A positive COVID-19 test on Thursday led to a postponement at Kensington Oval for the second International One-Day between the West Indies and Australia.
A positive COVID-19 test on Thursday led to the last-minute cancellation in Kensington Oval of the scheduled two-day international event between the West Indies and Australia. “The second ODI between the West Indies and Australia was postponed as a result of a positive test from a non-playing West Indies team member,” claimed a statement by Cricket West Indies. “This decision was made once the result was known in the light of the Kensington Oval protocols.
“Today all team members and match officials will be tested. When the test results are available, a decision on when the match is played again will be taken at a later date.”
The International Cricket Council stated that all staff will be isolated inside the bio-secure bubble of the series.
Cricket West Indies Chief Executive Johnny Grave then expressed the anticipation that Friday morning the findings of the new set of PCR tests will be available.
After then, the remaining two ODIs of the trip will be determined.
The news came after a delay to the start of the game when Alex Carey won the toss and elected to bat first.
Australia won the first match at the same site two days earlier with 133 runs on the DLS technique.
A few minutes from the start of a match in which fast bowler Riley Meredith was slated to make his ODI debut, having got his cap from injured designated Captain Aaron Finch, the players were seen to come back to their respective dressing rooms before he took a toss.
Not only the rest of the two ODIs of this tour on Thursday but also Australia’s Bangladesh visit that was only confirmed on Thursday, which the team would travel after the final game scheduled on Saturday, again at Kensington Oval, will be jeopardized.
“Unlucky,” tweeted Ian Bishop, former Western Indian fast bowler.
“These test times are the risk incurred. Hope the person isn’t damaged too much.”
Pakistan is also set to tour five Twenty20 Internationals and two Test matches in the Caribbean.
The T20 series begins in Barbados on 27 July.
The two tests will take place in Jamaica from 12-16 August and 20-24 August.
