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NZ vs BAN Test Series 2022: Five Bangladesh Players to keep an eye on
Bangladesh will play New Zealand in their second Test series of the current ICC Test Championship's second cycle (2021-2023), starting January 1. Bangladesh were thrashed by Pakistan in the inaugural series of their Test Championship in December and is presently ranked eighth in the standings. Oppositely New Zealand are now in sixth place in the standings. Bangladesh must give it their all if they want to earn some points in the series. Let's have a look at the five Bangladesh players that can make a difference in the NZ vs BAN Test series 2022.
Key Bangladesh players in New Zealand vs Bangladesh Test series
Bangladesh selectors picked an 18-man squad for the two-match Test series. Here are five players that have a chance to make a significant impact during the contest.
Mominul Haque (Captain, Middle-order batter)
M: 47 | Runs: 3,363 | HS: 181 | Ave: 41.01 | 100s: 11
Bangladesh captain Mominul Haque hasn't been in the best of form in recent international series. Mominul's batting average was 50 a few years ago, but it has dropped to 40 due to a poor run of form on the international stage. However, Mominul has the best Test average among Bangladesh players, and he must bat with a great deal of responsibility. Mominul's decision-making as a captain will also be important for Bangladesh.
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Mushfiqur Rahim (Middle-order batter)
M: 77 | Runs: 4,856 | HS: 219* | Ave: 37.06 | 100s: 7
Mushfiqur Rahim is the most seasoned batter in the squad. His presence in the middle order will bolster confidence in the Bangladesh batting lineup. Mushfiqur delivered one of his finest Test innings in New Zealand in 2017. So, Rahim and other Bangladeshi players may take a lot of inspiration from the innings. Mr. Reliable Mushfiqur's main priority will be to anchor the innings in the absence of experienced Tamim Iqbal. Bangladesh team management will be hoping that Rahim will find his best form in this series.
Liton Das (Wicket-keeper, batter)
M: 27 | Runs: 1,453 | HS: 114 | Ave: 32.28 | 100s: 1
Liton Das has struggled in the limited-version formats, but his recent Test performances have been outstanding. Liton made 594 runs in 12 innings, averaging 49.50 this year. Liton’s Test stats for 2021 is unquestionably a positive sign for the Bangladesh team. In the middle order, Mushfiqur Rahim and Liton Das have the ability to change the scenario of a game. Therefore, Liton's batting in the lower middle order will be crucial for Bangladesh.
Read Australia Clinch Ashes with a Thumping win Over England in Third Test
Taijul Islam (Left-arm Spinner)
M: 35 | Wkts: 144 | BBI: 8/39 | Ave: 32.61 | 5W: 9
Left-arm spinner Taijul Islam has established himself as Bangladesh's main strike bowler in Test cricket. Taijul has taken the most Test wickets for Bangladesh in 2021. With a 30.50 average, he took 30 wickets in ten innings this year. Taijul has sharpened his skills as a genuine longer-version bowler. He bowls with superb control and has a lot of good variations. Despite the fact that New Zealand surfaces help faster bowlers, Taijul's spin may make a difference in the crucial stages.
Taskin Ahmed (Pacer)
M: 8 | Wkts: 20 | BBI: 4/82 | Ave: 53.75 | 5W: 0
Taskin Ahmed was a very ordinary bowler a few years ago. However, his transformation during the covid-19 epidemic is truly inspirational to all cricketers. He now has better ball control than he had before. Taskin Ahmed has learned how to take wickets in the longer version of the game. He aims to get wickets by being consistent in his bowling. Taskin will be more effective in New Zealand's conditions. Therefore, the Bangladesh campaign is hoping for a strong showing from him.
Read BPL 2022 squads at a glance after draft
Bottom Line
The Bangladesh Test cricket team will have to play as a unit to demonstrate their real potential during the NZ vs BAN Test series 2022. Head coach Russell Domingo, captain Mominul Haque, and the team management must devise an effective game plan for the contest. Though the main goal would be to bring the squad together in order to perform well on the field. The five players stated above will be crucial for Bangladesh in this longer-version series. They will have to carry most of the burden if Bangladesh want to gain their first points in the Test Championship.
Australia Clinch Ashes with a Thumping win Over England in Third Test
Australia won the Ashes series 2021-2022 with two games to spare after defeating England by an innings and 14 runs at the MCG in Melbourne on Tuesday (December 28). Australia needed 6 more wickets when the play started on day 3, which they achieved in just 15.4 overs. Australia have also climbed to the top spot in the ICC Test Championship. With this defeat, England matched Bangladesh for the most Test defeats in a calendar year (9) with nine. Take a look at the third Test match report between Australia and England.
Australia vs England 2021-2022 Ashes Series: Third Test Match Report
Australia's strategy for the Boxing Day Test against England panned out flawlessly, as they won the match in two days and a half session. At the end of day 2, England had six wickets in hand and needed 51 more runs to avoid a humiliating innings loss. However, the Australian pacers were ruthless on day 3 and took the remainder of the English wickets in just 15 overs and 4 balls.
The regular Australian captain Pat Cummins returned to this match after missing the second Test due to covid-19 restrictions. English batters have struggled against Australia's bowling attack in this series.
Read Australia Snatch Complete Control of Third Ashes Test
Cummins elected to bat first in order to limit England to a modest total. Another crucial point is that batting gets a lot easier on day two at the MCG. Because of Cummins' choice to bowl first, Australia were able to restrict England to only 185 runs in the first innings.
In response, Australia scored 267 runs in their first innings to take an 82-run lead in the first innings. England needed a courageous effort in the second innings in order to stay alive in the game. However, they were down to 31/4 at the end of the second day's play.
Melbourne-born pacer Scott Boland was brilliant with his accuracy with the ball on day 3. The England batters had no idea how to deal with his excellent bowling. Boland demolished England's middle and lower orders after Mitchell Starc's early breakthrough. Mitchell Starc clean bowled Ben Stokes with a full-length ball in the fifth over of the day.
Read Memorable International Cricket Moments in 2021
Boland then removed Root, Bairstow, Wood, and Robinson, making the task for the host much easier. Medium-pacer Cameron Green took the last wicket of England's second innings to give Australia an innings win. England were bowled out for 68 runs, with Joe Root (28) leading the way with 28 runs.
Joe Root, too, experienced an embarrassment in this match. He became one of the top five captains in Test format with the most defeats after losing this contest.
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Here are the top five most Test defeats as a Captain
Captain
Match
Loss
Graeme Smith (South Africa)
109
29
Stephen Fleming (New Zealand)
80
27
Brian Lara (West Indies)
47
26
Joe Root (England)
58
23
Allan Border (Australia)
93
22
Source: https://www.espncricinfo.com/
Player of the Match
Debutant Scott Boland was named player of the match for his outstanding performance in the contest. He took six wickets for only seven runs in the second innings. Boland finished the match with 7 wickets for 55 runs.
Read Sports Year in Review: A Flashback of the Major Events in 2021
ICC Test Championship 2021-2023: Current Points Table
Australia have won all three matches and climbed to the top of the points table in their second cycle of the ICC Test Championship campaign. On the other hand, England have dropped to seventh place in the points standings.
Current Points Table of Test Championship (as of December 28, 2021)
Position
Team
PCT
1
Australia
100%
2
Sri Lanka
100%
3
Pakistan
75%
4
India
58.33%
5
West Indies
25%
6
New Zealand
16.66%
7
England
7.14%
8
Bangladesh
0%
9
South Africa
0%
Source: https://www.icc-cricket.com/world-test-championship/standings
Aftermath
After securing the Ashes series, Australia's main target now would be to whitewash England in front of a home crowd. They have a genuine opportunity to win an Ashes series 5-0 for the first time in eight years. Australia last swept England in the 2013/2014 season. On the other hand, England will be hoping to avoid a humiliating whitewash by gaining some Test Championship points before the end of the Ashes series. The fourth Test will begin on January 5 in Sydney, followed by the fifth Test on January 14 in Hobart.
Read BPL 2022 squads at a glance after draft
Bangamata 6-Nations Volleyball: Bangladesh finishes 5th beating Maldives
Bangladesh women’s team finished 5th in the six-nation Bangamata Asian Central Zone Women’s Volleyball Challenge beating the Maldives by 3-2 sets at the Shaheed Suhrawardy National Indoor Stadium in Mirpur on Monday.
Bangladesh’s Women’s team completed their Asian engagements with winning note beating the Maldives by 17-25, 25-23, 25-18, 23-25 and 17-15 points in their 5th and last match after conceding four successive defeats in which they failed to win even a set -Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.
READ: Asian Volleyball: Sri Lankan team arrive in Dhaka
In the event’s final, Uzbekistan will play Nepal on Tuesday while Kyrgyzstan will meet Sri Lanka in the 3rd place deciding match.
READ: Bangabandhu Volleyball: Nepal, Kyrgyzstan arrive in capital
Fed Cup Football: Mohammedan emerge group champions
Dhaka Mohammedan SC played to a 1-1 draw with newcomers Swadhinata KS in their first match of the Bashundhara Group Federation Cup Football ’21 on Monday.
Captain Souleymane Diabate put the black and white Mohammedan SC ahead in the 39th minute (1-0) at Bir Shreshta Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium, Kamalapur here.
But, their joy for lead did not last long as Nedo Turkovic of Bosnia & Herzegovina restored the parity for Swadhina KS in the following minute (1-1).
Later, in the group deciding play-off match, Dhaka Mohammedan SC emerged group champions beating Swadhinata KC by 4-3 goals in the tiebreaker on Monday evening.
Also read: Fed Cup Football finally kicks-off Sunday
The tournament was supposed to start on Saturday but it could not be rolled out as per the schedule as two participating teams–holders Bashundhara Kings and Uttar Baridhara Club—failed to turn up in the field against Swadhinata KS and Dhaka Abahani Ltd respectively.
However, the tournament kicked off on Sunday with Saif Sporting Club playing 1-1 draw with Bangladesh Police FC in the match at the same venue.
Meanwhile, the BFF disciplinary committee in its meeting on Monday took punitive action against Bashundhara Kings and Uttar Baridhara Club for the incident.
The disciplinary committee banned Bashundhara Kings and Uttar Baridhara Club for the next edition of Federation Cup Football and also imposed a fine of Tk five lakh each against two teams, which will be deposited to the BFF office by January 27 next year.
Also read: Fed Cup Football: Kings, Uttar Baridhara prove true to their word
Besides, Swadhinata KS declared winner by 3-0 goals against Bashundhara Kings and Dhaka Abahani Ltd declared winners, also by 3-0 goals, against Uttara Baridhara Club.
Earlier, BPL champions Bashundhara Kings were absent for their match mentioning below standard condition of Kamalapur Stadium for professional football and what they see as “bad intension” behind late change in the fixture.
Earlier, three premier division clubs – Bashundhara Kings, Muktijoddha Sngsad KC and Uttara Baridhara Club –informed the BFF in writing that they would not play the Federation Cup in the unplayable conditions at Kamalpur Stadium.
After Saturday’s incident, BFF Senior VP and Chairman of the professional league committee Abdus Salam Murshedy, MP said the Federation Cup Football will go ahead with the teams willing to participate and the fate of first day’s two ill-fated matches will be decided as per rules.
BCL: Shuvagata smashes a ton, Irfan takes five
Veteran allrounder Shuvagata Hom Chowdhury hit a century for Walton Central on Monday in the ongoing Bangladesh Cricket League (BCL) at Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Before Shuvagata, Soumya Sarkar also scored a ton in the same innings. Riding on their superb batting efforts, Central Zone scored 481 in their first innings against BCB South Zone. In reply, South Zone posted 91 for one at the end of day two with Pinak Ghosh remaining not out for 67.
READ: Tamim, Mashrafe roped in by Dhaka for BPL 2022
In the other match, Islami Bank East Zone are trailing by 127 runs against BCB North Zone. At the end of day 2, East Zone were batting for 17 for none in their second innings. Earlier, in the first innings of the match, Islami Bank posted 166 for all wickets. In reply, Noth Zone scored 310 all wickets riding on 91 off Tanzid Hasan Tamim. In this innings, Ifran Hossain of East Zone bagged five wickets.
READ: South Africa-India 1st Test Gets Underway with KL Rahul's Splendid Century
BPL 2022 squads at a glance after draft
The new season of Bangabandhu Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) is just around the corner. The draft of this season has taken place on Monday at a hotel in Dhaka.
A total of six teams will take part in this year’s BPL, and the matches will be played in three venues across Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.
BPL will kick off on January 21 at Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium.
The participating teams had a good chance to sign one local and three international players directly. The teams have grabbed the chance well.
Also raed: Tamim, Mashrafe roped in by Dhaka for BPL 2022
Some notable local players failed to draw the attention of the teams. Former Bangladesh captain Mohammad Ashraful remained unpicked along with allrounder Nasir Hossain and legspinner Aminul Islam.
Here are the post-draft teams:
Chattogram Challengers: Shoriful Islam, Afif Hossain, Shamim Hossain, Mukidul Islam Mugdho, Chadwick Walton, Rayad Emrit, Rezaur Raja, Sabbir Rahman, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Akbar Ali, Naeem Islam, and Direct Signings: Nasum Ahmed, Benny Howell, Kennar Lewis, Will Jacks.
Cumilla Victorians: Liton Das, Shohidul Islam, Imrul Kayes, Tanvir Islam, Kusal Mendis, Oshane Thomas, Ariful Haque, Nahidul Islam, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Sumon Khan, Mominul Haque, Mahidul Islam Ankon, Parvez Hossain Emon, Abu Hider Rony, Mehedi Hasan Rana, and Direct Signings: Mustafizur Rahman, Faf du Plessis, Moeen Ali and Sunil Narine.
Dhaka: Tamim Iqbal, Rubel Hossain, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shuvagata Hom, Mohammad Shahzad, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Mohammad Naim, Arafat Sunny, Imranuzzaman, Shafiul Islam, Jahurul Islam, Shamsur Rahman, Ebadot Hossain, and Direct Signing: Mahmudullah Riyad, Isuru Udana, Najibullah Zadran and Qais Ahmad.
Also raed: Six-team Bangabandhu BPL kicks off on January 21
Fortune Barishal: Nurul Hasan Sohan, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mehedi Hasan Rana, Fazle Mahmud, Obed McCoy, Alzarri Joseph, Towhid Hridoy, Ziaur Rahman, Shafiqul Islam, Shykat Ali, Niroshan Dickwella, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Salman Hossain, Irfan Sukkur, and Direct Signing: Shakib Al Hasan, Mujeeb Ur Rehman, Dhanush Gunathilaka and Chris Gayle.
Khulna Tigers: Mahedi Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Kamrul Islam Rabbi, Yasir Ali, Seekkuge Prasanna, Sikandar Raza, Farhad Reza, Rony Talukdar, Khaled Ahmed, Jaker Ali, Nabil Samad, and Direct Signings: Mushfiqur Rahim, Thisara Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Naveen-ul-Haq
Sylhet Sunrisers: Mosaddek Hossain, Mohammad Mithun, Al-Amin Hossain, Nazmul Islam Apu, Ravi Bopara, Angelo Perera, Anamul Haque Bijoy, Shohag Gazi, Alok Kapali, Muktar Ali, Shiraz Ahmed, Mizanur Rahman, Nadir Chowdhury, Jubair Hossain Likhon, Shafiul Hayat Ridoy, Sunzamul Islam, and Direct Signings: Taskin Ahmed, Dinesh Chandimal, Colin Ingram and Kesrick Williams.
Australia Snatch Complete Control of Third Ashes Test
At the end of day two, Australia have absolute control of the third match in the Ashes series 2021/2022. England need 51 more runs to escape an innings defeat with six wickets in hand. If Australia win this Test match, they will clinch the series with two games to spare. Following that, Australia will aim to finish the series with a total of 60 points. On the other hand, losing this series will surely be a major blow for England in their quest for the ICC Test Championship final of the second cycle. Let's take a look at the current scenario of the third Ashes Test.
AUS vs ENG Third Ashes Test 2021: Match Scenario
England must win the third Ashes Test in order to stay in the series. They will have to put in some outstanding performances to overcome an inspiring Australian team. Considering the current situation of the play, England's chances of winning this Test are very slim.
England’s First Innings
England batted first and they were knocked out for only 185 runs in the third session of day 1. Once again, England's top order struggled with the bat, losing both openers for 13 runs. Dawid Malan and Captain Joe Root tried to rebuild the innings With 48 runs between them. The Australian captain Pat Cummins struck again for the hosts, sending Dawid Malan back to the pavilion just before lunch.
Read South Africa-India 1st Test Gets Underway with KL Rahul's Splendid Century
Joe Root (50), Ben Stokes (25), and Jos Buttler (35) sought to put up some resistance in the middle but were unable to prolong their innings. England lost all of their wickets within the first hour of the third session. Pat Cummins and Nathan Lyon each took three wickets for Australia.
Australia’s First Innings
In reply, Australia gained an 82-run lead in the first innings before being bowled out for 267 in the second session on day 2.
David Warner (38) and Marcus Harris (76) got Australia off to a good start with a 57-run opening partnership. Australia failed to form any big partnership in this innings, although they did have several successful stands that allowed them to gain a significant lead in the first innings.
England's most efficient bowler in this innings was veteran pacer, James Anderson. He took the most wickets with four with an economy rate of 1.43.
Read South Africa-India 1st Test Gets Underway with KL Rahul's Splendid Century
England’s Ongoing Second Innings
England needed to get off to a good start in order to overcome Australia's 82-run lead. However, they lost wickets at regular intervals in the second innings, just as they did in the first. England are 31/4 at the end of day two of the third Ashes Test, which means they need another 51 runs to avoid an innings loss.
Joe Root (12*) and Ben Stokes (2*) both have stayed unbeaten, and they will have to shoulder most of the responsibility if England are to post a substantial score in the second innings. Mitchell Starc and Scott Boland each have two wickets for Australia so far.
Verdict
England batters have suffered a lot in the ongoing Ashes series 2021-2022. In other words, the Australian bowling unit outperforms the English batters. The best result England can hope for in this encounter is to avoid an innings defeat. With Australia's strong bowling attack, even averting an innings defeat appears to be a long shot at this point. This underwhelming English Test team has a small chance of winning at least one match in the remaining Ashes series.
Read Bangladesh’s Iconic Sports Achievements in 2021
Tamim, Mashrafe roped in by Dhaka for BPL 2022
Bangladesh ODI captain Tamim Iqbal and former captain Mashrafe Bin Mortaza have been roped in by Dhaka for the Bangabandhu Dhaka Premier League (BPL) which is set to be played from January 21 in three venues in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.
A total of six teams are taking part in the new season of BPL. Five of them are sponsored by local business groups while one, Dhaka, is sponsored by the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB).
Read:Soumya hits a ton as BCL 3rd round gets underway
Ismail Haider Mallick, the member secretary of BPL, said, at the start of the player draft on Monday at a hotel in Dhaka, that the Dhaka team is owned by BCB for now.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no BPL was held in 2020 and 2021.
The other teams that are taking place in this season of BPL are based on Fortune Barishal, Cumilla Victorians, Chattogram Challengers, Khulna Tigers and Sylhet Sunrisers.
South Africa-India 1st Test Gets Underway with KL Rahul's Splendid Century
The three-match Test series between host South Africa and visitors India started on Boxing Day at Centurion's SuperSport Park. This is South Africa's first ICC Test Championship series in the second cycle (2021-2023). India, on the other hand, is in the third series in the tournament's second edition. After electing to bat first, India finished day one with a total of 272/3. KL Rahul's brilliant century has taken India to a good total in the first innings. Take a look at the highlights from the opening day of the first Test between South Africa and India.
SA vs IND 1st Test 2021: First Day Highlights
Centurion is known for producing sporting pitches over the years. As per the statistics, team bat first has won 11 matches, team bat second has won 12, and just three matches have ended in a draw. By these stats, the team that can outperform the opposition in every department has a better chance of succeeding on this ground.
Given South Africa's current batting prowess, India captain Virat Kohli felt that putting up a high total in the first innings would be the best tactic against the Proteas in a Test match. The openers answered well, putting together a 117-run partnership.
Read England stages 2nd-day Ashes revival at MCG amid virus scare
First Session
Both KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal were keen on being firm at the crease in order to bat for extended periods of time. They were wary about two of the best fast bowlers in the world right now and didn’t make unnecessary efforts to increase the run rates. Both batsmen were able to deal with a powerful South African bowling unit by using better techniques. India were 83/0 in 28 overs at lunch, with Mayank Agarwal scoring the most runs of the two batters.
Second Session
After the post-lunch session, South Africa had to wait more than an hour for the much-needed first breakthrough. South African players asked for Ibw after Lungi Ngidi's rising up delivery hit Mayank Agarwal's front pad. The on-field umpire was unsatisfied. The Proteas captain Dean Elgar took the review and reply showed that the ball would hit the leg stump. Mayank Agarwal returned to the pavilion after a well-made 60-run knock.
New batter Pujara just faced one ball in the first inning because Ngidi hit again with an excellent length delivery in the next ball. South African bowlers made some adjustments in the second session. They aimed outside the off-stump channel in the first session, but they delivered as many balls as possible in the good length area in the second session. This strategy worked out perfectly for the host.
Read Guide to the Ashes, Test cricket’s biggest stage
Third Session
India was under some strain after losing two wickets in a row. The pressure from the South African bowlers was soaked up by an 82-run partnership between Captain Virat Kohli and KL Rahul. Ngidi struck again with an outside off delivery to Virat Kohli in the next session, who was batting at 35. Kohli went out to play Ngidi's outside off delivery, but a thick edge only found Mulder at first slip. Virat Kohli has gone another innings without scoring a century. He hasn't struck an international century since the Pink-ball Test against Bangladesh in 2019.
The South African campaign aimed to put extra pressure on India's batting line-up, but an unbroken 73*-run partnership between KL Rahul and Ajinkya Rahane rescued the day. With 40*, Rahane has stayed unbeaten, while KL Rahul has struck an unbeaten 122*, his seventh Test century. Rahul has played a classical knock which will boost his confidence to perform even better in Test cricket.
Only Lungi Ngidi has been a successful bowler for South Africa, having taken all three Indian wickets so far.
Read 3rd Ashes test: Boland test debut, England makes 4 changes
Verdict
India have made a strong start in the series-opening Test match against South Africa with a strong batting showing from the openers. KL Rahul is renowned for being a perfect batsman in limited-over formats, but his recent efforts in the longer-version format have shown that the right-hander is also capable of unleashing his full potential in Test cricket. Indian campaign is concerned over Virat Kohli's longest century drought. Virat must overcome his psychological barrier in order to achieve the three-figure mark on the international stage. The second day of the South Africa-India 1st Test will be crucial for both teams, with India aiming for a huge first-innings total and South Africa aiming to keep India under 400.
England stages 2nd-day Ashes revival at MCG amid virus scare
A COVID-19 scare involving two members of England’s support staff delayed the start of Monday’s second day of the third Ashes cricket test and led to speculation that the series could be under threat if further outbreaks occur.
Resuming on 61-1 in reply to England’s first-innings total of 185 on a green-tinged pitch at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Australia added 70 runs for the loss of three wickets, reaching 131-4 at lunch. Australia trails England by 54 runs on the first innings.
Nightwatchman Nathan Lyon departed for 10, caught behind off the bowling of Ollie Robinson. Mark Wood made the key breakthrough by removing world No.1-ranked batter Marnus Labuschagne, who was caught at first slip for one at 84-3.
Steve Smith looked tentative in his innings of 16 and was out bowled by James Anderson at 110-4.
Opener Marcus Harris was 48 not out with Travis Head on 11 at the first break.
In a day of early drama, Cricket Australia released a statement confirming the COVID-19 outbreak within the England camp, which delayed the team’s arrival at the MCG and caused a 30-minute delay to the start of play.
Read: Guide to the Ashes, Test cricket’s biggest stage
“Cricket Australia has been informed that two members of the England cricket team’s support staff and two of their family members have returned a positive COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test,” the statement said.
“The affected individuals are currently isolating. The entire playing group and all other support staff have undertaken Rapid Antigen Tests this morning and all have tested negative. The England cricket team will also have PCR tests today, and both teams will take extra precautions throughout play.”
A statement from the England Cricket Board had earlier revealed the team and management were at the team hotel awaiting results of COVID tests “following a positive test in the team’s family group.”
The Australian Seven Network’s television coverage of the match has also been affected. A member of the broadcast staff tested positive to the virus, forcing commentators to isolate as the network called in a fresh team.
Australia captain Pat Cummins was unable to play in the second test in Adelaide after becoming a close contact of a COVID-19 case.
Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, England’s tours of South Africa and Sri Lanka were abandoned mid-tour due to COVID concerns.
Australia leads the five-match series 2-0, which means England needs to win all three remaining matches to regain the Ashes.