The Cumbria Cricket League’s management committee will meet tonight to discuss the implications of coronavirus.

The 2020 season is due to start on April 18 but there are fears that will not be possible because of new government guidelines.

League secretary Peter Gardiner said: “The latest update from the ECB basically said it was continuing to follow government guidelines and would update us again if this situation changed

“The management committee will discuss the subject, and take any measures necessary in conjunction with the ECB and Cumbria cricket board

“We are also aware that a number of clubs in the Premier Division are employing overseas pros, who will be arriving shortly.

“Again we’ll have to wait and see what the government policy is with regards to entry into the UK in light of the action taken by other European countries in closing their borders to foreign nationals in the last few days.”

Lindal Moor are the latest to announce their new pro - 33-year-old Pakistani all-rounder Haseeb Azam who helped Cockermouth win the Premier Division title in 2018.

He is Pakistan international Hammad Azam’s brother, and replaces Sri Lanka’s Janith de Silva, who impressed with bat and ball during his one season at Pennington Lane.

Azam is no stranger to English conditions, for as well as Cockermouth he has played over here for Bacup in the Lancashire League, Benwell Hill in the North East Premier League and Waringstown in Northern Ireland.

Cockermouth also have a new Pakistani professional for 2020 in 30-year-old Bilawal Iqbal, an all-rounder with Lahore Ravi.

A right-hand bat and right-arm medium pace bowler he has scored more than 1,300 runs in the first class game, taking 161 wickets.