Curran forced to isolate as England given Covid scare with Test looming

➤ All-rounder awaiting results of test after sickness bug hits ➤ Players allowed to decide if they take the knee next week

Sam Curran was last night selfisolating at the team hotel at the Ageas Bowl and awaiting the results of a Covid-19 test after feeling unwell yesterday.

He will learn today whether he has tested positive for the virus after complaining of sickness and diarrhoea. He will play no further part in England’s intra-squad practice match, which finishes today.

Curran was feeling better yesterday afternoon but as soon as a player feels unwell the England team’s strict Covid-19 protocols kick in and they are put in isolation.

The fact Curran has fallen ill despite the stringent biosecurity precautions at the hotel shows how difficult it is to protect players. So far, more than 700 Covid-19 tests have been carried out on those involved in next week’s first Test and all have returned negative.

England will decide over the weekend whether they will “take the knee” before the first Test against West Indies next week to show support for the Black Lives Matter movement.

Joe Root and Ben Stokes, England’s captain and vice-captain, plan to discuss the matter with West Indies captain Jason Holder, but it was confirmed yesterday that both sides will wear the Black Lives Matter logo.

The decision over taking the knee will be left to the players, with both boards happy for the teams to make the call. Carlos Brathwaite, the West Indies all-rounder who will be commentating on the series for the BBC, said sportsmen taking the knee is only “cosmetic” but has helped develop wider recognition for the movement.

“That may ruffle a few feathers,” he said. “The biggest change needs to be legislative and needs to be the reprogramming of the wider society.”

Even though Root is not playing in the first Test he will be involved in discussions, with both sides keen to make some sort of gesture to support Black Lives Matter beyond wearing the logo.

The England and Wales Cricket Board yesterday confirmed the England team will wear the logo designed by footballer Troy Deeney’s partner, but distanced themselves from the politics of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has attracted controversy over its wider demands that include the defunding of police, overthrowing capitalism and sanctions against Israel.

“The England and Wales Cricket Board fully support the message that Black Lives Matter. There can be no place for racism in society or our sport, and we must do more to tackle it,” said Tom Harrison, ECB chief executive.

“We are aware of certain aspects of the movement that promote their own political views, and their actions are not supported in any way by the ECB and our players. This moment is about unity.”

Last winter Jofra Archer was racially abused while playing for England in New Zealand and Michael Carberry recently revealed the discrimination he faced in his county career. Lonsdale Skinner, chairman of the African Caribbean Cricketers’ Association, called on the ECB to appoint a black QC to lead a “root and branch” inquiry into the issue in cricket.