COVID case takes England coach out of SCG

Scott Bailey | December 30, 2021

England coach Chris SIlverwood will miss the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney after the COVID-19 outbreak in the team’s camp grew to seven confirmed cases.

England officials confirmed on Thursday that another family member had tested positive to the virus in their touring party.

The positive case means Silverwood and his family will have to isolate for 10 days, leaving him in Melbourne for almost the entire duration of the fourth Test.

Silverwood is the latest member of England’s staff to be impacted by the outbreak, after three others were unable to attend the end of the MCG Test.

Cricket Australia are adamant the Sydney Test can go ahead as planned, despite rising case numbers in the city and the outbreak in England’s camp.

Both teams will fly to Sydney on a chartered flight on Friday morning, and have an entire hotel complex booked out for them in the city’s eastern suburbs to minimise risk of contracting the virus.