Sydney COVID-19 cluster: ABC trying to secure a permit for Ian Chappell to return to Sydney
He has returned a negative COVID test, yet one of the ABC cricket coverage’s key contributors is stuck in South Australia and unable to get back to Sydney.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The ABC is desperately trying to secure a permit for Ian Chappell to be let out of quarantine and return to Sydney.
Chappell has returned a negative COVID-19 test in Adelaide but the South Australian Government has asked all travellers who had been to Sydney’s northern beaches after December 11 to serve two weeks quarantine before flying home.
ABC sources say the broadcaster is hopeful of gaining Chappell a permit to get home for Christmas given he has now recorded a negative result.
Watch Australia v India Test Series Live & Ad-Break Free During Play with the Fox Cricket commentary team. New to Kayo? Get your free trial now & start streaming instantly >
An ABC spokesman declined to comment.
The northern beaches’ COVID-19 cluster caused chaos among the media and broadcast contingent in Adelaide, with Channel 7 and Fox Sports even resolving to share staff and resources if required.
Several TV staff have had to fly straight to Melbourne from Adelaide and bypass Christmas at home with their families as a result of the border closures, with the rest of the country shutting itself off to NSW.
Chappell was forced to leave Adelaide Oval midway through day two at the request of the South Australian Government, given he is a northern beaches resident.
The SA Government also identified several other Sydney postcodes and were recommending other media representatives to stay away from the ground and get tested.
Test stars’ mad rush to flee Sydney amid COVID crisis
David Warner was rushed to Melbourne on Saturday on a private jet but won’t miss out on Christmas with his family as Australia took no chances on border closures.
The Australian opener, wife Candice and their three children escaped from Sydney at short notice to avoid a potential disaster amid the city’s widening COVID-19 crisis, fearing Victoria could close its borders to residents of Sydney in the lead-up to the Boxing Day Test.
Teammate Sean Abbott also made his dash out of town, driving to Canberra for a flight to Melbourne — with the players instructed to avoid commercial flights out of Sydney.
They’ll have to self-isolate in Melbourne until the Victorian Government is satisfied they can enter Australia’s bio bubble in the coming days.
Neither Warner nor Abbott have visited any hot spots or live on the Northern Beaches, but Cricket Australia is taking proactive measures and don’t want to be caught out.
The fact CA is making a priority of flying Warner to Melbourne could be taken as a sign that he is still some chance of playing on Boxing Day at the MCG.
Warner is racing the clock to recover from a serious groin injury for the Christmas present he craves, and must increase his running speeds to be considered.
However, the uncertainty over the Sydney Test means officials need to get all their players together out of Sydney to ensure they are inside the bubble for whatever happens next.
Abbott is highly unlikely to be needed on Boxing Day, but he is recovering from his own calf strain after injuring himself in Australia A’s last tour game.
Warner said his chances of playing on Boxing Day comes down to what inroads he can make over the coming days.
“Hopefully I can get up and about and start running at a higher tempo,” Warner told SEN radio. “I managed to get up to 14km/h so I’ve got to work towards a max of 26 to 30km/h by next week.
“If I can run between wickets and move laterally and do some ground fielding by the end of next week, I should be ready to go. Fingers are crossed.”
COVID CLUSTER THREATENS SUMMER OF CRICKET
By Ben Horne and Robert Craddock
Test legend Ian Chappell has been ordered to leave the ground that has a grandstand named after him and could be forced into 14-days quarantine as the COVID crisis rocked Australian cricket.
In dramatic scenes at Adelaide Oval, Chappell was told by the South Australian Government midway through day two that he had to leave the venue and immediately isolate as a result of Sydney’s COVID outbreak.
Northern Beaches resident Chappell will undergo a COVID test in the morning, and on Friday night did not know if he’d be forced into mandatory quarantine.
“It’s disappointing but you have to do what you are told to do,” Chappell told News Corp.
“I will have a COVID test tomorrow morning and I’m not sure what will happen after that.
“We will have to wait and see.”
The ABC were unsure what protocols Chappell would have to follow.
“Given the recent Covid 19 outbreak in NSW, ABC commentator Ian Chappell, who is commentating the first test between Australia and India for ABC Grandstand Cricket, has had to go into self-isolation, as he is a Sydney Northern Beaches resident,” said
Nick Morris, Manager ABC Sport.
“Ian has not been in any of the high risk locations or suburbs and has no symptoms, however it is important we follow the advice of South Australian health authorities and Cricket Australia. While it is frustrating for both Ian and the ABC audience, Ian is in good spirits and we’ll continue to support Ian while we work through the next steps.”
Chappell hails from up around Palm Beach but was allowed to call the first two sessions for ABC Grandstand.
However, circumstances changed as the SA Government changed its restrictions and toughened up on the cluster near Avoca.
Initially the SA Government were only worried about NSW residents who had visited the specific hot spot areas, but by day’s end they had updated their quarantine demands to include anyone from the Northern Beaches region.
It means Fox Cricket commentator Brett Lee dodged a massive bullet by flying home from the Adelaide Test earlier on Friday due to the COVID-19 virus which has sent a shudder through Australian cricket ranks.
Had he waited Lee may have been forced into two weeks quarantine having just emerged from a similar hotel isolation period after returning from the IPL.
Broadcasters Fox Sports and Channel 7 have had to stand down several members of their staff – including senior production figures, in response to Sydney’s Northern Beaches cluster.
Fox commentator Lee is a resident of the Northern Beaches and flew home to Sydney to be with family.
Lee has no symptoms and has not been to any of the notified hot spots, but he has spent an enormous amount of time in quarantine due to the IPL and does not want to risk spending Christmas with his family.
SEN Radio has made the decision to send commentators Brad Haddin, Gavin Robertson and Matt White back to Sydney to call the action from a studio earlier on Friday.
Several staff members from both networks have been stood down pending COVID tests, including Channel 7’s director who is just about the most important part of their coverage.
Cameramen and photographers are among those sent for tests, in a chaotic opening to day two.
Cricket Australia made their first response to the outbreak when they sent an urgent memo for any media covering the game who had been in the Northern Beaches over the past three weeks to contact CA as soon as possible.
Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley said it was the right thing to do to send Lee home.
“We had a good talk last night. He went back this morning. Of course everyone is being responsible and he totally understood that,” said Crawley.
“We have had to send out a number of staff to get them tested. Brett is in the air now, he’s gone back this morning.
“It was just the right thing to do and he was very comfortable doing that.”
Fox have had to stand down several senior production staff including directors and the producer who directs Mike Hussey’s lab.
Channel 7 are also without a director and other key staff – and the networks have pledged to share resources if required.
Originally published as Sydney COVID-19 cluster: ABC trying to secure a permit for Ian Chappell to return to Sydney
‘Fingers crossed’: Unknowns for Aussie skipper
Australia is through to the final four at the T20 World Cup, but chances of snaring a fourth-straight title could hinge on the captain’s fitness.
Australia overcome Healy injury to win World Cup thriller
Australia remains on course for a fourth straight Women’s T20 World Cup crown after winning a nailbiter against India to secure its spot in the semifinals.