The second one-day international between West Indies and Australia has been suspended due to a positive COVID-19 case, confirmation of which at the eleventh hour before the scheduled commencement in Barbados.
Players, support staff and match officials were informed about the news soon after the toss had been completed, with both teams immediately making their way back into their respective dressing rooms. The game was called off and it is learnt that all personnel inside the bubble will be moved into isolation, as per a report by Cricket Australia.
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The positive case is not supposed to be an Australian, according to the report. Both teams, as well as broadcast and match officials, have been in a bio-secure bubble for the five-T20 and three-ODI series being carried out on the Caribbean islands of St Lucia and Barbados.
It is sad news for Riley Meredith, who was set to make his ODI debut and had his cap presented to him by Aaron Finch moments before the ill-fated discovery. Australia were scheduled to play the Windies in a third ODI on Saturday, but the development has put the rest of the tour in considerable jeopardy.
Subsequently, the next month’s T20 tour of Bangladesh is also under the cloud. The Aussies are set to fly to Dhaka next week after only confirming the series would go ahead on Thursday (AEST).
It is the first time the virus has penetrated the bubble of a series involving Australia. The men’s team have previously toured the United Kingdom and New Zealand without any roadblocks.
