Somerset's Jack Brooks became English county cricket's first Covid-19 substitute when he replaced Lewis Gregory on the third day of a Championship match against Middlesex at Taunton on Saturday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gregory's girlfriend, a member of his household bubble, felt unwell and although she has returned a negative lateral flow test, the England white-ball all-rounder will now isolate until a second negative result, from a PCR test, is returned.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Under England and Wales Cricket Board's Covid replacement regulations, substitutions can be made if a player tests positive for the coronavirus, shows symptoms of the disease, or requires removal from the game for any other reason related to public health guidance.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The rules state a like-for-like replacement should be made where possible and, although Brooks is best known as a seamer, he was cleared to take part by match referee Wayne Noon.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Once replaced, a player cannot return to the match in question, even if he submits a negative Covid test.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Gregory was one of several English players involved in the Pakistan Super League when it was suspended in March after a coronavirus outbreak within the tournament bubble.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
"Somerset County Cricket Club can confirm that Jack Brooks has been made available as a Covid-19 substitute for the remainder of the current LV= Insurance County Championship match against Middlesex at the Cooper Associates County Ground," said a club statement.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
At the close of play, Somerset required a further 103 runs to beat Middlesex with six wickets in hand.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Elsewhere, West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach took a career-best 8-40 as Surrey overwhelmed Hampshire by an innings and 289 runs inside three days at the Oval.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This was Surrey's first County Championship win of the season, after two losses and a draw. By contrast, it was a first defeat for Hampshire after two wins from three matches.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Hampshire were dismissed for 179 in their second innings, with the visitors having been behind in the match after they were skittled out for just 92 in their first innings.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Roach struck during an initial burst of 3-21 in 11 overs. He continued to take wickets before ending the match when he had Lewis McManus caught behind for a game 51.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Surrey previously declared their mammoth first innings on 560-7. That huge total featured an unbeaten 215 from Hashim Amla, the South Africa great retiring hurt on his overnight score because of a stiff neck.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Meanwhile, England stalwart Stuart Broad took 4-37 as Nottinghamshire thrashed Midlands rivals Derbyshire by 310 runs at Derby to secure their first red-ball win since 2018.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Durham beat Warwickshire by a crushing innings and 127 runs to record their first Championship win of the season, with paceman Brydon Carse taking 5-49.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
This season, partly in response to Covid-19, the 18 counties have been split into three groups of six rather than two divisions.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The top two teams in each group will qualify for Division One, with the winners of that league the 2021 county champions.<\/p>\r\n", "image": "https:\/\/img.cricketnmore.com\/uploads\/2021\/05\/somersets-jack-brooks-becomes-county-crickets-first-covid-substitute.jpg", "alt_img": "Cricket Image for Somerset's Jack Brooks Becomes County Cricket's First Covid Substitute", "alt_title": "Jack Brooks", "image1": "", "video": "", "seo_title": "Somerset's Jack Brooks Becomes County Cricket's First Covid Substitute", "seo_desc": "Somerset's Jack Brooks became English county cricket's first Covid-19 substitute on Cricketnmore. ", "seo_keywords": "County Cricket, Somerset, Jack Brooks", "tag": "", "tagging": "County Cricket,Somerset,Jack Brooks,", "status": "1", "img_rpt": "0", "google": "1", "standout": "0", "edapps": "0", "pulse": "0", "no_index": "0", "feed": "0", "fixture": "0", "slug": "somersets-jack-brooks-becomes-county-crickets-first-covid-substitute", "user_id": "0", "read_count": "0", "ians_date": "0000-00-00", "ians_time": "00:00:00", "server_time": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "trash": "0", "view_count": "1758", "page_break": "0", "instant_articles": "1", "auto_link": "1", "created": "2021-05-02 13:45:16", "updated": "2021-05-02 13:47:10", "img_from": "Image Source: Google", "img_source": "", "schedule_publish": "0000-00-00 00:00:00", "news_keywords": "Jack Brooks, Lewis Gregory, Somerset, County Cricket, Middlesex", "livescore_text": null, "livescore_link": null, "btn_text": null, "resend_feed": "0", "google_feed": "0", "read_more": "0", "posted_by": "21", "jio_date": "2021-05-02 13:45:16", "scheduled": "0", "news_now": "1", "breaking_news": "0", "google_date": "2021-05-02 13:45:16", "featured": "0", "pred_match_id": null, "article_content_type": null, "link": "https:\/\/www.cricketnmore.com\/cricket-news\/somersets-jack-brooks-becomes-county-crickets-first-covid-substitute-75354" }