England have been forced to hastily revise their final preparations for the Boxing Day Test due to the illness bug sweeping the camp, with Friday’s warm-up against South Africa A downgraded from first-class status.
Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer and Jack Leach all missed the opening match against an Invitational XI after being hit by flu-like symptoms, which have got progressively worse over the past two days.
On Thursday three other members of the squad, including Joe Denly, and two of the coaching staff were struck down by a similar condition, forcing England’s appeal to the home board to render the three-day fixture in Benoni as a friendly.
Cricket South Africa has named a strong side for the match and were prepared for an intense contest but agreed to the switch, earning England’s considerable gratitude.
It is unlikely Broad, Archer or Leach would have been cleared to play in a fully fledged competitive match and, should they have missed their last chance of a meaningful tune-up, England’s plans for Centurion would have been on the brink of disarray.
As it is they are no longer bound to name an XI and can utilise their full squad over the course of the next three days, raising the prospects of two of their leading pacemen and their first-choice spinner banking some game time ahead of the series opener.
The development will frustrate head coach Chris Silverwood, who is keen on first-class warm-up matches in a bid to combat England’s reputation as slow starters on tour, but in the circumstances it is the pragmatic move. Silverwood may still rue the lack of an extra pace option, though.
Mark Wood is part of the travelling squad but is not expected to be available until the third Test at the earliest, and whether an additional bowler should have been drafted in as cover will be a point of discussion.
