Australian star Head out of Ashes encounter at Sydney
MELBOURNE: Australia’s Ashes campaign was thrown into chaos yesterday with batsman Travis Head testing positive for Covid-19 and ruled out of next week’s fourth Ashes Test against England.
The No.5, who made a swashbuckling 152 in the first Test at Brisbane, will remain in Melbourne and isolate for seven days.
“Unfortunately, Travis returned a positive Covid19 result earlier today,” Cricket Australia said.
“Thankfully, he is asymptomatic at this stage. We anticipate that he will be available to play in the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart.”
Is it not clear whether other Australian players were close contacts.
Mitchell Marsh, Nic Maddinson and Josh Inglis have been called into the squad as cover, but the experienced Usman Khawaja is favourite to take Head’s place and play his first Test since the 2019 Ashes.
Head is the latest positive coronavirus case on the Ashes tour with England’s under-pressure coach Chris Silverwood also out of the Sydney Test after a family member failed a test.
The touring party has so far registered seven positives — three support staff and four family members — since a PCR testing regime was implemented on Monday after the virus was first detected during the Boxing Day Test.
Australia have already retained the Ashes after comfortable wins in the first three Tests at Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne and are looking to sweep England in the best-of-five series.
DE KOCK RETIRES FROM TESTS
South African wicketkeeper-batsman Quinton de Kock announced on Thursday his retirement from Test cricket with immediate effect.
The shock announcement from De Kock, 29, came just hours after he was part of the South African team beaten by 113 runs in the first Test against India at SuperSport Park.
De Kock said he remained committed to playing international limited overs cricket.
De Kock was embroiled in controversy during the T20 World Cup in October when he refused an order from Cricket South Africa to take the knee in support of Black Lives Matter.
The order came shortly before a match against the West Indies and it was initially announced that De Kock had withdrawn from the match for personal reasons.
After a meeting with Cricket South Africa officials, De Kock apologised and committed to the gesture although in making his apology he said he had felt his “rights were taken away” in the way the order was conveyed.