England-South Africa ODI cancelled over positive COVID-19 tests
England cricket team’s tour to South Africa has collapsed following the positive coronavirus tests of two team members.
England cricket team’s tour to South Africa has collapsed following the positive coronavirus tests of two team members, raising concerns about future Australian sporting contests.
A one-day international match in Cape Town was immediately cancelled on Sunday and the one-day series was postponed for the second time.
The news comes days after the F1 star Lewis Hamilton contracted COVID-19 and missed the Sakhir Grand Prix, despite stringent bio-secure bubbles and constant testing of drivers, the teams and everyone in the F1 paddock.
Hamilton, the seven-time world champion, was struggling with the illness, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff said, with the 35-year-old in doubt for next week’s season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
If the bio-bubble precautions have failed to stop the virus in international cricket and F1 despite rigorous procedures in place, it raises concerns for Australia’s hosting of major sporting events in the summer, such as the Australian Open tennis and the F1 at Albert Park.
Some England players are due to arrive in Australia for the Big Bash once South African commitments finish at the end of the week.
Just one hour before the cricket was due to start it was revealed that members of both England and South Africa were isolating in their hotel rooms after two hotel staff tested positive to the virus.
All of the cricketers and the entourage were then swabbed and it emerged two members of the England party had “unconfirmed positive tests for COVID-19”, with further testing underway.
“The players and management are now self-isolating in their rooms until further advice from the medical teams,” the ECB said in a statement.
“A decision on the remaining matches in the series will be taken once the results of the tests are ratified independently by medical experts.”
Cricket South Africa Director of Cricket, Graeme Smith said: “CSA is doing everything in our power to ensure that our top priority, which is the health, safety and welfare of players, support staff and all involved in this series is safeguarded. With that in mind, we have made the joint decision to cancel today’s match.
ECB and CSA have agreed to cancel the 1st ODI due to take place in Paarl today.
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) December 6, 2020
More: https://t.co/eobolTt28s #SAvENG pic.twitter.com/KOZaw5xeh0
“We are deeply regretful of the situation we find ourselves in after the amount of time and energy that has been put in place to host a successful tour.
“We are in continuous talks with the ECB as we navigate the situation under the guidance of our combined medical teams.”
Last week, the South African cricket bio-bubble was breached with the positive test of a South African player.
But with hotel staff now infected, there is concern the separation of the teams in separate wings of the Newlands Hotel for the tour and no mixing between the players unless on the cricket pitch has been inadequate.
Australia’s cricket team is scheduled to tour South Africa in February and March for three Tests.
‘Like quicksand’: England’s horror fielding woes exposed
Just when you thought England’s Ashes series couldn’t get any worse, it produced a shambolic fielding display as its woes were slammed as being “like quicksand”.
Analysis: Batting squeeze looms for thriving Aussies
In a far cry from their batting crisis of a few months ago, Australian selectors will have to squeeze nine players into seven spots in a big year of Test cricket. DANIEL CHERNY analyses who is a lock – and who may miss out.