LONDON: Three members of the New Zealand touring party have tested positive for Covid-19 on the morning of the squad’s first tour match in England against Sussex in Brighton.
Batsman Henry Nicholls, seamer Blair Tickner and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen were flagged after a round of tests on the first morning in Hove and will undergo five days of isolation.
Nicholls was already expected to miss the match after the left-hander picked up a calf strain in a training camp earlier this month. The middle-order batter is in the midst of rehab in an effort to be fit for selection for the first Test, and a five-day isolation period is unlikely to aid his recovery.
Medium-pacer Blair Tickner has yet to represent New Zealand in the longer format of the game, although the 28-year-old has picked up two One Day International caps and made eight T20I appearances for his country.
An official statement from New Zealand Cricket has confirmed that the remainder of the squad have all returned negative tests and will continue the four-day match as planned, with further regular testing planned throughout the tour.
New Zealand are also currently missing captain Kane Williamson, who is at home awaiting the birth of his second child, and Indian Premier League contingent Tim Southee, Trent Boult and Daryl Mitchell.
The defending World Test Champions are preparing for a three-Test series against England which begins at Lord’s on 2 June, with matches at Trent Bridge and Headingley to follow.
The Black Caps will remain in Europe after the Test series, with white-ball fixtures in Ireland, Scotland and Netherlands extending the tour through into August.
