Australia captain Pat Cummins emerges from second ash test after coming into contact with case of Covid | Ashes 2021-22

[ad_1]

Australia’s best preparations for the Ashes Test were thrown into disarray ahead of the start of play at the Adelaide Oval as captain Pat Cummins was left out after being identified as having close contact with a positive Covid-19 case.

Just hours before Thursday afternoon in Adelaide, Cummins turned out to be dining at a restaurant in the city on Wednesday night when a person at the next table was identified as a positive.

Cummins left the venue immediately and immediately notified cricket authorities, but the exposure was deemed sufficient to force the speedy player into isolation for seven days, under South Australian health protocols.

Mitchell Stark and Nathan Lyon were dining in the same restaurant as Cummins, but at a separate outdoor table. They are considered unofficial contacts and therefore they can play for free.

Cummins, who earned a five-point distance in the first Test at Gabba, will be replaced by the number one Test player Michael Neser in the Australian starting lineup at the Adelaide Oval. Steve Smith will step up to lead the team for the first time since he was stripped of the captaincy in the wake of the 2008 ball-tampering scandal.

Travis Head, who took Cummins head-on in the first Test in Brisbane in a century, steps into Smith’s shoes as interim deputy captain.

Strict biosecurity bubbles were not implemented for this series, giving the players of Australia and England as many liberties as possible. There is no indication that Cummins broke any rules, but the incident could prompt a review of protocols for the rest of the series, with the following matches in Melbourne and Sydney.

“Cummins was dining in a restaurant last night and did not breach any biosecurity protocols,” the CA statement read. “He was isolated as soon as he learned of the situation and has since undergone a polymerase chain reaction test, which has yielded a negative result.

“We anticipate that he will be available to play in the men’s third Ashes Test at the MCG in Melbourne. It is understandable that Cummins is very disappointed not to be able to lead Australia in the day and night test in Adelaide.”

Australia are seeking a 2-0 lead in the Adelaide series after a convincing win in Gabba last week put them in the driving seat.

[ad_2]