Three South Africa women cricketers test positive for COVID-19 ahead of training camp for England tour

Three members of the South African women’s cricket team tested positive for the COVID-19 virus ahead of assembling for a training camp to prepare of a proposed tour of England.

Cricket South Africa on Friday said a total of 34 tests were conducted on the players and support staff with the infected trio, who were not named, being removed from the preparations, which start in Pretoria on Sunday.

They will have to self-isolate for 10 days.

South Africa plan two separate training camps over the next month in anticipation of getting government permission to travel to England for a series of limited-overs internationals in September.

South Africa’s strict COVID-19 lockdown has been loosened to allow sports teams to begin practising but there have been no matches apart from an exhibition game last weekend.

Some 24 players were called up for the camps, which is the first time they have assembled since reaching the T20 Women’s World Cup semi-finals in Australia in March.

The proposed tour to England is part of preparations for the Women’s World Cup in New Zealand next year.