Last Updated on 4 years by Charbel Coorey

Cricket News: South Africa home season under a cloud due to new COVID-19 variant | Concerns growing around COVID-19 variant in South Africa

COVID-19 cases have risen three-fold in South Africa this week, with a new variant identified in the country. As a result, South Africa’s international home season, which begins today with an ODI against The Netherlands, is under a bit of a cloud as scientists meet with The World Health Organisation (WHO) this week.

According to ESPNCricinfo correspondent Firdose Moonda, The Netherlands’ management team will meet with Cricket South Africa (CSA) officials today to discuss the status of their ODI series. The Dutch are in South Africa currently for a three-match ODI series as part of the ODI Super League, but there will be discussions around whether the second and third ODIs will go ahead as planned.

Impacted cricket season due to COVID-19 will significantly hurt Cricket South Africa

South Africa is set for a bumper season, headlined by India’s visit for three Tests, three ODIs and four T20Is from mid-December. It is a highly anticipated series given South Africa’s quality at home and India’s improvement away from home over the past decade. Also, the West Indies women’s team is scheduled to tour the country ahead of next year’s Women’s ODI World Cup.

An affected season will significantly impact CSA financially, as was the case in a tough 2020/21 season. England cut their tour short due to COVID-19, and Australia cancelled their Test tour at the 11th hour leaving Graeme Smith and co. frustrated and disappointed.

For now, it is a bit of a waiting game to see what impact this variant has on the population. Depending on how things transpire, we could see a season of tight bubbles and matches behind closed doors in South Africa.