Proteas cancel warm-up match after a second player tests positive for Covid

One player has returned a positive result after the Proteas’ second, mandatory round of COVID-19 testing ahead of the limited overs tour against England on Thursday.

The player was isolated from the rest of the team and moved to separate, appropriate accommodation with immediate effect. The team’s medical and support staff will monitor the player to ensure his physical health and mental well-being.

Team management and Cricket South Africa (CSA) are in close communication with their counterparts from the England Cricket Board (ECB) to ensure full transparency and the most responsible plan of action going forward.

To that end, the inter-squad practice match that was scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled.

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The two players – Marco Marais and Stefan Tait – who were called up to the camp to assist the team in their preparation for the practice match after the results of the first COVID-19 testing on Monday were released, will no longer be joining the team.

CSA would like to reiterate that it will not release names of the affected players because of doctor-patient confidentiality.

No further comment will be made on this matter until an update can be provided.

This is the second case of a player testing positive for the coronavirus after a player tested positive earlier in the week, and two other players had come into contact with him. All four players are in isolation.

National head coach Mark Boucher also confirmed on Thursday that he had tested positive for COVID earlier during lockdown and when cricket was suspended, but recovered quickly.

The ODI series against England is supposed to get underway next week in the Western Cape. The three matches will be followed by three T20 internationals.

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