The second One Day International (ODI) between the West Indies and Australia was postponed moments before the first ball at Kensington Oval, Barbados yesterday after a positive COVID-19 test emerged from a non-playing member of the West Indies camp.
As a result, the remainder of the tour and upcoming series for both teams are in doubt.
The toss had taken place and teams named when the test result came through sending both squads, match officials and TV crew into isolation at the hotel.
A Cricket West Indies (CWI) statement said: “The second CG Insurance ODI between West Indies and Australia has been postponed due to a positive COVID-19 test result from a non-playing member of the West Indies staff.
“This decision was taken after the toss at Kensington Oval once the result was known.
“The established COVID-19 protocols stipulate that all members of both teams and match officials will return immediately to the team hotel and will be re-tested later today. They will remain in isolation in their hotel rooms until their PCR-Test results are returned.
“A decision on when the match will be replayed will be made at a later date once all the test results are confirmed.”
Johnny Grave, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Cricket West Indies said that it was hoped that the results of the fresh round of tests would be known by this morning.
A Cricket Australia spokesman added: “The Australian squad has returned to the team hotel and is in in-room isolation. No further comment will be made at this stage.”
The status of the 2nd One Da International, given that the toss had taken place, remains to be confirmed. The match carries World Cup Super League points.
The COVID-19 positive test has put the remainder of the series in doubt with the final One Day International scheduled to take place tomorrow in Barbados, and will also throw uncertainty over Australia heading to Bangladesh for the five-match Twenty/20 International series which was confirmed yesterday.
After this series West Indies are due to meet Pakistan in a five-match Twenty/20 International series to be followed by two Tests.
After their tour of England, Pakistan arrived in Barbados on Wednesday. The first two Twenty/20 Internationals are scheduled to be played at Kensington Oval.
West Indies had previously been impacted by COVID-19 while playing with Hayden Walsh Jr. testing positive on the tour of Bangladesh earlier in the year.
It is the first time Australia have been directly involved during the pandemic since cricket resumed. They toured England last year before hosting India in their home summer and then visiting New Zealand for Twenty/20 Internationals. Their Test tour to South Africa in February was postponed due to concerns around Covid-19.
