THE Lancashire Cricket League say their league championship will not be officially contested in 2020.

Officials have announced that a reduced competition will take place once normality is resumed following the coronavirus crisis.

An initial date of the weekend of July 3-5 has been pencilled in as a potential start date for the truncated campaign.

There will be no Worsley and Junior Cup competitions but if play can start at the beginning of July it would allow for sides to play each other once across two divisions at first and second team levels.

There would also be third XI and T20 cricket on the calendar.

The usual league requirement for each club to engage a professional is to be relaxed however.

“The intention of the league executive is to provide all of our member clubs with the opportunity to play as much cricket as possible during 2020,” said a statement from the league.

“However, when and if this can be achieved is a matter beyond our control at this moment in time.

"We remain positive and hopeful and will issue updates should conditions change.”

On Wednesday the England and Wales Cricket Board formally suspended all recreational cricket in line with other sports who have followed Government advice and shut down in a bid to help stem the Covid-19 outbreak.

Burnley’s Lancashire and England star James Anderson has said he envisages a situation where no cricket is played at all this summer.