COVID case casts doubt over West Indies, Australia series
Published:Thursday | July 22, 2021 | 9:40 PMLennox Aldred/Gleaner Writer -
Members of the West Indies and Australia cricket teams are today awaiting results from another round of COVID-19 testing, this after a member of staff within the bubble recorded a positive test, which forced the suspension of the second One-Day International (ODI) at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Thursday.
Minutes after the toss was spun and Australia was scheduled to bat, the news came through of the positive test of a West Indies support staff member.
The players were then ushered off the field to their respective dressing rooms before boarding the team buses to the hotel within the biosecure bubble.
"This decision was taken after the toss at Kensington Oval once the positive COVID-19 test result was known and confirmed by the Barbados Ministry of Health officials," Cricket West Indies chief executive Johnny Grave said. "Everyone will be re-tested later today. In the meantime, everyone will remain in isolation in their rooms until those PCR test results are confirmed.
"We'll make a further decision on when the match can be replayed at a later date once all the test results are back in by hopefully [Friday] morning.”
The positive case has now put the rest of the series in doubt, with the third ODI originally scheduled for Saturday.
Over the last 14 days, Barbados has reported 196 active cases, with total infections now reaching 4,302 cases since the start of the pandemic and the overall death toll standing at 48, with 4,058 recoveries.
This is the third instance of a COVID-19-positive case within the West Indies camp.
The West Indies are scheduled to take on Pakistan in a five-match Twenty20 (T20) International series followed by two Tests. Pakistan arrived in Barbados, where the first two T20s are to be played.