrie expecting their second child at the start of July.

With Root committed to being by his partner’s side should an effective and safe ‘bridge’ between inside and outside the venues not be found there is a real chance the host’s best player will be missing.

Three West Indian players definitely won’t play with batsmen Darren Bravo and Shimron Hetmyer and fast bowling all-rounder Keemo Paul all declining to be part of the series amid fears over the pandemic.

Cricket amid coronavirus was always going to be unique and so it will be. This will be a series like no other and will be remembered forever for it.

“This is a huge step forward in cricket and in sports in general,” Holder says. It’s a brave one too and one that shouldn’t be forgotten.