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The Ashes 3Rd Test Threat Looms Large Over Series After Covid 19 Outbreak

The Ashes | 3rd Test | Threat looms large over series after Covid-19 outbreak

After a few Covid-19 positive cases emerged in the English camp, the fate of Ashes 2021-22 is currently undecided. As England's support staff and players await their PCR reports, it is still to be decided if the play will resume on Day 3 of the ongoing Boxing Day Test match in Melbourne.

For the unversed, Covid-19 did not spare the Ashes as two members of England support staff and two of their family members tested positive for the virus just hours before the start of day two of the Boxing Day Test.

Fortunately for the fans as well as the players, the others tested negative for the virus in the Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). Following the tests and a half-hour delay, Day 2 went ahead smoothly according to schedule;

However, the threat does not end here as the English camp will now undergo PCR tests, the reports of which may arrive in the morning of day 3. Hoping that the reports come negative, the players will then be allowed to step onto the field.

Going by the words of the England team's Spokesman, the future of the match is uncertain and they are yet to be conveyed of the provisions if the players need to be isolated after being deemed as a close contact of the positive members.

"We're all having PCR tests now. And obviously, we need all those to be clear, really, if possible, so we'll just have to wait and see what the results are," James Anderson was quoted as saying to the reporters.

Cricket Australia Chief Executive Nick Hockley was reluctant to make changes to the schedule of the series and ruled out the possibility of moving the fourth Test match from Sydney to Melbourne.

"We've got great confidence in the protocols. This is something that we're all having to live with," Hockey said to the reporters.

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SA vs IND | 1st Test, Day 2: Spells of rain wash entire day's play

Intermittent spells of rain played spoilsport and washed the entire day’s play of the second day of the first Test between India and South Africa at SuperSport Park in Centurion. India were to resume their batting effort from a position of relative strength at 273/3 on the back of a century from KL Rahul and classy batting from Ajinkya Rahane and Mayank Agarwal. However, their progress in the game has been halted by the rain and now the tourists will have to force the issue if they want to make the best use of their batting performance on the first day. The Proteas would not mind rain interruptions and washouts on the second day as they can expect Indian batsmen to make mistakes when trying to make things happen on the third day. Also, they will have to face less time on the field giving examination against Indian bowling attack and could get away with a draw despite poor bowling performance on the first day. The weather forecast for the third and fourth day looks promising but the fifth and final day of the Test too is under serious clouds of uncertainty and the hosts would be delighted to end the game without handing India a 1-0 advantage in three-match long series.

BBL 2021-22 | Ben McDermott hits powerful century to drive Hurricane's big win over Adelaide Strikers

Ben McDermott continued his red-hot form with the bat and scored his second T20 century to lift the Hobart Hurricanes for a big win over the Adelaide Strikers in the 22nd game of the ongoing edition of the Big Bash League. He launched a brutal onslaught against Strikers’ bowlers and thumped a 60-ball 110 with the help of 12 fours and five big. He did not get out and walked back to the dugout only after winning the game for the Hurricanes to clinch the Man of the Match award from the game. Chasing a target of 176 runs which would have appeared a stiff one after the fall of an early wicket in the form of Matthew Wade, but the partnership between McDermott and D’Arcy Short took the attack to the Strikers’ bowling attack. Strikers’ bowlers, in particular, George Garton Wes Agar travelled the journey and conceded 30 runs and 44 runs in their three overs and three and a half overs stint in the game. Earlier, the Strikers won the toss and the skipper Peter Siddle asked his batsmen to put runs on the board. They were rocked early when Tom Rogers pinned Matthew Short in front of the stumps but they too had a similar repair work as the Hurricanes went to produce in their chasing effort. Jake Weatherald find timely boundaries and allowed Matt Renshaw to flourish from the other end. The duo brought a partnership of 118 runs from 79 balls and the Strikers were in with a chance to post a huge total. Thomas Kelly got them to the point where they intended to reach with a quickfire 18-ball 28 and the Hurricanes could not stop the Strikers from posting a huge total. Riley Meredith picked up three wickets but could not stem the flow of runs and the Strikers were made to chase a big total. With the win, the Hurricanes succeeded in resurrecting their run in the tournament and rankings on the points table with three wins and as many losses in six games this season while on the other hand, the Strikers slipped further on the table and have only won against their names from six games of this season.

SA vs IND | 1st Test: Proteas clarify Duanne Olivier's exclusion, Marco Jansen's debut opportunity

The non-selection of Duanne Olivier sparked outrage on Twitter and the commentary box on the first day of the first Test against India but South Africa have clarified that the pacer was not considered due to the lingering effects of Covid-19 that he contracted last month and hamstring niggle. When South Africa skipper Dean Elgar announced at the toss that the left-arm pacer Marco Jansen was to make his Test debut, there were speculations and criticism of the Proteas team for not opting for the pacer’s experience. "Duanne Olivier is healthy and well, but did return a positive Covid-19 test result a number of weeks ago, which forced him to quarantine and took time away from his training ahead of the current Betway Test series against India," ESPNcricinfo quoted the convenor of selectors, Victor Mpitsang, as saying. "This [Covid-19] did take place while he was away with the intention to spend time with his family and his workloads were not where the selection panel would have wanted them to be by the time he entered the team bubble ahead of the first Test match," Mpitsang added. "He picked up a hamstring niggle during the two-day, inter-squad match at the start of the camp and the selectors did not want to risk him unnecessarily when there are two more Test matches to think about." The lack of experience showed up as Jansen could not deliver accurate spells of bowling on the first day and allowed Indian batsmen plenty of loose deliveries to score off. He produced some wicket-taking deliveries as well but lack of accuracy between good balls was remarkably evident and the Indian batting order was in full form to capitalize on his misery. However, Mpitsang defended the selection of Jansen in the side and hinted that he was not brought into the playing XI only because of injury concern to Olivier. He said that the left-armer was a “standout performer” with the ball in the A series against India A earlier this month and deserved the opportunity to bowl to the star-studded Indian batting lineup. "Statistically, Marco Jansen was the standout performer with the ball against India A in their recent tour to South Africa and the selectors backed him to take on the senior India team and do well," Mpitsang said. India motored along to 272/3 at the end of the first day’s play and Jansen failed to pick up even one wicket while conceding 61 runs from his 17-over long first day at the Test level.

Super Smash 2021-22: Auckland steal away a win in thriller against Central Districts

Auckland chased down a big target of target of 169 runs, courtesy a brilliant knock from Martin Guptill who struck 79* off 58 against Central Districts. Auckland didn’t have a great start to the chase and were reduced to 34/3 before Guptill and captain Robert ODonnell provided the resistance with a partnership of 70 runs for the fourth wicket. Robert ODonnell was eventually out for 34 off 26 but Guptill continued with his stroke play. Later, Guptill was joined by Ben Home and the two batters chipped in with a 30-run stand for the sixth wicket. Home scored a brisk 27 off 9 as Auckland eventually went over the line. Earlier, in the day, Central Districts had a decent start as openers Bayley Wiggins and Greg Hay scored 59 runs for the first wicket. Wiggins was then dismissed for 37 off 25 but Hay notched up a fifty. He was then joined by Cleaver and the two batters scored 68 runs for the second before Hay was sent back for 57. The Central Districts side then lost a few wickets at regular intervals but put up a decent score of 168/5 in 20 overs on the board. Lockie Ferguson returned with figures of 2/24 in 4 overs while Adithya Ashok picked up one wicket for 24 runs in 4 overs for the side.