Hippo south africa

MELBOURNE: World champions South Africa will not take part in the Rugby Championship in a decision that leaves the tournament greatly diminished two weeks before kick-off and southern hemisphere rugby facing an uncertain future. South African Rugby (SARU) said on Friday (Oct 16) that "player welfare" concerns and logistical difficulties left them no choice but to pull the defending champions out of the competition which also features Australia, New Zealand and Argentina. "It seems impossible that the Springboks won’t play a test match in 2020, but public health and safety have been the primary concern and we have been collateral damage like so many businesses," SARU chief executive Jurie Roux said. The annual test tournament was already delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic and is being staged in one country for the first time. It will now consist of six tests, starting with the third Bledisloe Cup clash between hosts Australia and New Zealand in Sydney on Oct 31. South … [Read more...] about Big blow for Rugby Championship as South Africa withdraw

CAPE TOWN: Sunday's One Day International between South Africa and England in Paarl has been abandoned after two hotel workers in the teams' bio-secure environment tested positive for the coronavirus, match host broadcaster SuperSport reported. The start of the game was initially delayed while officials waited for the results of a new round of testing from the England camp, before the decision was made to cancel the game altogether, SuperSport reported. The remainder of the series is scheduled for matches at Newlands on Monday and Wednesday. It is the fourth COVID-19 related incident on the six-match white-ball tour, two of which occurred in the South Africa camp before the matches started. It is the second involving a bio-secure environment. The tour is providing much-needed revenue for embattled Cricket South Africa, who have already had to cut short a tour of India, and missed out on trips to Sri Lanka and the West Indies due to the coronavirus. South Africa and … [Read more...] about First ODI between South Africa, England abandoned after positive COVID-19 cases – SuperSport

CAPE TOWN: Cricket South Africa (CSA) is confident in its COVID-19 protocols despite the postponement of the One-Day International series against England, with interim board chairman Zak Yacoob describing the tourists as having a negative attitude. Yacoob said the postponement of the three match series, at England's request, had caused CSA reputational damage and warned the body would defend itself against "lies" as to the reasons behind the cancellation. The ECB said in a joint statement with CSA on Monday that the decision to postpone the tour was over concerns about the "physical and mental wellbeing" of the touring party. An unnamed South Africa player and two hotel staff members contracted COVID-19 inside the bio-secure environment. Two members of the England touring party initially returned positive test results as well, but these were later cleared as negative. "The fact is that they (the England team) were very negative," Yacoob told reporters on Thursday, … [Read more...] about Cricket-South Africa has faith in COVID-19 protocols despite ‘negative’ England

CAPE TOWN: England’s One-Day International series against South Africa has been postponed amid concerns over the mental and physical health of the players, Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a joint statement on Monday. The anouncement comes after the players were subjected to a number of COVID-19 scares with potentially five cases inside the teams' bio-secure environment in Cape Town, with one South Africa player and two hotel staff confirmed as positive. Two members of the England tour party also have "unconfirmed positive results" that require further investigation, the ECB said on Sunday. "The decision (to postpone the series) was taken jointly by the two Boards to ensure the mental and physical health and welfare of players from both teams," the statement added. "The CSA and ECB will now work together to determine when the three-match series, which forms part of the ICC Cricket Men’s Super League, can take place in the … [Read more...] about England ODI series in South Africa postponed over mental health fears

CAPE TOWN: England's Jonny Bairstow bludgeoned a brilliant unbeaten 86 from 48 balls as the tourists chased down 180 to beat South Africa by five wickets with four balls to spare on a slow wicket in the first Twenty20 International at Newlands on Friday. Sent into bat, South Africa posted a respectable 179 for six in their 20 overs, before claiming early wickets to have England in trouble in their reply. But Bairstow, batting in an unfamiliar number four position, led the fightback as he sat deep in his crease and smashed nine fours and four sixes with the kind of exquisite timing few other batsmen found on the day. The win will be pleasing for captain Eoin Morgan, who said this week he did not know his best XI in the shortest format but could already have had some questions answered ahead of the second fixture in the three-match series in Paarl on Sunday. South Africa’s innings was anchored by the experienced Faf du Plessis (58 from 40 balls), who was especially brutal on … [Read more...] about Cricket: Brilliant Bairstow guides England to victory in first T20 v South Africa