England coach Chris Silverwood will miss the fourth Ashes Test at the SCG after a family member of the touring party tested positive.
The English camp has now recorded seven cases of COVID-19, the most recent tests administered on Wednesday returning one new positive on Thursday morning, an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) statement confirmed.
Silverwood and his family will now isolate for 10 days in Melbourne and be unable to make it to Sydney for the New Years Test beginning January 5.
England players, support staff and their families will now undergo a fourth successive round of PCR tests on Thursday.
It’s yet another blow for the English, who are already down 3-0 through the first three Tests.
Silverwood was under significant pressure after the mammoth loss in the Boxing Day Test with a number of his selections questioned throughout the series.
It is likely he will be available for the fifth Test in Hobart if he does not return a positive test in the coming days.
The 46-year-old is the sole selector for the side and it is currently unclear what influence he will have ahead of the SCG Test.
Enland were late arriving to the ground ahead of play on Day 2 at the MCG after a member of the touring party testing positive, with the cluster continuing to grow since.
Read the full ECB statement below
England touring party has a seventh positive COVID-19 test.
Following the latest round of PCR tests administered to the England Men’s touring party on Wednesday 29 December, one family member has tested positive.
As a result of the positive test, England Men’s Head Coach Chris Silverwood will have to isolate for 10 days, along with his family, in Melbourne and will miss the fourth Ashes Test due to start in Sydney on Wednesday 5 January 2022.
A fourth successive round of PCR tests will be administered today (Thursday). The touring party have recorded seven positive cases - three support staff and four family members - since a PCR testing regime was implemented on Monday 27 December.
Both teams - England and Australia - are due to fly to Sydney via a chartered flight on Friday morning.