Australian cricket coach Andrew McDonald to miss first game of Sri Lanka tour
Andrew McDonald will miss the game which was supposed to be his first since being appointed full-time head coach of the Australian cricket team.
Cricket
Don't miss out on the headlines from Cricket. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Andrew McDonald will miss the first game of Australia’s multi-format tour to Sri Lanka after testing positive to Covid-19.
The match between Sri Lanka and Australia in Colombo on June 7 was supposed to be McDonald’s first since his appointment to the head coaching role full-time, but instead he’ll watch from isolation as assistant Michael Di Venuto takes the reins.
McDonald is set to join the team in Colombo ahead of the second T20 on June 8.
A Cricket Australia spokesperson told News Corp that McDonald was asymptomatic as he began his isolation period in Melbourne.
The Aussies are spending more than a month touring Sri Lanka, where they’ll face the locals in three T20Is, five ODIs and two Test matches.
Led by captain Pat Cummins, Australia will assemble in Colombo on Thursday.
Watch Australia’s Tour of Sri Lanka. Every T20, ODI and Test Match Live & On-Demand on Kayo. First T20 Starts 7th Jun 11:30PM AEST. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >
The tour will be McDonald’s second in charge; after Justin Langer resigned as head coach in early February, Cricket Australia appointed his former assistant, McDonald, to the role on an interim basis.
As caretaker coach, McDonald oversaw victory in a home T20I series against Sri Lanka, as well as on Australia’s first tour to Pakistan this century.
The 1-0 Test series win against Pakistan was Australia’s first on the subcontinent since 2011.
Having passed the audition with flying colours, McDoanld signed a four-year contract in April and became Australia’s full-time head coach.
“The journey so far has been particularly pleasing, and I am honoured to be given this incredible opportunity for what is an exciting period ahead,” he said at the time.
Last Tuesday, Cricket Australia announced it had hired two new assistant coaches who would begin working with the Australian team from the tour of Sri Lanka.
Andre Borovec and Daniel Vettori will work with McDonald from the Test portion of the tour onwards.
The pair replaces outgoing assistants Jeff Vaughan, who is returning to his post as Tasmanian head coach, and McDonald himself.
Sri Sriram and Clint McKay will work alongside McDonald and Di Venuto as assistants for the white ball legs of the tour.
Originally published as Australian cricket coach Andrew McDonald to miss first game of Sri Lanka tour
How India series win shapes Cummins’, Konstas’, Ashes future
Captain Pat Cummins is undoubtedly the top of Australian cricket’s food chain, but wunderkind Sam Konstas’ Test future, and role in the Ashes, may soon gain some important clarity.
Star’s plea for more after award glory
After being crowned the best player in the country days after making history at the MCG, Annabel Sutherland says her all-conquering Australian team deserves more respect.