Sydney
\nAustralia\u2019s Ashes campaign was thrown into chaos Friday with batsman Travis Head testing positive for Covid-19 and ruled out of next week\u2019s fourth Ashes Test against England.
\nThe number five, who made a swashbuckling 152 in the first Test at Brisbane, will remain in Melbourne and isolate for seven days.
\n\u201cUnfortunately, Travis returned a positive Covid-19 result earlier today,\u201d Cricket Australia said.
\n\u201cThankfully, he is asymptomatic at this stage. We anticipate that he will be available to play in the fifth Ashes Test in Hobart.\u201d
\nIs it not clear whether other Australian players were close contacts.
\nMitchell Marsh, Nic Maddinson and Josh Inglis have been called into the squad as cover, but the experienced Usman Khawaja is favourite to take Head\u2019s place and play his first Test since the 2019 Ashes.
\nHead is the latest positive coronavirus case on the Ashes tour with England\u2019s under-pressure coach Chris Silverwood also out of the Sydney Test after a family member failed a test.
\nThe touring party has so far registered seven positives — three support staff and four family members — since a PCR testing regime was implemented on Monday after the virus was first detected during the Boxing Day Test.
\nEngland fast bowling Coach Jon Lewis, spin coach Jeetan Patel and strength and conditioning boss Darren Veness are reportedly among those in isolation.
\nInternational Cricket Council match referee David Boon, who has officiated at every Test so far, will also be absent in Sydney after he too tested positive.
\nAustralia have already retained the Ashes after comfortable wins in the first three Tests at Brisbane, Adelaide and Melbourne and are looking to sweep England in the best-of-five series.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Sydney Australia\u2019s Ashes campaign was thrown into chaos Friday with batsman Travis Head testing positive for Covid-19 and ruled out of next week\u2019s fourth Ashes Test against England. The number five, who made a swashbuckling 152 in the first Test at Brisbane, will remain in Melbourne and isolate for seven days. \u201cUnfortunately, Travis returned a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-236188","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n