Sri Lanka-England cricket Test to start on Thursday

England will finally play the first cricket Test on Thursday in Sri Lanka with the coronavirus still causing problems, AFP reported.

Joe Root’s team, missing Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, need a convincing win in the two-match series to keep alive their hopes of reaching the World Test Championship final.

All-rounder Moeen Ali is also out of the two-Test series’ opener after testing positive for the coronavirus on arrival in the island on Jan. 3.

The players, living in a bio-secure ‘bubble’ in Sri Lanka, have remained united throughout, according to wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow.

“Everyone’s together. That’s been a strength of the team, the unity. It’s been a real key throughout this whole period of COVID-19,” he said in the AFP report.

Bairstow, who last played a five-day match in late 2019, is expected to return to the Test team in Galle.

All-rounder Chris Woakes admitted that chances of him playing the first game remain “quite slim” after being a close contact of Moeen and isolating for seven days.

“I was certainly hoping to force my way in and with no Stokesy here it emphasises that an all-rounder’s role which myself or Sam Curran could fill to balance the team a bit,” said the paceman and a right-hand batsman, who started training with the squad on Monday.

Moeen’s initial 10-day quarantine was extended on Tuesday after he experienced mild symptoms and fatigue as England officials complied with the Sri Lankan government’s cautious approach when it comes to COVID-19 cases.

In his absence, Dom Bess and Jack Leach will be the premier spin bowlers in the 18-member squad although, with spinners likely to play a big part in the series, England could also call on their travellng reserves Mason Crane, Matt Parkinson and Amar Virdi.

“We can play plenty of spin if required,” England coach Chris Silverwood insisted in the AFP report.