South African players test negative for COVID-19, first ODI on Sunday

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Saturday announced that its cricket team has returned negative results from the Covid-19 tests conducted after their first ODI against England was postponed due to one of the South African team players testing positive earlier.

The news means that the first ODI will be played on Sunday as per the revised schedule made on Friday.

"Cricket South Africa (CSA) is pleased to announce that the entire Proteas team has returned negative results from the Covid-19 tests that were conducted in Cape Town ahead of the three-match, Betway One-Day International (ODI) series against England," a statement from the CSA said on Saturday.

"The series opener will get underway as scheduled at Eurolux Boland Park on Sunday at 10:00," the statement added.

The South African cricket board had earlier said that they will retest its players and the hotel staff after the first ODI against England on Friday was postponed to Sunday due to a Proteas player testing positive.

A second test is scheduled to be conducted on Tuesday.

"We have met with the English medical teams and we have kind of planned out a way and we will retest all of our players and hotel staff. We will await the results and determine the course of action and then on Tuesday, before the final ODI on Wednesday, we will retest the team again," Dr Shuaib Manjra, the South African team doctor, had said after Friday's game was postponed.

The amended tour schedule is as follows:

Sunday, December 6, 2020 - 1st ODI, Paarl (day match)

Monday, December 7, 2020 - 2nd ODI, Cape Town (day-night match)

Wednesday, December 9, 2020 - 3rd ODI, Cape Town (day-night match)