England’s nervous wait for test results after Moeen Ali’s positive

The England face a nervous wait to find out if any other member of the party has contracted COVID-19 after Moeen Ali’s positive test.

England's Moeen Ali is isolating in Galle after testing positive to COVID-19

The England cricket team, on tour in Sri Lanka, face a nervous wait to find out if any other member of the party has contracted the COVID-19 virus after Moeen Ali’s positive test result.

Ali was driven from England’s hotel in Hambantota to a hotel in Galle late on Tuesday, where he will quarantine for 10 days. The all-rounder was accompanied by Dr Nick Peirce, the ECB’s medical director. It was deemed safe for Peirce to be with Ali in the car because, as a frontline National Health Service doctor, he has already received the first dose of the vaccine.

It seems extremely unlikely that Ali will feature in the first Test because his quarantine period will not finish until the day before the match is due to start a week on Thursday.

Fellow allrounder Chris Woakes is self-isolating for seven days in his room at the team hotel after being deemed a possible close contact of Ali’s because he travelled in a car from Birmingham to Heathrow with his team-mate.

The ECB believes that the rest of the touring party had been sufficiently distanced from Ali throughout the journey to Sri Lanka to be deemed low risk. It is understood that Ali is asymptomatic and the rest of the party have all reported feeling well.

They were given COVID tests on Tuesday. If there are further positive Tests, it will put the touring schedule at risk. England had to postpone their first outdoor training session for 24 hours while they wait for the test results.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka slumped to a ten-wicket defeat at the hands of South Africa in their final match before they take on England in the two-Test series. They will fly home on Thursday and have a short period of quarantine before resuming training a few days before the start of the Galle Test.

The Times