Chaos hits England cricket as entire team isolates with new uncapped squad named

The entire England cricket team has to self-isolate after four members of staff and three players tested positive for coronavirus.

The rest of the team now have to self-isolate as they have been deemed to be close contacts under public health guidelines.

England who are to play Pakistan in Cardiff on Thursday has named an inexperienced 18-man replacement team for the ODI series, with nine players being uncapped.

Chief executive officer Tom Harrison said, “We have been mindful that the emergence of the Delta variant, along with our move away from the stringent enforcement of bio secure environments, could increase the chances of an outbreak.

“We made a strategic choice to try to adapt protocols, in order to support the overall wellbeing of our players and management staff who have spent much of the last 14 months living in very restricted conditions.

“Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to Captain.”

An ECB statement said the England team “will now observe a period of self-isolation from 4 July following the UK government’s protocol on quarantine.

“The remaining members of the party have been deemed close contacts and will also isolate.”

ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison added, “We have been mindful that the emergence of the Delta variant, along with our move away from the stringent enforcement of bio secure environments, could increase the chances of an outbreak.

“We made a strategic choice to try to adapt protocols, in order to support the overall wellbeing of our players and management staff who have spent much of the last 14 months living in very restricted conditions.

“Overnight we have worked swiftly to identify a new squad, and we are grateful to Ben Stokes who will return to England duties to captain.”

The new uncapped England team comprises Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Lewis Gregory, Will Jacks, Tom Helm, Dan Lawrence, David Payne, Phil Salt and John Simpson, although Crawley.

Gregory and Lawrence have previously represented England in other formats, and the 10-day isolation for the players will unfortunately span all three ODIs against Pakistan.