Second Proteas player tests COVID-19 positive ahead of Eng series

A second unnamed member of the South Africa squad preparing to face England in a six-match home limited overs series has tested positive for COVID-19, officials said on Friday.

The player has been moved away from the hotel where both teams are staying and placed in isolation, while an intra-squad match scheduled for Saturday has been cancelled.

"Cricket South Africa would like to reiterate that it will not release names of affected players because of doctor-patient confidentiality," a statement said.

The positive result came from a second round of testing conducted ahead of the series, South Africa’s first international cricket for eight months.

In the first round of testing ahead of the camp, another unnamed player returned a positive test and he, along with two team mates he was in close contact with, were moved into isolation.

England’s round of testing conducted on their arrival in Cape Town revealed no positive results.

The teams will play three Twenty20 matches and three One-Day Internationals between November 27 and December 9, starting with the shortest format.

All games will be played behind closed doors in either Cape Town or nearby Paarl.