England face nervous wait for PCR tests as spectre of Covid looms over Ashes
The spectre of Covid-19 continues to loom over the Ashes after four members of England’s touring party emerged as positive cases before the second day of the third Test in Melbourne. England’s playing XI cleared an emergency round of lateral flow tests at the team hotel, allowing play to commence after a 30-minute delay. But a fresh set of PCR tests scheduled after stumps – the results of which are due before the start of day three – threatens to change the prognosis for the tour significantly.
Jimmy Anderson, speaking after day two, said: “As far as I’m aware, the whole playing group and the management who were at the ground today feel fine. We’ve stepped up the safety protocols around the dressing room, wearing masks and keeping distance where possible to make sure if there is any [further] infection, it’s not spread.
“We actually got on the bus to come to the ground at the usual time but were then told to get off the bus because we found out about a couple of positives. All the lads then went in and had lateral flows to make sure we were all OK and then waited for the all-clear to come here to the ground.”
The outbreak was first detected on Boxing Day evening when one of the family members travelling with the team began to experience symptoms of the virus. This was then followed by positive results for one additional family member and two from England’s coaching staff, with a third deemed a close contact. While both teams had already been operating under increased restrictions in Victoria designed to reduce their contact with the general public – including only dining outside and the avoidance of crowds – the nature of dressing rooms and the recent Christmas celebrations means a spread remains possible.If so it would threaten to jeopardise not just the third Test, but the fourth that starts in Sydney on 5 January and the fifth Test in Hobart a week later. Tired of bubble life after nearly two years, both sets of players would likely push back on any moves by Cricket Australia to push for more stringent restrictions than are already in place.
Asked on Monday if the tour was in danger, Nick Hockley, chief executive of Cricket Australia, replied: “No. This is what the protocols are for. We are being extra vigilant as there are increasing cases in the community but our protocols are designed for absolutely this set of events. “What we are all working to do is to keep this series going because the players on both sides are desperate to continue playing. We’ll be doing everything we can to make sure that happens.” Asked about arrangements for Sydney, amid speculation that simply completing the series in Melbourne may present the best option, Hockley replied: “In Sydney we have an exclusive property for the playing group and we’re flying there by charter. Everyone now is on high alert, everyone is being extra cautious.” Cases in Victoria rose to 1,999 on Boxing Day and, as well as the outbreak in the England camp, the broadcaster Channel Seven was forced into a rejig of its commentary teams after a member of the production staff contracted the virus. Ian Botham and Ricky Ponting, the former Australia Test captain, were among those asked to stay away initially but eventually returned after negative PCR results.
The developments further underline the precarious nature of a series that involved tense negotiations over the bubble and has already led to Australia’s captain, Pat Cummins, being forced to isolate and miss the second Test in Adelaide due to close contact with a positive case at a restaurant. That match, a 275-run win for Australia that saw them take a 2-0 series lead, also witnessed an outbreak in the media centre, with separate positive cases in both the BBC Test Match Special team and the production staff of host broadcaster Fox Sports causing disruption to their respective services.
Along with general disruption to the schedule over the past two years, English cricket has already seen three men’s series directly impacted by Covid outbreaks. Their ODIs in South Africa 12 months ago were postponed due to positive cases in the hotel, while the entire England 50-over squad and coaching staff were changed for a series against Pakistan during the recent summer when players contracted the virus. Most damaging was the fifth Test against India at Old Trafford in September that was called off before the start of play on the opening day - and later rescheduled for the summer of 2022 - after a physio who had been treating the touring party became the fourth member of their support staff to test positive.