Use of Nets During Lockdown
Following detailed discussions and careful planning over the past few days, the club committee has now approved proposals for making the nets at Blackheath available for limited use by club members in compliance with ECB Guidelines and on the basis set out below. Nets are only available by advance booking and a club supervisor must be present at all times.

Nets only available for paid up Blackheath CC members

Both for insurance reasons and for reasons of fairness, the club nets are only being made available for use by paid up Blackheath club members. The vast majority of last year�s members have already re-joined and paid a sub, and most junior squads are full. However, if you are U14 or older and were a member last year, and have not yet paid a sub for 2020, you can use the nets if you now register and pay the applicable minimum playing sub (�60 for men and boys and �50 for women and girls). When it becomes clearer how much of a cricket season will in fact be possible, the position on subs will be reviewed for all members.

Persons who may use the nets

A single net may be used either by members of the same household or by a maximum of 2 individuals from different households. Nets are also available for pre-booked 1:1 coaching sessions. Individuals can use a net on their own, but the bowling machine may only be used by special arrangement, as there must be time for the machine and all balls used to be cleaned thoroughly between uses (requests should be made in advance to Ronny Harrison: contact details below).

Nets availability

To ensure social distancing, only 2 of the 3 artificial nets at Blackheath will be available for use. In future, it is planned that 2 additional grass nets will also be available at certain times (e.g. weekends), either side of the square. However, this is subject to the availability of sufficient club supervisors.

The available nets will generally be available for booking between 10am-1pm and 2pm-8pm. One net will be reserved at certain times for 1:1 coaching sessions, with any slots not required for those sessions being released for online booking for general use the previous morning. The nets will be closed outside these times.

Conditions of use

The nets may only be used if the new Rules [insert link] for the use of the nets are complied with. A copy of the rules is posted at the nets.

Most importantly, you may not use the nets if you or a member of your household has symptoms of coronavirus; you must keep at least 2 metres from others who are not from the same household; you must wash your hand thoroughly before and after using the nets; and you must bring your own equipment. Hand sanitiser will be made available at the nets. The pavilion will not be open, and there will be no access to toilets.

Booking a net for general use

Nets may be booked for general use via a new booking system which can be found at https://blackheath.skedda.com. The nets may be booked in 50-minute slots starting on the hour, with 10-minute breaks between slots to ensure social distancing. All sessions must finish promptly at 10 minutes to the hour, so if the changeover takes longer than 10 minutes, the following session will last less than 50 minutes.

Sessions must be booked a minimum of 12 hours in advance (so unless you get up early it will only be possible to make bookings for the following day). We will initially allow bookings to be made up to 10 days in advance, though this is subject to review.

We will not initially restrict the number of slots a member may book, however we ask everyone to exercise discretion and if someone is booking too many slots we may limit them in the interests of fairness. If someone books a slot and then does not turn up without good reason, their right to book future slots may be affected.

Booking 1:1 coaching sessions

1:1 coaching sessions for juniors are by arrangement with Ronny or Danny Harrison: for further details, see https://www.matchfitacademy.com/matchfit-cricket. These will also take place strictly in accordance with the ECB guidelines and the Blackheath CC Rules.
To book a 1:1 coaching session, please contact Ronny ([email protected]; 07341 813723; or Danny ([email protected]); 07760 665222. When a booking is made, Danny or Ronny will then reserve a net as required.

Volunteers to act as club supervisors

We have identified a small number of persons willing to act as club supervisors initially. However, it will be necessary to have 2 supervisors on site if additional grass nets are to be made available, and we will need to put in place a rota system involving additional volunteer supervisors. Supervisors will be expected to oversee transitions between sessions, carry out necessary cleaning of equipment and ensure social distancing rules and sanitation procedures are observed.

If you would be willing in principle to act as a volunteer supervisor as part of a rota system, please contact the club welfare officer, Alexandra Jones ([email protected]), who will give you further information about what is involved.  Volunteers must be at least 18 years old.  A First Aid certificate is desirable but not essential.