Concerns that bubble wasn't bio-secure raised anxiety levels: Ashley Giles

England's ODI series against South Africa was cancelled on Monday (December 7) because of growing anxiety amongst the players about the integrity of a bio-secure bubble which Ashley Giles, the director of cricket, says did not meet their expectations.

Five individuals within the bubble were confirmed to have tested positive for COVID-19 over recent days. A member of the South African squad returned a positive test result on Thursday evening, forcing the postponement of the first ODI at Newlands on Friday, and then two hotel staff at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town tested positive on Saturday evening.

As a result, a subsequent round of testing was ordered for the England squad and two of the party returned "unconfirmed" positive tests on Sunday morning, forcing the abandonment of the rearranged opening fixture. The series was eventually called-off for good on Monday afternoon, local time.

While England still hope that independent verification of the two positive results will return false positives, Giles said that growing anxiety within the playing group meant the team would not be in a fit state to play proposed back-to-back matches on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"It came down to well-being," Giles said. "I don't think it's the last three weeks, it could be the last eight or nine months. These guys have been living in bubbles for long periods and their mental health is the absolute priority for us. Clearly this was a situation for all of us in the bubble. Not just players but management and the South African players and management.

"We felt trying to squeeze two games into two days here when this had been going on in the background was going to be particularly difficult and we're better off calling it and looking to re-arrange these fixtures at a better time."

Giles said the bio-secure bubble that had been put in place by Cricket South Africa for this series did not meet England's expectations although he would not be drawn on the specific concerns.

Three South African players have tested positive for COVID since England arrived in the country and Cricbuzz understands that some within the tourists' party were surprised at how quickly members of the South African squad who had been close contacts of the infected players came out of isolation.

"We were coming into a bio-secure environment and from very early on it appeared it wasn't bio-secure," Giles said. "That raised the levels of anxiety. I think the South African doctor said he could understand our nervousness because of that. And he was right. There's clearly concern when infection springs up in what is supposed to be a bio-secure environment.

"It wasn't just one case in the hotel. There were a couple of staff members who tested positive and a couple of South African players. That's the bit that really affected our touring group. Perhaps we can't guarantee a place is bio-secure. Maybe that isn't realistic and we have to adapt. But that is the environment we expected when we came here."

How the infection has entered the bio-secure bubble has not yet been established. "That's for Cricket South Africa to investigate but as far as I'm aware we haven't discovered a Patient Zero or the source of the infection," Giles said.

"But the positive tests of two of the hotel staff, one of whom had close contact with us, took the players anxiety to another level. We make commitments to our players and staff to keep them safe. They are our employees and that's my most important responsibility."

England expect the result of the independent testing of the two "unconfirmed" positives to be known on Tuesday morning. The two individuals took so-called rapid tests on Sunday, which came back negative, but they need to get the same result on their latest PCR test to be allowed to travel home with the squad on Thursday. If the tests come back positive, both individuals will have to remain in Cape Town for a ten-day stint of isolation.

"I won't be leaving them here," Giles said. "I'll be staying as well. I can't leave those guys behind. Certainly a number of staff will stay and I'll be one of them. We'll probably have some medical cover as well. I believe we'd have to stay in the country for 10 days from the time of the positive test which was two days ago. We're hopeful they're false positives but if that's what has to happen that's what will happen.

"On the back of this an important part of it will be mental health screening. Covid has taught us we need to be agile and learn to adapt. Even in these next three days we need to keep a close eye on our people. We have asked them to be extremely careful and many will stay in their rooms until we fly home."