Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is pleased to confirm that Friday’s Vitality Blast match between the Northamptonshire Steelbacks and Gloucestershire at The County Ground will go ahead as scheduled.
Ensuring the health and safety of players, staff and officials has been the priority for the ECB and First-Class Counties since the Bob Willis Trophy match at Bristol was abandoned on Sunday due to a COVID-19 related issue.
The Club can now confirm the three players who came into contact with a team-mate, who tested positive for COVID-19 but was not part of the squad in Bristol, have since tested negative for COVID-19.
Under Government and ECB guidelines these players are required to isolate until Tuesday 15 September, when they will be available for selection. The player who tested positive for COVID-19 will continue to self-isolate for the mandatory 10-day period from onset of symptoms.
In addition, all members of the Steelbacks playing and coaching staff have also undergone COVID-19 testing, with no positive tests reported.
Non-isolating players will return to training tomorrow ahead of Friday night’s match, including keeper-batsman Adam Rossington who re-joins the squad having overcome a finger injury that saw him miss the previous two fixtures.
The ECB Board has confirmed a recommendation from an ECB Technical Committee regarding the abandoned Bob Willis Trophy match between Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire. Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire shall be awarded eight points each for a draw from the match, plus bonus points accrued before the abandonment.
