JOE ROOT and his gamers is not going to must isolate over Christmas regardless of arriving again from South Africa on December 10.
And which means their two-Test tour of Sri Lanka should still go ahead as deliberate with the group departing on January 2.
Joe Root and his gamers is not going to must isolate over ChristmasCredit score: Getty Photographs – Getty
Well being minister Matt Hancock introduced on Wednesday that anyone getting back from South Africa up to now two weeks should quarantine with instant impact due to a “regarding” new pressure of Covid-19.
However the ECB insisted in the present day that gamers and backroom employees will likely be exempt.
A press release stated: “The ECB can affirm that group members and assist employees who returned on December 10 from South Africa as a part of England males’s white-ball tour have been following the Elite Sports activities Worldwide steerage regarding exercise within the UK.
“Throughout this era, they’ve undergone on-going symptom and testing checks and won’t must quarantine.
“Concerning the England males’s Take a look at squad and assist employees, they’ll proceed to arrange as regular forward of the Sri Lanka tour. The ECB will proceed to observe the on-going state of affairs in respect of worldwide journey and are working intently with Sri Lanka Cricket.”
The South African variant of Covid-19 follows the brand new pressure that has elevated transmission charges within the UK.
Medics and authorities authorities in Sri Lanka consider the brand new pressure is unlikely to jeopardise the two-Take a look at sequence.
However one other complication could possibly be that Sri Lanka are presently in South Africa for 2 Checks. The Second Take a look at is because of end in Johannesburg on January 7 – only a week earlier than the opening Take a look at towards England.
Concerning the England males’s Take a look at squad and assist employees, they’ll proceed to arrange as regular forward of the Sri Lanka tour
Though Sri Lanka is one in every of many international locations to have suspended flights from the UK, Root’s group will journey on a personal constitution.
As an alternative of touchdown in Colombo, they’ll fly on to Hambantota, which has what’s believed to be quietest worldwide airport on the planet with no scheduled flights. This can minimise contact with different individuals.
England gamers and assist employees will spend their first three days in isolation at a resort and, offering they proceed to return unfavourable outcomes from common Covid-19 checks, they’ll start coaching. After three additional days, they’ll prepare as a bunch.
They are going to journey by highway to Galle in time for the 2 Checks, starting on January 14 and 22.
The ECB and Sri Lanka Cricket have been discussing preparations for weeks and people talks will proceed proper up till England’s departure from Heathrow on January 2.
England gamers will likely be examined for Covid-19 earlier than leaving residence and be supplied with separate chauffeured automobiles to journey to Heathrow.
Well being measures will likely be stricter than on England’s latest aborted tour of South Africa and checks on PPE, social distancing and hand sanitising will likely be rigorous.
The tour replaces England’s go to to Sri Lanka in March, which was referred to as off throughout a warm-up match within the early weeks of the pandemic.
No written media are being permitted to enter Sri Lanka and BBC radio’s Take a look at Match Particular are commentating from the UK by way of the world TV feed. Sky are additionally anticipated so as to add commentary by the likes of Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton from their UK base.
Sri Lanka Cricket are determined for the matches to happen and group physician Daminda Attanayake stated: “Nervousness is excessive at this stage from all people. However, while you have a look at the scientific proof, I don’t suppose we must always cease the tour though we’d must take additional precautions.”
England are because of fly from Sri Lanka to India for 4 Checks and eight white-ball matches. Indian authorities are anticipated to wrap cordons of safety personnel round inns and grounds in an anti-terrorism fashion operation to attempt to scale back the probabilities of an infection.
