LPL bio-bubble success to continue for England tour
English cricketers who are expected in early January to complete their postponed two-match Test series will undergo on-arrival antigen tests in addition to the regular PCR tests.
Visitors to the country are usually subjected to a PCR test on arrival in addition to the two tests done 72 hours apart before boarding a flight. But health authorities will also conduct an antigen test to determine infection sensitivity of the players.
The touring party will arrive on a chartered flight on January 2 and be subjected to a seven-day quarantine at the Shangri-La hotel in Hambantota. During this period, the team will be able to train and prepare (for five days from January 5-9) at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium.
England will play two Tests against Sri Lanka starting on January 14, both at the Galle International Stadium to manage the bio-secure bubble — a concept that has become the new norm in view of the global pandemic.
Sri Lanka is the first South Asian country to resume cricket successfully, conducting the Lanka Premier League–a domestic T20 league–that faced multiple challenges from postponements to player withdrawals to attracting investors.
“We will follow a similar bio-secure bubble for the England series,” said Prof. Arjuna de Silva, Head of the Sri Lanka Cricket Medical Committee. “We were successful in conducting the LPL without any health issues and all credit to all those involved in the process. It wasn’t easy but we delivered while adhering to health protocols.”
With Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa firmly backing the home-grown T20 league, after several high-profile meetings involving Government top ranks including President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the authorities finally relaxed the quarantine procedures, giving the greenlight to play the tournament within a bio-secure bubble.
The concept was first successfully followed by the Americans to conduct their National Basketball Association league and was later introduced to cricket by the English as they successfully hosted all their summer games despite a rising number of Covid patients in their own backyard.
Sri Lanka has now notched an achievement even India–which shifted their flagship tournament IPL to the UAE–couldn’t manage.
“This needed a lot of commitment,” Prof de Silva said. “From doctors at the Epidemiology Unit to Army Commandos who provided security, from cricket officials to hotel workers and all doctors and medical staff–they did an exceptional job and we managed to pull off a successful tournament. The support extended by the Minister of Sports was excellent. Without his involvement, the Government nod would not have been possible.”
All participants were extensively tested for the virus with local players being subjected to two PCR tests before entering the hotel while foreign players had to go through three tests (two tests 72 hours apart before arriving and again on arrival). All individuals were tested on the third day, sixth day and thereafter each third day.
“This is highly labour intensive and costly,” Prof de Silva admitted. “But under the new normal, this is the best way to conduct sporting events in the country.”
He also appreciated the work done by Dr. Daminda Attanayake, Deputy Director of the Sports Medical Unit at the Ministry of Sports. The LPL will end on Wednesday. Five teams competed in 23 games to decide the winner of the inaugural edition.