A TEST OF PATIENCE
England gear up for solitary life in series
ENGLAND’S Test tour of Sri Lanka next month was yesterday given the green light – and it will be like no other they have been on. S
The ECB have chartered their own private plane to travel to the island where there is a ban on commercial flights because of the coronavirus.
Joe Root’s Test stars have been told to enjoy Christmas with their families but they must be sensible, and will be tested before they leave and when they arrive.
There was further good news yesterday when the ECB were ere assured that players and staff, f, who travelled back to the UK K on December 10 after their r tour of South Africa, are exempt from the quarantine e order imposed by Health th Secretary Matt Hancock, above, bove, who said the country had been linked to a new strain of coronavirus.
England will fly to Sri Lanka on January 2 and spend 10 days isolating in Hambantota where they will be allowed to train outside before moving to Galle for the two- Test series. The first match starts on January 14 with the other beginning on January 22.
There will be no media on the tour and SKY and the BBC will cover it from home. The discovery of a new strain of Covid- 19 had thrown renewed doubt on the tour, particularly given Sri Lanka banned flights from Britain on Tuesday. But with England chartering a private plane, permission was granted to fly in.
The ECB confirmed the 23- man Test squad will be made aware of their wider responsibilities over Christmas. However, no directives have been issued about not seeing families on Christm Christmas Day for those living out outside of Tier 4.
The series, set to take place in a bio- secure bubble, comes a after the original tour in M March was abandoned during a warm- up match after the pan pandemic escalated.
Sri Lanka’s team doctor admitted the new strain of the virus heightened anxiety. But Dr Daminda Attanayake said: “When you look at the scientific evidence, I don’t think we should stop it ( the series). We might have to take extra precautions, but we don’t need to stop the tour.”
In Australia, David Warner and Sean Abbott will miss the Boxing Day Test against India following time out of the series bio- secure bubble for treatment on injuries.