SA vs ENG: Delayed first ODI abandoned after hotel staff tests Covid-19 positive

South Africa’s Covid-19 crisis went from bad to worse after the delayed first ODI against England on Sunday (December 6) at Paarl was abandoned altogether. The opening one-dayer, originally scheduled for December 4 at Cape Town, was postponed after a Protea player had tested positive for the virus.

In the latest development, two staff members of the hotel in which both squads have been put up, have reportedly tested positive. As a result, the visiting England squad members had to undergo another test on Saturday evening.

“Following the test results, two members of the England touring party have returned unconfirmed positive tests for COVID-19,” CSA said in a statement on Sunday. “The players and management are now self-isolating in their rooms until further advice from the medical teams,” it added.

After one of their players contracted the virus, the South African ODI team was once again tested on Friday. Fortunately, all other Protea players returned negative results. England, having cleared their tests on Thursday, didn’t get tested until the two new cases were discovered.

The abandonment of the first ODI means that the future of the three-match series now hangs in the balance.

“A decision on the remaining matches in the series will be taken once the results of the tests are ratified independently by medical experts,” CSA clarified.

Former England cricketer and Managing Director of England men’s cricket Ashley Giles said that their players’ safety is the ECB’s primary concern. He also added that the ECB is in constant touch with the CSA, who is doing everything to combat the situation.