The COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc and it hasn’t left cricket alone either. In the latest developments of the deadly virus, an unnamed South African cricketer has been tested positive. In addition to that, two other players who were in close contact with the cricketer have also been isolated.
The close contacts were decided “based on the risk assessment undertaken by the medical team”. All three players have been put in isolation in Cape Town. Cricket South Africa’s medical team is closely monitoring them all and all three of them are said to be asymptomatic.
“One player has returned a positive test result and two players were considered close contacts based on the risk assessment undertaken by the medical team. All three players have been placed in immediate isolation in Cape Town as part of the COVID-19 protocols. While all players are asymptomatic, CSA’s medical team will monitor them to ensure their health and well-being,” Cricket South Africa (CSA) stated in the press release.
“At this stage, none of these players will be replaced for the tour, but two replacement players will be included into the squad for the purposes of the inter-squad practice matches that will be played on Saturday, 21 November,” the release further stated.
The South African cricket board also confirmed that they had conducted over 50 COVID-19 PCR tests for players and all the support staff before they entered the Cape Town bio-bubble.
England are scheduled to play three T20Is and as many ODIs with Newlands and Paarl being the two venues for the six upcoming white-ball events. The tour gets underway with the T20I series which starts on November 27. The England squad has arrived in South Africa and all their players and support staff have tested negative for COVID-19.