Following new COVID-19 variant in UK, SLC waits for fresh health guidelines for tour

Joe Root, who will lead the England Test team to Sri Lanka, in conversation with Head Coach Chris Silverwood

By Sa’adi Thawfeeq

Following the outbreak of a new COVID-19 strain in the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka Cricket has had to go back to the Ministry of Health for fresh guidelines for England’s cricket tour to Sri Lanka starting next month.

Prior to the outbreak England had agreed to the health guidelines laid down by the Sri Lankan health authorities and the tour confirmed.

“Everything had been confirmed including the health guidelines and what has been proposed, but now with the new COVID issue in the UK, the Health Ministry will let us know what the current status is,” said Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Ashley de Silva.

“We are in touch with them and we will then take it forward from there. We are expecting to hear from them within the course of today (Monday) and we should be able to finalise everything.”

The England cricket team led by Joe Root is expected to arrive in Sri Lanka on 3 January at the Mattala international airport and travel straight to their hotel, the Shangri-La in Hambantota, where they will undergo a quarantine period of eight days.

“England would be allowed to practice because they are moving from bubble to bubble, and they will also be coming on a chartered flight. They will practice at Hambantota. From bubble to bubble they will then move into the Galle Lighthouse hotel for the two Tests.

“England would be training on their own following the normal health guidelines where we will not even provide the net bowlers. They will train and play warm-up matches amongst themselves in Hambantota.”

The English and Sri Lankan teams will be housed in different hotels and will also practice at different venues over the course of the tour. The two teams will not meet until the start of the first Test.

The Sri Lanka team, according to De Silva, would also be coming from a bubble in South Africa and travelling directly to Galle, where they will be staying at the Le Grand Hotel. They will train at the Galle International Cricket Stadium – venue for the two Test matches against England starting on 14 January and 22 January. Sri Lanka, who are currently touring South Africa, will complete their two Test series on 7 January.

The 21-member squad that has been picked for the South African series would also serve for the two home Tests against England.