Midsomer Norton Cricket Club has given its reaction to the news that cricket will not resume on July 4.

The Manager of the Club - and the groundsman - Phil Mortimer, admitted that they were disappointed to learn that cricket would not be returning, especially with the best cricketing weather for nearly 40 years.

He told Nub News; " To have had such a good summer - from every other point of view, and not be able to play cricket. It is a bombshell."

What was doubly disappointing is that the club was doing exceptionally well.

The first team is currently - or would be playing - in the second level - the West of England league - just a step below county cricket skills.

Modestly Phil says this is a good standard, but he is equally proud of the third team and of course all the youngsters, up to 90 of them, who are usually on the ground and training.

"That's the big worry will the youngsters decide to go somewhere else? That's the big worry of cricket all over the country. Having (now) having had a year off from playing will they find other things to do and not come back ? Boris specifically saying no cricket was a bombshell."

But he does understand the challenge coronavirus poses, specifically in relation to cricket, and explained why to Nub News.

" The thing is historically people use saliva to help shine the ball - that could be stopped quite easily - but the fact the ball then is going from hand to hand. When it is out in the field every time someone touches it you would have to clean the ball.

" I am not a virologist, I don't know to what extent normal wipes people use would be suitable. Also everyone out in the field would just have to stop passing the ball to others and send it back to the bowler. The wicket keeper wears gloves but that's not the same issue. It would certainly interfere with the game but if it was that or nothing they would do their best."

Some good news - the Cricket Club is still planning to re-open the clubhouse for socially distanced drinks from July 4.

" We knew that would be potentially re-opening so we have been working on that, everybody outside apart from when they get their drink.In one door, out the other. Nobody staying inside. If its fine weather with everyone outside great, what happens when it suddenly rains that could be a bit of an issue..."

But again the club will do what it takes, because they need to get some funding into cricket in Midsomer Norton. The cost of maintaining the cricket pitch, balls, equipment and paying umpires, is in the range of "thousands" . They also have new changing rooms, which cost close to £100,000, which went up last summer and need to be paid off.

Can you just move the cricket season Nub News asked?

" You can't go on beyond September, " he told us. " Because when you use the ground you have to repair it. And normally you have a lot of wear at the ends so you need to level it, re-seed it and get the grass to regrow. So on and then all that work needs to be left over the autumn so that the grass gets going again ready for the spring.

"We could play a bit of cricket from now onwards but once you get to September it is not going to be worth thinking about. If we could play all of August and get some friendly matches and get the youth practice going again. (That would be good) .We get 90 kids down here from five years old to fifteen years so we would love to get them back.

" It is not easy at all - obviously there are worse things to worry about than cricket - but it is frustrating because we have the best summer that I can remember since 1976. "