(UTV | COLOMBO) – In a major blow to Sri Lankan team, their senior player Angelo Mathews has tested positive for Covid-19 and will not play from Day 3 of the Galle Test against visiting Australia.
He was ruled out of the game on the third morning (Friday) just prior to play starting. Oshawa Fernando will come in as his replacement.
A Sri Lanka Cricket statement confirmed the news, “He (Angelo Mathews ) was found to be positive during a Rapid Anti-Gen Test Conducted on the player. The test was done, as the player was feeling unwell. He has been isolated from the rest of the team members and is following covid-19 protocols.”
🔴 Angelo Mathews tested positive for Covid-19.
He was found to be positive during a Rapid Anti-Gen Test Conducted on the player.
The test was done, as the player was feeling unwell. He has been isolated from the rest of the team members and is following covid-19 protocols. pic.twitter.com/6fUBT7D04z— Sri Lanka Cricket 🇱🇰 (@OfficialSLC) July 1, 2022
Sri Lanka opted to bat first after winning the toss and made 212 runs in it’s first innings. In reply Australia scored 321 all out, taking a 109-run first innings lead.
The series is being played for the Warne-Muralitharan Trophy, named after the two top bowlers in Test history with 1,508 combined wickets.
This is the first series for the trophy after Australian great Shane Warne died in March from a heart attack while vacationing in Thailand.