KNCB hoping to resume Dutch national competitions July 4

Following the Dutch government’s further softening of its lockdown restrictions this week the KNCB is now looking at a possible resumption of national competition as early as the weekend of 4-5 July.

The Bond has indicated that it is asking clubs to confirm the availability of grounds in July and August and the number of teams they wish to enter into the projected competition, which could run for up to nine weekends.

While awaiting the government’s announcement many clubs have already set up internal leagues to get their players back onto the field.

Clubs in Amsterdam, Utrecht, Delft and Schiedam have all started locally-based tournaments, which avoid the problems of longer-distance travel in a country where there have been over 6000 deaths from Covid-19 and new infections are running at around 100 per day.

Clubs have been issued with clear instructions on the rules for training and matches, which are now being revised in the light of the latest government guidelines, and the KNCB is reportedly also looking at the possibilities for organising youth competitions during the summer vacation.

The national women’s squad has resumed training, and the men’s squad played a practice match at Voorburg’s Westvliet ground recently, with half-centuries for Boris Gorleee and Vikram Singh, and Sebastiaan Braat taking four wickets.

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