England arrive in Sri Lanka for two-match test series amid tight coronavirus protocols | Cricket News

English touring party tests negative for coronavirus after arriving in Sri Lanka for a series of tests; group sprayed with disinfectant after landing in Hambantota; England train Tuesday afternoon if another batch of coronavirus tests come back negative

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England players exploded with disinfectant after arriving in Sri Lanka on a scheduled flight ahead of the two-match Test series later this month (Video – ECB)

England’s test team has reached Sri Lanka amid tight coronavirus protocols ahead of the two-game series later this month.

The party went through Covid-19 tests – all of which have come back negative – and were disinfected by disinfection by staff in full protective clothing after arriving on a scheduled flight into Hambantota.

England – who carried the entire travel party on a negative test for coronavirus before leaving London – will now stand apart in their hotel rooms in Hambantota until Tuesday afternoon.

The entire group will be tested again for coronavirus Tuesday morning and if the results come back negative, they will be able to train for the first time later that afternoon as they prepare for the first Trial from January 14th.

Joe Root and his team in England have arrived in Sri Lanka ahead of the two-match Test series

Both tests will be held behind closed doors in Galle, with the second match starting on January 22, after which England will fly to India for a four-Test series against Virat Kohli’s men.

The England series in Sri Lanka was scheduled to take place in March 2020 but was postponed due to a pandemic of coronavirus while the tourists were in the midst of a warm-up match.

Sri Lanka vs England

14 January 2021, 4:00 am

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Strict measures are in place to treat coronavirus in Sri Lanka, which has reported 211 deaths and 44,371 cases, according to Johns Hopkins University.

The Sri Lankan government suspended commercial flights entering the country from the UK last month, forcing England to travel by plane with a private charter.

Sri Lanka’s men’s team are currently playing the second and final Test of their series in South Africa – Dimuth Karunaratne’s men, who suffered the injury, missed the opening game with innings at Centurion.

Root supports Buttler as the first-choice keeper

Root has said it will give Jos Buttler a “very special situation” to lose the wicket-keeping gloves in Sri Lanka despite having Ben Foakes in their squad.

Foakes was the English Player of the Series when they sealed a 3-0 thrashing in Sri Lanka at the end of 2018, getting 277 runs at an average of nearly 70, and is widely regarded as one of the all-rounders. best save in the game.

However, the 27-year-old’s final Test scene in the West Indies came in early 2019 and is likely to remain a backup with Root seeing no reason to make a change after a summer home Buttler strong in 2020, which included a 152 -best post against Pakistan.

Root led England to a 3-0 series defeat in Sri Lanka at the end of 2018

Root said: “When it comes to team selection, we’ll look at the situations, we’ll consider everything and we’ll call when we’re out there.

Jos Buttler is looking forward to wearing the retaining gloves against Sri Lanka

“What I’m saying is that we have Jos coming off the back of 150 and probably some of the best form you’ve seen in test cricket. As far as I’m concerned, it must be his really special position to change that. .

“Jos, as a senior member of the squad in big form, was an integral part of our success this late summer. I am thrilled that he will take that form forward.”

Watch the first Test between Sri Lanka and England, from Galle, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 4am on Thursday, January 14th.