Steve Smith’s wife Dani Willis denied entry into Aussie team hub as COVID-19 protocols change
Already apart for 121 days, Steve Smith will now not be able to spend Christmas with his wife due to the rapidly changing COVID situation. And he isn’t the only one inconvenienced.
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Steve Smith’s plans for a Christmas reunion with wife Dani Willis have been painfully dashed by Sydney’s COVID-19 outbreak.
The pandemic has changed Christmas for the Australian cricket team, with the traditional family feel undermined by travel restrictions, just as it has been for thousands of households around the country.
For Smith and Willis, the couple have been apart for more than 121 days, with Smith locked away in cricket’s never-ending series of bubbles ever since Australia departed for England way back in August.
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Willis flew to Melbourne before Victoria closed its border to Greater Sydney earlier this week and thought she would be able to enter the Australian camp after three days of self-isolation.
But like star players David Warner and Sean Abbott - who had to train separately from teammates on Wednesday - the rapidly changing COVID situation has forced CA to regrettably change its protocols and means Willis won’t be allowed into the team’s bio-secure hub for Christmas despite being in Melbourne.
So close yet so far.
Smith posted on Instagram last week how much he was looking forward to reuniting with his wife of more than two years.
“114 days down and only 7 to go! It’s been a long four and a half months away from my wife … but I can’t wait for her to join me in Melbourne next week just in time for Christmas!” wrote Smith.
Warner has gone out and brought a Christmas tree and will celebrate Christmas with his wife Candice and three girls (who are with him in Melbourne) as well as Abbott and his partner – as they remain locked out of the CA bubble until January 1.
It’s understood the families of Tim Paine and Justin Langer will also be absent on Christmas due to the same reality facing so many every-day Australians – travel has just become so hard amid all the uncertainty of the pandemic.
The Christmas Day lunch is a boisterous tradition for the Australian cricket team, with families usually flocking from around the country to join in a special day.
Warner and Abbott might not be allowed into the bubble until January 1, but they changed over with Smith and Australian teammates at the MCG nets on Wednesday.
There was never a realistic chance Warner would have been fit for Boxing Day anyway, but the sign of him back in the nets is proof he is on track for a potential third Test comeback.
It makes Boxing Day a massive Test match for Travis Head, Cameron Green, Matthew Wade and Joe Burns – with Warner an automatic selection when fit.
Ex-greats Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin have suggested Head could be the man most under pressure.
Head made a Boxing Day hundred last year, and averages 40 in Test cricket – but some feel this is another fork-in-the-road Test for the left-handed South Australian.
Warner out of MCG Test, can’t rejoin squad until New Year
David Warner and Sean Abbott will not be able to join the Australian bubble until January 1 as cricket’s COVID chaos continues.
Warner missed the first Test win over India with a groin strain while Abbott has also been recovering from injury. But regardless of their fitness the Sydney Covid outbreak has now ruled them out of contention for the MCG clash.
“While neither player has been in a specific ‘hotspot’ as outlined by NSW Health, Cricket Australia’s biosecurity protocols do not allow them to rejoin the squad in time for the Boxing Day Test,” said a Cricket Australia statement.
“Warner has not fully recovered from a groin injury suffered in the Dettol ODI Series against India and would not have been available for the second Vodafone Test match, while Abbott has recovered from a calf strain sustained during Australia A’s tour match against India and would have been available for selection for the Boxing Day Test.
“The pair travelled from Sydney to Melbourne to continue their rehabilitation given the changing public health situation in Sydney at the time.”
The statement also confirmed that no additional players will be added to the squad for the Boxing Day Test
The need to keep a tight lid on people’s movements extended beyond the team itself.
However, much like his Test captaincy, former great Ian Chappell has found a way to navigate a course through the turbulence of the pandemic, escaping home to Sydney on Monday night, having been stuck in hotel quarantine in Adelaide since last Friday.
Despite Warner and Abbott struggling to be fit for the Boxing Day Test anyway, it’s a major blow to not have them in and around the team. Before the latest outbreak anybody who spent three days in self isolation was allowed to join the team bubble.
It is understood some players’ partners and children are in the same position and will be blocked from spending Christmas with their loved ones.
The players’ family Christmas lunch is one of the modern traditions of the Boxing Day Test.
Warner has his wife, Candice and three children with him in Melbourne so the family won’t be separated for Christmas Day.
But Test legend Chappell has come out the other side.
In a bizarre sequence of events which sums up the inconsistencies and mixed messages of how some State Governments have handled the crisis, Chappell was allowed to attend half of day two commentating the Adelaide Test for the ABC, until he was suddenly whisked out of the ground that has a grandstand named after him and put in quarantine.
Despite testing negative to a coronavirus test, and having spent a day and a half with dozens of media colleagues at the cricket, who were allowed to carry on as normal, Chappell was told he must serve two weeks of quarantine because he resides on Sydney’s northern beaches.
However, after some lobbying behind the scenes from the ABC, and with Chappell able to use some of his old South Australian connections, the Test great was finally granted an exemption to return home to be with his wife and family for Christmas on Monday night.
“Along with all cricket fans we were disappointed that Ian was unable to commentate the last few sessions of the Adelaide Test, but he is now back safely with his family in Sydney, where he should be over this Christmas period,” said ABC Sports boss, Nick Morris.
The Test great understood the complexities of the process but was relieved to be out.
Chappell was also inadvertently caught up in another drama on Tuesday, after Australian captain Steve Smith accused one of the game’s most well-known analysts for making “outlandish” claims.
In a column for ESPN cricinfo, Chappell had written that umpires should use their discretion and intervene if lower order players incapable of handling short-pitch bowling are peppered with short balls.
Chappell was commenting after Australia A No. 11 Harry Conway was knocked senseless by a bombardment of Indian short balls during a tour match before the Test.
But in a sign Smith might not be exchanging Christmas cards with Chappell this year, the Test star gave the former captain a none too subtle clip on SEN Radio on Tuesday.
“It seems like Ian Chappell has an outlandish statement after every match at the moment,” the Aussie cricket star told SEN Mornings.
“From my point of view, short balls are part of the game.
“We’ve seen over the years there’s been some really good battles and I don’t think it should be outlawed at all.”
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