England play down Covid concerns after illness affects build-up to Headingley Test

England docked two WTC points for maintaining slow over rate at Trent Bridge

England’s crew administration have performed down considerations a few potential Covid outbreak throughout the squad for the third Take a look at at Headingley, after the crew’s batting coach Marcus Trescothick examined optimistic for the virus on the identical day because the captain, Ben Stokes, was absent with an unspecified sickness.

Trescothick was absent from the primary day of coaching at Headingley, forward of Thursday’s last Take a look at towards New Zealand, and as a substitute was isolating at dwelling the place he can be monitored every day. Particulars of his return to the set-up can be introduced sooner or later.

On the time of writing, the ECB aren’t imposing blanket testing on the remainder of the gamers and workers except they’re exhibiting signs. A spokesperson for the organisation confirmed that each one are symptom-free at current.

That features the captain, Stokes, who was additionally not on deck in Leeds resulting from sickness. He did nevertheless take a take a look at on Tuesday morning which returned detrimental. He is not going to take a look at once more except his signs are particular to Covid-19.

Stokes fell unwell over the weekend whereas again in Cockermouth and because of this has but to hitch the crew in Leeds. He was initially planning to be in situ on Monday with the squad formally resulting from convene on the floor the subsequent morning for a day coaching session. The expectation is Stokes can be in attendance on Wednesday and can have the ability to take his place within the XI for Thursday’s begin, with England main New Zealand 2-0 going into the ultimate Take a look at.

Trescothick’s optimistic take a look at is England’s first of the sequence, a distinction to their opponents who’ve needed to take care of absences all through the previous few weeks. Henry Nicholls, Blair Tickner, Kane Williamson, Michael Bracewell and Devon Conway have been struck down on this tour, together with two members of workers. Essentially the most dramatic was Williamson, whose analysis happened on the eve of the second Take a look at at Trent Bridge, ruling him out of the match and requiring Tom Latham to deputise as captain.

Williamson, together with Bracewell, returned to coaching on Tuesday morning, whereas Conway’s five-day isolation interval has elapsed. Chatting with the media, Trent Boult confirmed a clear invoice of well being throughout the board: “Everybody’s wholesome and obtainable for choice,” he stated.

17.42GMT This story was up to date following information of Marcus Trescothick’s optimistic Covid take a look at

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