West Indies v Ireland: Two players isolating with Covid-19 ahead of ODI series

Paul Stirling and Shane GetkateInpho

Paul Stirling and Shane Getkate are both isolating after testing positive for Covid-19

Two Ireland players are isolating with Covid-19 as the squad prepares to fly to Jamaica for their upcoming three-match ODI series and one Twenty20 international against the West Indies.

Paul Stirling and Shane Getkate have tested positive but are likely to join the squad around 9 January dependent on subsequent Covid tests being negative.

George Dockrell also tested positive but has been cleared to travel.

Ireland are scheduled to play their first ODI in West Indies on 8 January.

The two further ODIs are to be played at Sabina Park on 11 and 14 January, with the T20 game on 16 January.

The group has been based in Florida in recent days, playing out a 1-1 drawn T20 series against the USA, before their ODI series had to be cancelled because of issues around Covid-19 involving both sides and the umpires.

A round of PCR tests taken by the Ireland squad revealed Stirling, Getkate and Dockrell had all contracted the virus, with Stirling and Getkate now undertaking a mandatory 10-day quarantine.

Dockrell, however, tested positive prior to travelling to the USA and has a recovery certificate from that infection, plus a subsequent test indicated he had likely picked up dead virus cells from his previous infection.

Cricket Ireland also reported that Harry Tector and Gareth Delany have both successfully completed their quarantine periods and will travel with the squad on Friday.

Captain Andrew Balbirnie and Andy McBrine, previously listed as close contacts of positive cases, are set to join the squad in Jamaica after 2 January as long as they produce negative results prior to departure.

'A challenging time for all'

Richard Holdsworth, high performance director for Cricket Ireland, said: "It is a challenging time for all, but the players have responded very well to operating within the managed environment over the last two weeks.

"A managed environment is different to a bio-bubble, and is an approach being used currently to try to find that balance between risk mitigation from the virus and impacts of sustained periods of isolation on the mental and physical health needs of players and staff.

"Part of this new approach is the ability to have several partners travel with the squad. However, these additional people are required to abide by the same testing and travel protocols as the players.

"However, the transmissibility of this latest strain of the virus has not spared us - nor indeed the USA squad, nor the umpires in our recent series - and overnight three players have now tested positive.

"These are the only three Irish players to date that have tested positive since entering the managed environment, albeit we also have two players isolating as registered 'close contacts' of positive cases too. These latter players tested negative subsequently, but will need to do so again before they join the squad in Jamaica.

"We have seen sport all around the world negatively impacted by this virus still and, like all sporting organisations trying to continue with sport during the pandemic, we are adapting quickly and responding to the needs of those in our duty of care.

"We have an extended squad with us on this tour so will be able to cope with these absences pending no further outbreaks.

"We are also working closely with Cricket West Indies to ensure that both parties are satisfied with the current arrangements in place."

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