Proteas player tests positive for Covid-19 and two others isolated ahead of England tour of SA

Cricket SA (CSA) have confirmed that a Proteas player has tested positive for Covid-19 in tests conducted before the squad entered the bio-safe environment in Cape Town.

The limited-overs series between SA and England begins on Friday next week and  about 50 Covid-19 PCR tests were performed on players and support staff before entering the camp.

The player who tested positive and the two others who are considered close contacts have been placed in immediate isolation as part of the Covid-19 safety protocols. They are not showing signs of any symptoms at the moment.

“One player has returned a positive test result and two [others] were considered close contacts based on the risk assessment undertaken by the medical team,” said CSA.

“All three players have been placed in immediate isolation in Cape Town as part of the Covid-19 protocols. While all players are asymptomatic, CSA’s medical team will monitor them to ensure their health and wellbeing.

“The testing is in line with fulfilling the organisation’s obligation and commitment to its duty of care to its team and to the broader public in controlling the spread of the virus.

“At this stage, none of these players will be replaced for the tour, but two replacement players will be included in the squad for the purposes of the inter-squad practice matches that will be played on Saturday, November 21 2020.”

The England touring party arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday and will play three Twenty20 Internationals and three ODIs behind closed doors in a bio-secure environment at Newlands in Cape Town and Boland Park in Paarl.