England's ODI series in South Africa postponed on medical grounds

England's one-day international series is South Africa has been postponed on medical grounds after a series of coronavirus cases.

The England and Wales Cricket Board and Cricket South Africa have opted to postpone the series - which they hope to rearrange for some time in the future - in order to "ensure the mental and physical health and welfare of players from both teams".

The first one-day international in Cape Town last Friday was postponed after a member of the South Africa squad tested positive for Covid-19.

The series opener was rearranged for Paarl on Sunday but that match was abandoned when two members of staff at the hotel in which the teams are staying tested positive and two unnamed members of England's touring party returned "unconfirmed positive tests".

Monday's ODI in Cape Town was then postponed with the ECB and CSA awaiting ratification of the two unconfirmed positive Covid tests in the England camp.

There was hope that back-to-back ODIs could be played at Newlands in Cape Town on Tuesday and Wednesday ahead of England's departure on Thursday but they will now not go ahead.

ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison said in a statement: "We have always maintained that the welfare of our players and management is paramount.

"We were concerned about the potential impact that recent developments might have on the wellbeing of the touring party, and so after consultation with Cricket South Africa, we have jointly made the decision to postpone the remaining matches in this series in the best interest of the players' welfare.

"I would like to thank Cricket South Africa for their support and understanding on this matter and look forward to working with them to identify a time when we can return to play these fixtures in the future."

The series forms part of the ICC Cricket Men's Super League and qualification for the next 50-over World Cup in India in 2023 and CSA, like the ECB, is hopeful the games can be rescheduled.

Cricket South Africa's acting CEO, Kugandrie Govender, added: "The concern over the mental health impact of recent events on all involved is not one that we as CSA or the ECB take lightly, and the decision to postpone the tour is the most responsible and reasonable course of action for us. I would like to thank the ECB for the continued positive relations, and we look forward to hosting the England men's team in the near future."

All of England's players and management staff were initially forced to isolate in their rooms after the two unconfirmed positive tests on Sunday but that was later relaxed, with everyone apart from the two positive cases permitted to use the hotel grounds on Monday.

In the event that England's positive tests are confirmed, the affected individuals would need to isolate for 10 days following their diagnosis, so could not join Thursday's flight home.

The ECB would also need to identify anyone who qualifies as a close contact - defined as spending 15 minutes or more in an indoor environment without social distancing - and isolate them similarly.

England's T20 international series in South Africa - which the tourists won 3-0 to move top of the rankings, above Australia - went unaffected, even though two South Africa players tested positive for coronavirus and a further two were placed in isolation.

Hussain: Massive shame but player safety paramount

Sky Sports Cricket expert and former England captain Nasser Hussain says the cancellation is a "massive, massive shame for cricket" - but stressed that player wellbeing is the priority.

"When you think of the amount of money, effort, time to put up that secure bubble - well, it doesn't seem quite so secure now - it's obviously a massive, massive shame," he told Sky Sports News.

"Everything that had to be put in place to get a tour like this on in Covid times - the players hanging around waiting to play, everyone at home waiting, everyone in South African cricket waiting with the money that they're going to lose through broadcast rights, it's a huge shame.

"But as the ECB has always said, they will put the wellbeing and the health of their players at the forefront.

"They will not risk that and if the bubble has been breached then they will not risk a single player's health or, more importantly, taking that home to England and risking other people's health. So it's probably the right thing."

Atherton: Players lost confidence in protocols

Hussain's fellow Sky Cricket pundit and ex-England captain Michael Atherton added: "I think is absolutely the case that [the players] have lost confidence in the security of the arrangements and the protocols designed to keep the hotel virus-free. I'm sure they've become increasingly concerned.

"South Africa's chief medical officer was fairly up front when he said they don't know how the bubble had been breached and that England were concerned, and right to be concerned.

"It is clearly the players pushing this and they've lost confidence in South Africa to keep that area at the Vineyard Hotel Covid-free."

England used nets due to "unacceptable" practice facilities

England also released a statement saying their use of nets at the Newlands ground - which were not initially cleared for use - came as a result of "unacceptable" practice facilities in Cape Town.

The ECB statement read: "On arrival at Newlands on 3 December, we advised the venue that the three nets provided on the main pitch were not of a standard for conducive practice. Batsmen were unable to face seam bowlers on the nets on the main pitch as the surfaces were rendered and unacceptable.

"We requested with Cricket South Africa we would like to use the practice nets and that we would create a security cordon to ensure the players and coaches could enter the facility safely, as done previously on 28 November. This was confirmed by England's security team, the team operations manager and the team doctor. We were satisfied with this outcome and we were able to practice in the net facility safely.

"The team also used the main outfield for fielding drills, a seam bowlers bowl-through pitch and a number of nets were used for range-hitting against spin bowlers and coaches throws. As far as the England touring party are concerned, the safety and health of our players and coaches was not compromised."