Ireland v USA ODI is cancelled due to Covid
THE first One Day International between Ireland and the USA, scheduled for Florida today, has been called off due to Covid-19.
The decision was taken after one of the umpires tested positive for the virus, leaving the scheduled fixture without an officiating team. Even though the other three umpires all tested negative, they were deemed to be close contacts of the positive case and it was decided that the game could not go ahead.
Both Cricket Ireland and USA Cricket pledged that they will work closely with the ICC to try to ensure the remainder of the series can proceed safely – the first series featuring a full member nation facing the USA on American soil – with the sides down to meet again on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.
The two-game Twenty20 series between the two countries was tied last week after Ireland fought back to win the second match, having been stunned by the US in their first clash.
Meanwhile, former England captain Ray Illingworth has died at the age of 89, Yorkshire have announced.
Illingworth, who led England to a Test series victory over Australia Down Under in 1970-71, had been undergoing radiotherapy for oesophageal cancer.
Illingworth played 61 Tests for England between 1958 and 1973, scoring 1,836 Test runs at an average of 23.24 and claimed 122 wickets at 31.20.
He captained England 31 times, winning 12 of those matches.
Illingworth was the chairman of selectors for England between 1993 and 1996, and coached them in 1995-96.
His wife Shirley died earlier this year after battling cancer and Illingworth had offered his support for law changes over assisted dying.
‘I don’t want to have the last 12 months that my wife had,’ he said. ‘She had a terrible time going from hospital to hospital and in pain.
‘I believe in assisted dying. The way my wife was, there was no pleasure in life in the last 12 months, and I don’t see the point of living like that, to be honest.
‘A lot of doctors are against it, but if they had to live like my wife did in her last 12 months they might change their minds.’
Yorkshire paid tribute to Illingworth and posted on Twitter: ‘We are deeply saddened to learn that Ray Illingworth has passed away. Our thoughts are with Ray’s family and the wider Yorkshire family who held Ray so dear to their hearts.’