COVID-19: Sri Lanka consider calling off tour of South Africa
Dec 09, 2020
Colombo [Sri Lanka], December 9 : Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is considering cancelling the forthcoming tour of South Africa or may offer to host the Proteas at home after the three-match ODI series between England and South Africa was called off due to outbreak of coronavirus cases.
Sri Lanka is slated to play two Tests starting December 26 in Centurion but the Islanders fear that if any of their players get affected, that would then hamper their series against England as they are due to play a Test in Galle ten days after the Lankan team's scheduled return from South Africa.
Sri Lanka's team physician Daminda Attanayake said their medical staff has insisted on stricter protocols than Cricket South Africa (CSA) had initially planned.
"I have to bring the [Sri Lankan] players back from South Africa without a single positive case. We've requested [South Africa's] protocols be identical to the bio-bubble protocols we have been using for the LPL (Lanka Premier League). We've been successful with those," ESPNcricinfo quoted Attanayake as saying.
"We've been successful with those. Players have tested positive but they've been isolated. We're requesting these protocols be followed not just by our team, but theirs as well," he added.
SLC's team physician has said they want the cleaning staff of the hotels to be staying in the bio-bubble so that there is no scope of any infection from coronavirus.
SLC will also speak to England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) medical staff in order to gain a clearer picture on the nature of CSA's protocols
According to a report in ESPNcricinfo, CSA on the other hand is working to reassure SLC that its bio-bubble arrangements are secure.
On Monday, ECB had said there were two members of its touring party who returned with unconfirmed positive COVID results. As a result, a day later, the ODI series was called off. However, it was later confirmed that those two members of England's touring party were not diagnosed with having coronavirus.
