Latest Covid tests: Proteas all clear, ODI series to go ahead
The three-match series will start in Paarl on Sunday, with the other two matches set to take place at Newlands in Cape Town.
CSA’s chief medical officer Shuaib Manjra has said playing the domestic 50-overs competition in a bio-secure environment in Potchefstroom is the best option right now. Picture: Getty Images
The Proteas have been given the all-clear to face England in their scheduled three-match ODI series starting on Sunday.
This follows the postponement of the first match, which was supposed to have been played at Newlands on Friday, following the discovery of a Covid-19 positive player in the Proteas squad.
Cricket South Africa (CSA) announced on Saturday morning that the entire Proteas team had returned negative results from the Covid-19 tests that were conducted on Friday evening in Cape Town.
The series opener will get underway as scheduled at Boland Park on Sunday at 10am.
Two other Proteas players were ruled out of the recently concluded T20 series – won 3-0 by England, after testing positive.
Proteas team doctor Shuaib Manjra told AFP on Friday he was “surprised” by the positive test discovered on Friday.
“This test has surprised us because we had confidence in the bio-secure environment,” said Manjra.
“We will re-test all our players and hotel staff and await the results and determine a course of action,” he said.
He said the new infection had occurred since the players and staff went into what was regarded as a secure “bubble” ahead of the series.
“There has been some kind of breach which we’ve investigated in great detail to try and determine where this happened, by speaking to the player and looking at security camera footage.”
Proteas squad
Quinton de Kock (captain, Momentum Multiply Titans), Temba Bavuma (Imperial Lions), Junior Dala (Momentum Multiply Titans), Beuran Hendricks (Imperial Lions), Heinrich Klaasen (Momentum Multiply Titans), George Linde (Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras), Keshav Maharaj (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Janneman Malan (Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras), David Miller (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Lungi Ngidi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Anrich Nortje (Warriors), Andile Phehlukwayo (Hollywoodbets Dolphins), Tabraiz Shamsi (Momentum Multiply Titans), Lutho Sipamla (Imperial Lions), Jon-Jon Smuts (Warriors), Glenton Stuurman (Warriors), Rassie van der Dussen (Imperial Lions), Kyle Verreynne (Six Gun Grill Cape Cobras).
ODI Series
Sunday, 6 December – 1st ODI, Eurolux Boland Park, Paarl (Day Match), 10am.
Monday, 7 December – 2nd ODI, Six Gun Grill Newlands, Cape Town (Day-night Match), 2pm.
Wednesday, 9 December – 3rd ODI, Six Gun Grill Newlands, Cape Town (Day-night Match), 1pm
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