Chief executive Payne confident Northants will 'survive' coronavirus crisis

Cricket in the United Kingdom is suspended until July 1 at the earliest as the effects of the Covid-19 crisis continue to decimate the sporting landscape across the globe.

The first nine rounds of the Specsavers County Championship have already been binned and the ECB's high-profile new tournament The Hundred has been postponed until 2021, while the Vitality T20 Blast has been pushed back in the schedule in the hope that can at least be salvaged.

Even if some sort of cricket can be played later this summer, there is every chance it will have to be behind closed doors due to the Government's social distancing rules, and all in all it is not a very rosy picture for Northants or any other cricket club up and down the country.

But Payne insists the club is well placed to cope with the crisis, despite the very real possibility that the gates at Wantage Road could be staying shut until the 2021 campaign.

“It is going to hit us hard but we can survive this,” said Payne, as he assessed the situation, and the possibility of no cricket at the County Ground in 2020.

After a rocky few years, Payne has played a key role in the club recovering financially.

Having stared at bankruptcy in 2015, with the team having suffered one of the worst seasons in Northants' history, under Payne the club has staged a remarkable turnaround, achieving County Championship promotion and a profit of £464,463 in 2019.

Payne believes the turnaround won’t be undone by the current crisis, although he does accept momentum will be checked.

“Had this been five years ago we wouldn’t have got through it,” said Payne.

“But since then we’ve managed our debt, we’ve got a good business model for a small club and I think in terms of the ECB looking at all the counties, we’re probably one of the few they’re not too worried about.

“We’ve lost a lot of revenue this year. But we know that come next year we will still be in business and we will have a competitive team out there.

“There’s been a feeling a couple of times that the real ground we’ve made and the people we’ve attracted, you think ‘will that ever come back?’

“But it will come back. I’m looking to next season when we have got something to put on and people will have really missed this year and be desperate to see some cricket.”

One of Payne’s best achievements has been to get the Northants public back on side - cricket supporters and businesses - and he now feels that support.

“There is genuinely a sense that we’re all in this together," he said.

"Our sponsors and supporters are not immune from the pressures around them just like we’re not. But they’ve really enjoyed the last few years.

“I’ve had some really quite touching messages about how they feel about the club and how they want to help and that just takes the pressure off a little until we know what’s happening and we can plan a way forward.”

When the crisis struck, some non-playing staff were immediately placed on furlough, with the squad following in line with negotiations between the ECB and the Professional Cricketers Association, the player’s union.

Those still working have taken an equivalent pay reduction.

Contracts with overseas players signed for this season - Faheem Ashraf, Kieron Pollard and Paul Stirling - are compromised at this stage of uncertainty and set to be terminated for this year, although talks are underway to get them to the County Ground for 2021.

“There are a lot of ifs, buts and maybes,” said Payne.

“We don’t have any schedule yet for next season so those players don’t know where they’re going to be. Once we’ve got a schedule, we’ll be talking to them about coming back.

“We’ve really got to look towards next season now because even if there is cricket this year, there’s a high chance it will be behind closed doors.”

Ray Payne interview by Alex Winter