White Fern Suzie
Bates has challenged cricketers around the country to get out their bat and
ball while in isolation. The veteran
international all-rounder challenged other White Ferns and Black Caps to see
how many times they could bounce a cricket ball on the side of their bat. "If
you've got a cricket bat and a tennis ball at home, you can give it a crack
too," she said.
During the Covid-19
induced stay at home norms, the 2020 New Zealand Cricket Awards will be for the
first time will be given electronically . The Award ceremony has been broken
into parts and will start from Tuesday and continue till Friday with a number of
awards will be given everyday. New
Zealand Cricket in a break from the long standing traditional way, will be
trying something very unique to outbeat the COVID-19 constraints and felicitate
their cricketers with the 2020 New Zealand Cricket Awards. The Bert Sutcliffe Medal for outstanding
services to cricket will be given on Tuesday. Former Kiwi fast bowler Ewen
Chatfield had won it last year. The Redpath Cup for first class batting will be
given the next day. Last year's recipient of the award was none other than Kane
Williamson. The Winsor Cup for the first class bowling will be presented on
Wednesday as well which was won by Trent Boult in the season 2018-19. Awards for limited overs cricket will be
presented on the 30th April. International Men's T20 player and ODI player of
the season awards went to Colin Munro and Ross Taylor respectively last year. International Test player award and the
Richard Hadlee Medal will be presented the last day that is on May 1. Last year
Kane Williamson had won both these awards .
The coronavirus pandemic
may be the largest test of political leadership the world has ever witnessed.
Every leader on the planet is facing the same potential threat. Every leader is
reacting differently, in his or her own style. And every leader will be judged
by the results. German Chancellor Angela Merkel embraces science. Brazilian
President Jair Bolsonaro rejects it. U.S. President Donald Trump’s daily
briefings are a circuslike spectacle, while Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
has taken great measures and is guiding the Nation in the best manner, facing
challenge of keeping healthy 1.3 billion
people.
Jacinda
Ardern, the 39-year-old prime minister of New Zealand, is forging a path of her
own. Her leadership style is one of empathy in a crisis that tempts people to
fend for themselves. Her messages are clear, consistent, and somehow
simultaneously sobering and soothing. And her approach isn’t just resonating
with her people on an emotional level. It is also working remarkably well. The good news is that New Zealand has 'achieved elimination' of
coronavirus as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern claimed the country has scored a
significant victory against the spread of Covid-19.
The country has been
following an elimination strategy with the goal of completely ending the
transmission of coronavirus within its borders. 'There is no widespread, undetected community
transmission in New Zealand,' Ardern declared on Monday. 'We have won that
battle.' Ashley Bloomfield, New
Zealand's Director General of Health, said the low number 'does give us
confidence that we've achieved our goal of elimination. That never meant zero
but it does mean we know where our cases are coming from. 'Our goal is elimination. And again, that
doesn't mean eradication but it means we get down to a small number of cases so
that we are able to stamp out any cases and any outbreak that might come out.'
The nation of five million
people, reported only one new case of COVID-19 in the past 24 hours, taking the
total to 1,122 with 19 deaths. After nearly five weeks
at the maximum Level Four restrictions - with only essential services operating
- the country will move to Level Three late on Monday. New Zealand's
efforts to flatten the curve have been very successful, leading to the country
relaxing coronavirus restrictions from tonight. New Zealand's 5 million residents were
subjected to one of the strictest lockdowns in the world in response to the
pandemic, with Ardern closing offices, schools, bars and restaurants, including
take away and delivery services, on March 26.
Beaches, waterfronts and playgrounds were also shut, effectively
restricting people to their homes and short walks around their neighbourhood.
As part of elimination measures, the country also closed its borders and
enforced quarantine of all arrivals into the country.
Experts said
New Zealand's remote geographical location as well as its easily sealable
borders enabled the country to aim for elimination of the virus. The
downgrade from Alert Level 4 to Level 3 will allow some businesses, takeaway
food outlets and schools to reopen. New Zealanders will now be able to go fishing, surfing, hunting and
hiking this week for the first time in more than a month as the country begins
to ease its way out of a strict lockdown that successfully slowed the spread of
the coronavirus. Around 400,000 people will return to work after the country
shifts its alert level down a notch at midnight on Monday, but shops and
restaurants will remain closed as several social restrictions remain in place.
The Nation as a
whole remained disciplined with people appreciating and following their
leader. Eateries announced contactless
delivery plans, retail stores showcased their latest collections online for
home delivery and office towers posted social distancing rules in elevators and
public areas. 'We must make sure that we
do not let the virus run away on us again and cause a new wave of cases and
deaths,' Ardern said at a news conference on Monday. 'To succeed we need to
hunt down the last few cases of the virus.' 'I will not risk the gains we've
made in the health of New Zealanders. So if we need to remain at Level Three,
we will.' She insisted at the daily government briefing: 'We are opening up the
economy, but we're not opening up people's social lives.'
Trust in governments in
Australia and New Zealand has risen since the start of the pandemic, opinion
polls show, with their idealogically opposite leaders hailed for their
management of the crisis. The shift to
level 3 would mean that New Zealanders will have some restrictions lifted
including:
·
Fishers will be permitted to cast a line
from a wharf but not a boat
·
People will be allowed to exercise at their local parks or
beaches but keep a good 2 metre distance from others
·
Driving will be permitted for going to
school or work for essential workers
·
Ardern warned people should still work from
home where possible and when at work –
staff have to make sure they keep 1m
between each other and practice good hygiene
·
Parents can choose whether to send their
children to school or continue lessons at home, Ardern wants the majority to
learn from home.
·
Still sharing a meal, food or a wedding reception is not
permitted
Some
might jump and speak of economy – but New Zealand practiced much harder
lockdown and has successfully been able to contain – India’s strategy was right
but people cooperation has not been.
Hope
saner minds prevail, people remain at home, and India too comes out of the
clutches of the dreaded virus
With
regards – S. Sampathkumar
27.4.2020.
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