England squad to fly home from South Africa following ODI series cancellation with tourists’ ‘unconfirmed’ Covid-19 cases declared false

England’s one-day series against South Africa has been cancelled due to multiple personnel testing positive for coronavirus. 

Although the T20 series went ahead, with England winning 3-0, Friday’s ODI was postponed when an unnamed South African player returned a positive test. 

Sunday’s game was also postponed when two of the hotel’s staff tested positive and later that day two members of the England touring party returned ‘unconfirmed positive tests’. 

The duo had to self-isolate in their hotel rooms in Cape Town until Tuesday where the previous results were declared false by ‘independent virologists in Cape Town and London’.

England will now be able to fly home on Thursday instead of December 15th. 

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket South Africa (CSA) said they will look to reschedule the ODIs. 

ECB chief executive Tom Harrison said: ‘We have always maintained that the welfare of our players and management is paramount.

‘We were concerned about the potential impact that recent developments might have on the wellbeing of the touring party, and so after consultation with Cricket South Africa, we have jointly made the decision to postpone the remaining matches in this series, in the best interest of the players’ welfare.’

CSA chief executive Kugandrie Govender said: ‘The concern over the mental health impact of recent events on all involved is not one that we as CSA or the ECB take lightly, and the decision to postpone the tour is the most responsible and reasonable course of action for us.’

This was England’s first tour overseas since their Sri Lanka tour was cut short in March due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

England are due to tour Sri Lanka and India in the new year, with the squad for Sri Lanka departing the UK on January 2nd. 

By Jon Bazley