South Africa v England: Tourists wait for news on positive coronavirus tests

England do not expect their two “unconfirmed positive tests” for coronavirus to be independently ratified until Tuesday.

Games on Friday, Sunday and Monday have already been called off because of a range of positive tests.

There is an ODI planned for Wednesday, with England departing on Thursday.

The two unnamed members of the England party that have tested positive for Covid-19 continue to self-isolate in their rooms at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town.

Whereas there was a time on Sunday when all players and staff were in isolation, those with negative tests were allowed to use the open spaces of the hotels grounds on Monday.

The Vineyard Hotel forms part of the ‘bubble’ in which the series is being held, with players only leaving to train and play.

All three matches in the T20 series – which England won 3-0 – were unaffected, despite two South Africa players testing positive for coronavirus and another two being placed in isolation.

Friday’s first one-day international was called off when it emerged that an unnamed South Africa player had returned a positive test.

A subsequent round of testing in the South Africa camp gave negative results in the entire squad, and the three ODIs were set to take place on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday.

However, following two members of the Vineyard Hotel staff testing positive on Saturday, England underwent precautionary testing.

And, after Sunday’s game was called off 30 minutes before the scheduled start, England announced that two members of their touring party had given positive tests.

At the time, England said a decision on the rest of the matches in the series would be taken after the positive tests had been independently ratified, only for Monday’s game to be called off late on Sunday night.