England ODI series in South Africa postponed for medical reasons | Cricket news

England’s ODI series in South Africa was postponed for medical reasons “to ensure the mental and physical health and well-being of the players on both teams”; England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket South Africa to seek to reorganize three-game series

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Nasser Hussain, Michael Atherton and Ian Ward discuss postponement of England’s ODI tour of South Africa after a series of coronavirus cases

The one-day international series from England is South Africa was postponed for medical reasons after a series of coronavirus cases.

The England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket South Africa have chosen to postpone the series, which they hope to reorganize for some time in the future, to “ensure the health and mental and physical well-being of the players on both teams.”

The first one-day international match in Cape Town last Friday was postponed after a member of the South African team tested positive for Covid-19.

The series opener was rearranged for Paarl on Sunday, but that match was abandoned when two staff members at the hotel where the teams are staying tested positive and two unidentified members of the England tour group returned “no positive tests. confirmed “.

Monday’s ODI in Cape Town was postponed with the ECB and CSA pending ratification of the two unconfirmed Covid positive tests in the England countryside.

There were hopes that back-to-back ODIs could be played at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday and Wednesday before England’s departure on Thursday, but now they won’t go ahead.

England staying at The Vineyard Hotel with the two party members with ‘unconfirmed positive results’ currently self-isolated

ECB Chief Executive Tom Harrison said in a statement: “We have always held that the well-being of our players and management is paramount.

“We were concerned about the potential impact that recent events could have on the well-being of the touring group, so after consulting with Cricket South Africa, we have made a joint decision to postpone the remaining matches of this series in the best interest of the tour group. the well-being of the players.

“I would like to thank Cricket South Africa for their support and understanding in this matter and I look forward to working with them to identify a time when we can play these games again in the future.”

The series is part of the ICC Men’s Super Cricket League and qualification for the next 50+ World Cup in India in 2023 and CSA, like the ECB, is hopeful that the games can be rescheduled.

Cricket South Africa Acting Chief Executive Officer Kugandrie Govender added: “Concern about the mental health impact of recent events on everyone involved is not something that we, as the CSA or the ECB, take lightly, and the 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. “

All England players and management staff were initially forced to isolate themselves in their rooms after Sunday’s two unconfirmed positive tests, but then relaxed, and all but the two positive cases were able to use the grounds of the hotel on monday.

The first ODI in Cape Town on Friday was postponed after a member of the South African team tested positive for coronavirus

In the event that positive tests from England are confirmed, affected people would have to isolate themselves for 10 days after their diagnosis, so they could not join Thursday’s flight home.

The ECB would also need to identify anyone who qualifies as a close contact, defined as spending 15 minutes or more in an indoor environment without social distancing, and similarly isolate them.

England’s T20 international series in South Africa, which tourists won 3-0 to climb to the top of the standings, ahead of Australia, was unaffected, despite two South African players testing positive for coronavirus and two others. they were placed in isolation.

Hussain: Massive embarrassment but player safety is paramount

Sky Sports Cricket Expert and former England captain Nasser Hussain says the cancellation is a “great shame for cricket” but stressed that the player’s well-being is the priority.

Paarl was supposed to host Sunday’s ODI, but the match was abandoned when two hotel staff members tested positive for Covid-19.

“When you think about the amount of money, effort, time to lift that safe bubble, well, it doesn’t seem so safe right now, obviously it’s a huge shame,” he said. Sky Sports News.

“Everything that had to be put in place to do a tour like this in times of Covid: the players waiting to play, everyone at home waiting, everyone in South African cricket waiting with the money they are going to lose. Broadcasting rights, It’s a shame.

“But as the ECB has always said, they will put the well-being and health of their players first.

“They will not risk that and if the bubble has been broken then they will not risk the health of a single player or more importantly they will take him to England and risk the health of other people. So that is probably the right thing to do. “.

Atherton: players lost confidence in protocols

England won all three T20Is in South Africa, but now no ODI will be played with the rest of the canceled tour

Hussain’s Companion Sky cricket Expert and former England captain Michael Atherton added: “I think it’s absolutely true that [the players] they have lost confidence in the security of the arrangements and protocols designed to keep the hotel virus free. I am sure they have become more and more concerned.

“South Africa’s medical director was quite blunt when he said that they didn’t know how the bubble had been broken and that England was concerned, and they had a right to be concerned.

“Clearly it is the players who are driving this and they have lost confidence in South Africa to keep that area at the Vineyard Hotel Covid free.”

England used mosquito nets due to “unacceptable” practice facilities

England also issued a statement saying that the use of nets on the Newlands field, which was initially not authorized for use, occurred as a result of “unacceptable” practice facilities in Cape Town.

Tom Curran (left) talks to England bowling coach Jon Lewis (center) at the nets in Newlands

The ECB statement read: “Upon arriving in Newlands on December 3, we informed the venue that the three nets provided in the main field were not suitable for practice. The batsmen were not able to face the bowlers in the nets of the main field, as the surfaces were rendered and unacceptable.

“We asked Cricket South Africa that we would like to use the practice nets and create a security cordon to ensure that players and coaches could enter the facility safely, as was previously done on November 28. This was confirmed by the England safety team, team operations manager and team doctor, we were satisfied with this result and we were able to practice on the net safely.

“The team also used the main field for fielding drills, a bowling seam bowling and various nets were used for range shots against bowlers and coaches. As far as the England tour is concerned, safety and the health of our players and coaches was not compromised. “