The remainder of England’s cricket tour of South Africa has been called off after a Covid-19 outbreak in the bio-secure bubble, both countries’ boards confirmed on Monday.
England will return home having played all three matches in the T20 series but none of three scheduled one-day internationals.
The remaining One-day International matches are postponed and will be played on a later date, said a release by the England and Wales Cricket Board. The decision was taken jointly by the two boards to ensure the mental and physical health and welfare of players from both teams, it added.
The England contingent had undergone an additional round of tests on Saturday evening since two members of staff at their hotel tested positive. The announcement on Monday came after the rearranged first match in the three-match series on Sunday was cancelled as two members of the England touring party tested positive for the virus.
The decision to call off the tour followed apparent breaches of the bio-secure environment at the hotel in Cape Town where both teams are staying. A South African player had also tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday.
The future of the tour was already in doubt after it was announced that the delayed second ODI on will not take place. This followed the abandoning of the first match in a three-match series which was originally meant to start on Friday.
Join statement
Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer
“We have always maintained that the welfare of our players and management is paramount. We were concerned about the potential impact that recent developments might have on the wellbeing of the touring party, and so after consultation with Cricket South Africa, we have jointly made the decision to postpone the remaining matches in this Series, in the best interest of the players’ welfare.”
CSA Acting CEO, Kugandrie Govender:
“The concern over the mental health impact of recent events on all involved is not one that we as CSA or the ECB take lightly, and the decision to postpone the tour is the most responsible and reasonable course of action for us.
“I would like to thank the ECB for the continued positive relations, and we look forward to hosting the England men’s team in the near future.”
The teams played three Twenty20 internationals without any problems before the Covid-19 outbreak.
England are due to return home on a chartered flight on Thursday. It was not clear whether any of the touring party might have to remain in quarantine in South Africa because of their exposure to the virus.
South Africa are due to host Sri Lanka for two Test matches, starting in Centurion on December 26, while Australia are due to visit for a Test series early in the new year. Both countries are likely to want strong assurances about the level of bio-security during their tours.
The cancellation of the tour marks a major blow for world cricket as it attempts to carry on in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
England were the first to host an overseas side as they played Test and white-ball series against West Indies and Pakistan followed by a white ball series against Australia.
No coronavirus cases were recorded as they created bubbles at two grounds with hotel facilities – Old Trafford in Manchester and the Rose Bowl in Southampton – where all of the matches were played.
India are currently touring Australia while West Indies and Pakistan are in New Zealand.
England are due to tour Sri Lanka and India in the new year.
With AFP Inputs
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