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The availability of 10 team members for the Boxing Day test against Sri Lanka is in doubt
South Africa is facing a potential selection headache, with 10 members of its 16-man squad to play in Sri Lanka involved in first-class domestic matches in which positive cases of Covid-19 have been detected.
Rassie van der Dussen, Beuran Hendricks, Wiaan Mulder (all Lions), Migael Pretorius (Knights), Aiden Markram, Dean Elgar, Lungi Ngidi (all Titans), Keshav Maharaj, Sarel Erwee and Keegan Petersen (all Dolphins) were part of the matches. between the Titans and the Dolphins, and between the Lions and the Knights, in which at least five positive tests have been returned. It is not yet known which, if any, of the 10 are infected or are considered close contacts of those who are infected. If any of them fall into these two categories, you will need to isolate them for 10 days from December 16.
The first test against Sri Lanka begins on December 26 and only Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis, Temba Bavuma, Anrich Nortje, Kyle Verreynne and Glenton Stuurman are confirmed available. De Kock, du Plessis, Bavuma and Nortje did not play in this round and Verreynne and Stuurman played in the Cobras-Warriors match, which was not affected by the virus.
The latest round of top-class domestic matches saw the franchise’s first cricket match canceled due to Covid-19 in South Africa. The tabletop clash, between the Titans and the Dolphins, was abandoned after the first day when a Dolphins player tested positive. At least three other players from that franchise have also been infected.
In the second game, between the Lions and the Knights, a Lions player tested positive on the third day and was withdrawn from the game, but the game continued. An insider confirmed that the reason the game was not abandoned was because of the advice of a risk assessment and because the Knights players indicated their willingness to continue.
Players from all four franchises are now being monitored and those deemed close contacts with the positive cases will be forced to isolate themselves for 10 days. That means that they will only come out of quarantine on December 26, the first day of the Boxing Day trial, and therefore will not be available for selection. Those players could be added to the bubble before the New Year’s test, provided they are in good health. Those who enter the bubble will be tested on Saturday, next Monday and next Wednesday, with the first test to start on Thursday.
ESPNcricinfo understands that the biosecurity bubble at the Irene Country Club, which is the venue that will host South Africa and Sri Lanka for the two events, is on its way and Cricket South Africa expects the series to continue, albeit with some absences. Sri Lanka named a full squad, save for the injured Angelo Mathews, on Thursday and will depart for South Africa on Friday. They may find their hosts severely exhausted, depending on how many of their 16-man squad have to isolate themselves after the latest Covid-19 outbreak.
South Africa is officially in its second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and has seen a massive increase in its infection rate in the past two weeks. On Wednesday, the country registered more than 10,000 cases for the first time since Aug. 1 and more restrictions were put in place, including a curfew and limits on the number of people in meetings. Gauteng province, where the Sri Lanka series will be played, is one of four areas in the country where the increase in cases has been deemed worrisome.
Sri Lanka will be South Africa’s second international visitor this summer, after England, who pulled out of their tour last week. England played three T20s, but the three scheduled ODIs were postponed after three South African players and two hotel employees tested positive for Covid.
Two England players also tested positive, but upon verification, their results were confirmed negative. England’s bubble was more forgiving than Sri Lanka’s, after English players requested recreational activities, including golf. They played on five different fields on eight occasions while in South Africa.
Firdose Moonda is a correspondent for ESPNcricinfo in South Africa
