14 Sunday, January 3, 2021 Sports England return for Sri Lanka Tests amid virus surge AFP reported cases when England “The tour will go ahead as port in the south of the island. COLOMBO abruptly pulled out of their planned,” de Silva told AFP The team will be taken to tour during a warm-up match adding that they had moni- a nearby hotel and practice at THE England cricket team ar- in March. They return to an tored the situation on a daily Hambantota international sta- rives in Sri Lanka on Sunday island which now has nearly basis and decided it was safe dium in the same area. They will to resume a pandemic-hit Test 44,000 infections. for to stage the two-matches. not have contact with outsiders. series as the South Asian na- England withdrew from England will undergo Four days before the first tion battles a sudden surge in another tour in South Africa quarantine for 10 days in a Test on January 14, the team infections and deaths. last month because the num- “bio-secure bubble” and be will be driven to Galle, some 125 Joe Root’s team will imme- ber of cases made players feel subjected to frequent testing. kilometres (78 miles) away, for Former diately go into a secure bubble uncomfortable. But the two The England cricket board training at the sea-side stadium on their arrival which comes Tests in Galle are to be played confirmed their players and adjoining a colonial-era fort. India two days after authorities de- under strict health guidelines, support staff had undergone Spectators are not allowed ployed top military officers to cricket officials said. tests prior to leaving. at the two Tests, but ramparts help contain coronavirus cases. England will be permitted “Following the COVID-19 of the Dutch Fort offer a van- captain Sri Lanka was one of the to enter Sri Lanka despite a testing on December 30, the tage view of action at the stadi- least-affected countries but ban on all flights and passen- touring party for the Sri Lanka um. The second Test will start Ganguly the number of deaths has gers from Britain following Test tour have all tested nega- there on January 22. jumped from 13 in early Oc- the discovery of a new mutant Joe Root’s team will immediately go into a secure bubble on their tive,” England spokesman Sri Lanka is facing its second stable tober to 208 on Saturday. The coronavirus strain. arrival which comes two days after authorities deployed top military Danny Reuben said. wave of infections since early WHO has blamed a new strain officers to help contain coronavirus cases. De Silva said the England October. The number of infec- of the virus which may have Kept in isolation team will arrive in a chartered tions which stood around 3,300 after heart come from Scandinavia. Sri Lanka Cricket chief England were being allowed will be tested and certified vi- aircraft and land at Rajapaksa at the start of October has shot operation The country had just six executive Ashley de Silva said to enter on the basis that they rus-free before leaving. International, a little-used air- up to 44,000 by Friday. AFP KOLKATA South Africa INDIAN cricket legend Sourav Five Indian cricketers Ganguly was rushed to hos- sans Rabada pital Saturday where he un- derwent a heart operation, for second doctors said. in quarantine after The 48-year-old, who now Lanka Test heads the country’s cricket board, suffered a heart attack AFP while exercising at his person- Melbourne dinner date JOHANNESBURG al gym in the morning and was immediately taken to Wood- AFP SOUTH Africa have lost their lands hospital in Kolkata, the MELBOURNE leading fast bowler Kagiso capital of West Bengal state. Rabada and Sri Lanka will be “Sourav Ganguly has un- FIVE Indian cricket players without key paceman Suranga dergone an angioplasty and Pakistan’s injured captain Babar Azam trains during the team’s train- currently touring Australia Lakmal for the second and fi- he is completely stable now,” ing session the day before the second Test against New Zealand at were self-isolating on Satur- nal Test starting on Sunday. doctor Saroj Mandal told re- Hagley Park Oval in Christchurch on Saturday. (AFP) day after dining inside a Mel- Cricket South Africa an- porters outside the hospital, bourne restaurant put them nounced on Saturday that where crowds had gathered in potential breach of strict Rabada will not play at the after hearing the news about Covid-19 health measures. Wanderers Stadium with a their beloved former captain. Babar ruled out of 2nd The players - Rohit Shar- view to him being fully fit for A medical team compris- ma, Rishabh Pant, Shubman the forthcoming series against ing five doctors has been set Gill, Prithvi Shaw and Nav- Pakistan and Australia. up to monitor his condition. Test against Kiwis deep Saini - are being kept Rabada missed South Afri- Jay Shah, secretary of the AFP same role in our team. The re- away from the rest of the In- ca’s innings victory in the first Board of Control for Cricket in MOUNT MAUNGANUI (NZ) sult may have been different if dian and Australian squads Test in Centurion because of a India (BCCI), said he had spo- Babar was playing,” he said. ahead of the third Test starting groin strain but rejoined the ken to Ganguly’s family, and PAKISTAN’S talismanic cap- In a tense finish, New in Sydney on Thursday. India’s Rohit Sharma (centre) chats with teammates during a train- squad during the match. he was stable and “responding tain Babar Azam has been Zealand won the first Test The Australian state of ing session at the MCG in Melbourne on Saturday, ahead of the third “The medical team are very well to the treatment”. ruled out of the second Test on Wednesday with 27 balls Victoria, which contains Mel- cricket Test match in Sydney which starts on January 7. (AFP) happy with his progress but in In 2019, Ganguly was against New Zealand starting to spare, and Williamson ac- bourne, is currently working to terms of workload we want to unanimously elected presi- in Christchurch on Sunday knowledged Azam would have stem a cluster of virus cases tied “The BCCI and CA are inves- precaution.” make sure he is in the right dent of the BCCI, the sport’s as he struggles to overcome a strengthened Pakistan. to a wider outbreak in neigh- tigating the matter and seeking Australia won the opening space to compete fully against most powerful body. broken thumb. “He’s one of the best play- bouring New South Wales. to determine whether the outing Test in Adelaide by eight wick- Pakistan and Australia,” a After a successful play- The announcement from ers in the world. He obviously In response authorities constitutes a breach of biosecu- ets, with India levelling the se- team spokesperson said. ing career during which he team doctor Sohail Saleem adds a lot,” Williamson said. now require all restaurant-go- rity protocols,” a statement from ries on Tuesday with an eight Sri Lanka have been even captained his country’s team, came just hours after stand-in “We saw how challenging ers to dine outdoors and main- Cricket Australia said. wicket win in Melbourne. harder hit, with leading fast Ganguly was instrumental in captain Mohammad Rizwan it is against this Pakistan side. tain social distancing. “In the interim, on the The third Test will go bowler Lakmal not expected organising the Indian Premier said Azam had batted well You add Babar to that and it The cricketing quintet advice of the Australian and ahead in Sydney despite a cor- to play because of a hamstring League in the United Arab in the nets but wanted more strengthens it.” were filmed inside the restau- Indian medical teams, the onavirus outbreak in the city, strain that kept him out of the Emirates last year. practice time before being There is a lot at stake for rant by a fan, who then posted aforementioned players have with Brisbane holding the final first Test. The left-handed opener confirmed in the starting XI. New Zealand in the second the clip on Twitter. been placed in isolation as a clash as scheduled. Kasun Rajitha and Lahiru retired from Test cricket in Azam has not played on the Test, where they need to win Kumara both suffered groin in- 2008 having accumulated tour since breaking a thumb to have a chance of making the juries in the first encounter that 7,212 runs including 16 cen- during a practice session soon World Test Championship fi- have ruled them out of action. turies – his first made at after completing a Covid-en- nal at Lords in June. Sri Lanka have also been Lord’s on debut. He also forced 14-day quarantine on New Zealand are vying Warner doubtful over match fitness deprived of three of their top scored 11,363 runs in 311 one- arrival in New Zealand. with Australia, India and Eng- batsmen. Dhananjaya de Silva day internationals. “We have seen an improve- land to make the final two. AFP told media. “Am I going to be tors were still weighing up who and Dinesh Chandimal were Ganguly – popularly re- ment in Babar Azam’s injury A draw or better will con- SYDNEY 100 percent? Highly doubtful.” would be his potential opening both injured during the first ferred to as Dada, which but he is yet to fully recover,” firm New Zealand as number After rejoining team train- partner with Matthew Wade Test, while Oshada Fernando means “elder brother” in Ben- Saleem said.