England’s first ODI today CALLED OFF after positive Covid-19 test in the South Africa camp
England were rocked today by the postponement of the first one-day international when a member of the South African squad tested positive for Covid-19.
The first of three 50-over matches was meant to have taken place at Newlands but both squads, who have been staying at the same hotel, were re-tested after the end of the Twenty20 series and one unidentified member of the home squad tested positive.
It is not necessarily the end of the tour as Cricket South Africa instead now hope to stage the first game on Sunday with the other two matches on Monday and Wednesday.
England’s first one-day international with South Africa on Friday has been called off because of a positive Covid-19 test within the South African squad
But it is a huge blow in particular for the South Africans who stand to make £3million in broadcasting venue for staging six white-ball matches behind closed doors.
England had already left to make the short journey from the Vineyard Hotel to Newlands when the news came through and were forced to turn back round.
And now there will be a review of the safety procedures surrounding the bio-secure bubble being instigated here before Sunday’s game can go ahead.
The short tour, the first of a busy winter for England, was originally placed in doubt just over a week ago when two members of the South African squad, believed to be David Miller and Andile Phelukwayo, tested positive and were placed isolation.
But they recovered and were cleared to play in today’s game before the postponement. And all the other members of both squads and their support groups returned negative test results ahead of the Twenty20 series won 3-0 by England.