England Arrives in Sri Lanka for Two-Party Test Series Amid Tight Coronavirus Protocols Cricket news

England Touring Match Tests Negative for Coronavirus After Arriving in Sri Lanka for Test Series; group sprayed with disinfectant after landing at Hambantota; England will train Tuesday afternoon if another batch of coronavirus tests come back negative

The England test team arrived in Sri Lanka amid strict coronavirus protocols ahead of the two-game series later this month.

The group underwent Covid-19 tests, which came back negative, and staff in full protective suits sprayed them with disinfectant after arriving on a chartered flight to Hambantota.

England, whose entire group had tested negative for the coronavirus before leaving London, will now isolate themselves in their individual hotel rooms in Hambantota until Tuesday afternoon.

The entire group will be retested for coronavirus on Tuesday morning, and if all results are negative, they will be able to train for the first time later that afternoon as they prepare for the first test starting January 14.

Both tests will be held behind closed doors in Galle, with the second game starting on January 22, after which England will fly to India for a four-test series against Virat Kohli’s men.

England’s series in Sri Lanka was scheduled for March 2020, but was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic while tourists were in the middle of a warm-up game.

There are strict measures in place to deal with the coronavirus in Sri Lanka, which has reported 211 deaths and 44,371 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The Sri Lankan government suspended commercial flights into the country from the UK last month, meaning that England had to travel on a privately chartered plane.

The Sri Lankan men’s team is currently playing the second and final round of their series in South Africa: Dimuth Karunaratne’s injured from injuries lost the first game by an inning at Centurion.

Root endorses Buttler as first-choice wicketkeeper

Root has said that it will take a “really unique situation” for Jos Buttler to lose his wicketkeeping gloves in Sri Lanka despite Ben Foakes’ presence on his team.

Foakes was England’s Player of the Series when they sealed a 3-0 sweep in Sri Lanka in late 2018, scoring 277 runs averaging close to 70, and is widely regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the game.

However, the 27-year-old’s last test appearance came in the West Indies in early 2019 and it looks like he will remain an endorsement as Root sees no reason to make a change after the strong summer at Buttler’s home in 2020, which included a career. -best 152 against Pakistan.

Root said: “When it comes to team selections, we will look at the conditions, consider everything and make a decision when we are out there.

“What I’m going to say is that we have Jos coming out of the back of a 150 and probably in the best shape you’ve seen him in test cricket. As far as I’m concerned, it’s going to have to be a real situation. unique for that to change.

“Jos, as a senior member of the team in great shape, was an integral part of our success in the backend of the summer. I’m very excited for him to carry that form forward.”

Watch the first round between Sri Lanka and England, from Galle, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 4am on Thursday, January 14.