Essential Workers

The present crisis has brought about a sudden and radical re-appreciation of those whose roles are vital to our survival and way of life.  As many commentators point out the importance, of these roles is in inverse proportion to the rewards offered, or the status and recognition given to those who selflessly carry them out.  The nurse and the delivery driver, the hospital cleaner and the checkout assistant cannot work from home and must take risks very minute of every day.   Life has got harder for them in unimaginable ways.  The premier league footballer and the hedge fund manager, meanwhile, work from home in the luxury that they are accustomed to.  The question is being asked as to how this disparity can be justified.

This week has seen interesting conceptions of what essential services are.  Mike Ashley's attempts to insist that selling cut price trainers should be considered an essential service was, to put it lightly, not well received.  Tim Martin's argument that pubs were essential to the morale of the nation, and not incubators of infection, similarly caused many eyebrows to be be raised first sceptically then in considerable anger.

The uncertainty has been damaging - there are disappointing reports of workers doughtily engaged in various practices in holes in the road, doing essential repairs to utility services, being abused by members of the public passing on their government sanctioned excursions from house arrest.  A social media campaign is now underway to improve the wider understanding.

The cricketing community is not without challenges in this area.  A club's star opening batsman might get all the kudos.  But compare the Doughty Groundsman on whose selfless labour the fortunes of the star batsman depend.  Who is the essential worker?  Who should we come to our doors to applaud?  Who should be given the appropriate Government dispensation to go about his vital work - subject to social distance being maintained?

The criteria of strict social distancing are not likely to be an issue.  Fantasy Bob's experience is that the majority of Doughty Groundsmen have long been expert in socially distant practices, indeed their frequent exhortations to GET OFF THE SQUARE could be considered model practice.  Doughty Groundsmen everywhere could have a vital role to play as expert advisers.  He invites the authorities to take due notice.

Adopting good social distancing practices