England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) on Sunday (June 27) informed that ICC match referee Phil Whitticase, who officiated the England-Sri Lanka T20I series, has given a positive COVID-19 test.
Whitticase, the former Leicestershire wicketkeeper-batsman, was proven affected by the contagious virus following a PCR test which was conducted on June 25.
ECB confirmed that Whitticase “is well and is asymptomatic”, with the board adding that
He will now observe a period of 10-days of self-isolation from 25 June, in accordance with the UK Government’s protocol on quarantine.
In their media release, the ECB mentioned clearly that there is no impact of Whitticase’s positive test on the players from both sides, which would be a sigh of relief for everyone involved.
The board, however, said
Seven other members from the match officials and anti-corruption unit teams were deemed (in) close contacts with the ICC match referee and will now have to self-isolate until July 7, a period of 10 days.
Five of these seven members are those who were about to officiate the first of the three ODIs that England will host Sri Lanka for on Tuesday (June 29) in Durham. The second and third ODIs of the series will be played on July 1 and 4 at The Oval and in Bristol, respectively.
The ECB will now make “alternative arrangements” to ensure that the rest of the Sri Lanka visit can go ahead without any hiccups.
England, having won the T20I series in dominating fashion across matches in Cardiff and Rose Bowl, will now take on the visitors in a three-match ODI series, the matches of which count towards the ICC Super League. The Super League, announced last year by the ICC, determines seven direct qualification spots, alongside hosts India, for the 2023 World Cup.
