Cricketers’ anxious wait

Players’ Maldives sojourn could soon be over providing no positive tests

THE Australians stranded in the Maldives after taking part in the IPL are waiting for the negative results from one more COVID test and the government to lift flight bans before flying home on Sunday.

However, the news is not good for Michael Hussey, who was yet to test negative to the COVID-19 virus.

The 45-year-old was struck with the disease last week and was flown from Ahmedabad to Chennai for treatment.

Hussey has been suffering flu-like symptoms and must remain in India — with about 9000 other Australians — until he gets clearance.

He is understood to have booked a seat on a flight in anticipation of his recovery.

News that 70 of the 150

Australians had been removed from the first flight out of India over positive tests or connections to those tests shows the fraught nature of the situation.

The government had flown 1056 ventilators and 60 oxygen generators on the plane to India.

The Australian newspaper revealed on Thursday that a flight had been booked to return the players, coaches and commentators from Maldives.

The plane will return via Singapore, but passengers will not be allowed to disembark.

The cricketers were tested for the virus in the Maldives on Friday. Even one positive result could be enough to derail plans to fly back.

The group will catch a boat to the capital Male on Sunday and board the flight home, but the they will then have another two weeks in quarantine in Sydney before they can see their families again.

The government had earlier indicated the party would be quarantined at Howard Springs.

The issue became controversial when former Australian Test batsman Michael Slater launched an attack on Prime Minister Scott Morrison closing the borders, saying that he had given them permission to leave.

Cricket will be hoping the government does not reinstitute the India border ban, with hopes the Australian summer could start with a historic first Test between the Australian and Indian women’s teams.

It is understood the game would be held at the WACA after the AFL Grand Final.