Alec Stewart: ECB will focus on getting T20 Blast and The Hundred on

The Surrey director of cricket also warned that he does not expect the domestic season to begin until July but even then, that date is no more than an estimate

The ECB will look to focus on ensuring that The Hundred and the T20 Blast take place “because of the financial implications to the game”, believes Alec Stewart.

The Surrey director of cricket warned that he does not expect the domestic season to begin until July but even then, that date is no more than an estimate.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Stewart said: “The ECB are doing a relentless job behind the scenes to try and make sure they make good, educated decisions.”

Several members of his Surrey squad have been in self-isolation, with six initially doing so, before Tom Curran and Jade Dernbach both followed.

The pair socialised with Alex Hales after his return from the Pakistan Super League, before the batsman began to develop symptoms. He, too, is self-isolating. The remainder of the squad stopped training earlier this week in line with government advice.

Days of talks between county representatives are to be put before the ECB board on Friday, with decisions to be made on which competitions are to be given particular importance in the likely scenario that large swathes of the campaign are disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.

The range of options being discussed includes tournaments downscaling, an extension to the season beyond the scheduled finish date of September 25 or the campaign being discarded completely.

Central to any plans will be the ECB's desire to stage fixtures included in the current broadcast rights deal, a £1.1billion package which runs between 2020-24. The T20 Blast remains a major cash cow for counties while the governing body invested significantly in The Hundred, which is seen as a key aspect of the summer.

It seems likely that the Royal London Cup may well be sacrificed in 2020 with the County Championship also at risk, should the prospect of cricket be pushed back to July.

“I don’t think anything’s going to be taken off the table,” Stewart added. “Surrey are one of the better-off counties financially, but at the same time their overheads are greater.

“We’re being told they can manage at the moment, but the longer it goes on, then drastic measures may have to take place.”