Stars tested on Sri Lanka arrival
ENGLAND have touched down in Sri Lanka ahead of the two-Test series between the teams later this month, with a number of stringent coronavirus protocols in place for their arrival.
A 23-man playing group, comprising of 16 squad members and seven reserves – including Lancashire’s Jimmy Anderson, Jos Buttler, Saqib Mahmood and Matthew Parkinson - plus coaching staff were tested for Covid-19 on landing at the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport in Hambantota following a chartered flight.
Each member of the travelling party, who were sprayed with disinfectant by airport staff wearing full protective suits, returned negative test results - as was the case before they left London.
They will now begin their mandatory period of quarantine in Hambantota, starting with isolating in individual hotel rooms until tomorrow, when they will be subject to another round of screening for the virus.
If those results come back negative then the players will be able to train tomorrow afternoon, starting preparations for a series which was supposed to take place last March but was postponed because of the pandemic with England already in the country.
Both Tests will take place behind closed doors in Galle, with the first match set to start on January 14 and the second scheduled to begin eight days later.
There are strict measures in place to cope with coronavirus in Sri Lanka, which has reported 211 deaths and 44,371 cases according to Johns Hopkins University.
The Sri Lanka government suspended commercial flights arriving into the country from the UK last month, meaning England had to travel via a privately chartered plane.
Meanwhile, England captain Joe Root has backed Buttler as firstchoice wicketkeeper despite Ben Foakes being in the squad.
“When it comes to the selections of the teams, we’ll look at the conditions, consider everything and make a call when we’re out there,” said Root.
“What I will say is we’ve got Jos Buttler coming off the back of a 150 and in probably some of the best form you’ve seen him in in Test cricket.
“As far as I’m concerned, it will have to be a really unique situation for that to change.
“Jos, as a senior member of the squad in great form, was an integral part of our success in the back end of the summer. I’m really excited for him to carry that form forward.”