England Test captain Ben Stokes has called for play in the third Test against South Africa to resume on Saturday in honour of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen passed away on Thursday evening aged 96 and the ECB announced that day two of the Test would not take place, along with all other scheduled cricket matches. No decision has yet been made about the remaining three days, but Stokes is keen to play in honour of The Queen.
In response to a Tweet from former Premier League striker Darren Huckerby about whether sporting events should take place following The Queen's passing, Stokes tweeted: "She loved sport, be honoured to play in her memory".
New ECB chair Richard Thompson paid tribute to The Queen for her "selflessness over her extraordinary reign" and her support of cricket. He said: "I'm sure I speak for everyone in the game when I say how truly sad I am to hear of the Queen's passing.
"Her Majesty has been such a great supporter of the game and was always so vocal of her and her late husband's enjoyment around the sport.
"Her dedication to her country will never be forgotten. For her service and her selflessness over her extraordinary reign, we owe her a debt that can never be repaid."
Several other sporting events have also been paused as a mark of respect. Play was immediately suspended at golf's PGA Championship following the news.
All EFL matches scheduled for Friday, Saturday and Sunday have been postponed, while the Premier League has also postponed the upcoming round of fixtures. "At a meeting this morning, Premier League clubs paid tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II," a statement read.
"To honour her extraordinary life and contribution to the nation, and as a mark of respect, this weekend’s Premier League match round will be postponed, including Monday evening’s game."
