USA v Ireland: Tourists call up Josh Little after quartet test positive for Covid-19
- Published
George Dockrell and Harry Tector have tested positive for Covid-19
Ireland have brought paceman Josh Little into their squad to play the United States after four players tested positive for Covid-19.
Barry McCarthy, George Dockrell, Harry Tector and Gareth Delany will join up with the squad after completing isolation periods.
Craig Young was identified as a close contact and is not permitted to travel from Northern Ireland for 10 days.
The first of five games in Fort Lauderdale will be played on Wednesday.
Ireland will become the first Full Member nation to tour the United States in a five-match series during the festive period.
It is also the first-ever multi-format white-ball series between the men's sides - Twenty20 internationals on 22 and 23 December will be followed by one-day internationals on 26, 28 and 30 December.
Ireland opener William Porterfield is dismissed by USA spinner Timil Patel in the World Twenty20 qualifier in Belfast in 2015
McCarthy and Dockrell both tested positive during pre-series testing in Ireland while Tector and Delany, already in Florida having played in the recent US T20 Open tournament, have begun their 10-day in-room isolation.
Assistant coach Gary Wilson has delayed his departure to Florida "after it appears he received a false positive report" on his pre-series Covid test. He is being re-tested, and if clear, will fly out on Sunday.
Little is currently playing in the Lanka Premier League but will now travel for the games at the Central Broward Regional Park Stadium.
"We have experienced a few last minute complications related to Covid but with the extended travelling squad that we have taken, and the recall of Josh Little , we don't foresee any issues with the series proceeding as scheduled," said Richard Holdsworth, high performance director for Cricket Ireland.
"Several of our players have had their departures from Ireland delayed, but we are hopeful they can join the squad in Florida in a few days."