England concerned after ODI postponed due to COVID-19 positive result in South Africa camp

The game had to be moved to Sunday just an hour before it was due to start after. The future of the tour is going to be decided after the health of everyone involved is assessed on Saturday.

Although both teams are staying in the same hotel, they have been kept separate and meet each other only during the match.

“England have expressed a concern and questioned the confidence they have in the bio-secure environment and rightfully so if there is a player who has tested positive having contracted the virus in the last week. We respect that concern,” South Africa team doctor Shuaib Manjra said in a video released on Friday.

“Clearly there has been some sort of breach, which we have investigated extensively to determine where this happened. We have spoken to the player, looked at security cameras and other information, and we have not been able to date to identify where that source was. But clearly it is cause for concern.”

However, he denied that any player had left the designated facility without proper authorization.

“I can categorically state that no player is able to leave the hotel environment. The security will not allow the player to leave, unless he is doing so in an assigned, official vehicle.”

There’s now a possibility that the tour may get cancelled if more players test positive on Saturday.

Managing Director of England Men’s Cricket, Ashley Giles, refused to comment on the potential breach of the bio-secure bubble but agreed that decision to retest the players was a wise move.

“On behalf of the England touring party and the ECB, I would like to thank Cricket South Africa for their collaborative approach to postponing today’s One-Day International,” he said in a media statement.

“Our number one priority is the health and safety of the England team and management group, and the correct decision was made following discussions between the two Boards and respective medical teams.”