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Kent's T20 Blast squad in isolation after one positive Covid-19 test

Kent's T20 Blast squad has been forced into self-isolation after one member tested positive for Covid-19.

The Spitfires secured their quarter-final place in this season's competition with an emphatic nine-wicket win at The Oval against Surrey on Friday night.

Kent's Jordan Cox and Darren Stevens celebrate the wicket of Surrey's Tim David on Friday. Picture: Keith Gillard (49060504)
Kent's Jordan Cox and Darren Stevens celebrate the wicket of Surrey's Tim David on Friday. Picture: Keith Gillard (49060504)

But, following a PCR test carried out on Saturday, Kent have confirmed the positive case and it means the whole squad are now deemed close contacts and have to self-isolate for 10 days.

Kent have named a vastly-weakened side to take on Sussex in the four-day County Championship game from Sunday morning, with overseas player Heino Kuhn - who was not in the T20 squad - captaining the side.

The XI also included first-teamers Harry Podmore, Matt Quinn, Nathan Gilchrist and Marcus O’Riordan, with 2nd XI members making up the rest of the line-up.

Kent chief executive Simon Storey said: “With the emergence of the Delta variant and recent release in lock down restrictions, the club has been conscious of the increased possibility of an outbreak.

“Overnight, the club has worked swiftly to identify a replacement squad that will be ready to take on Sussex in the much-anticipated Canterbury Cricket Week, and will also be preparing for the final two matches of the group stages of the Vitality Blast, with a quarter-final berth already secured.”

Joe Denly - in action for Kent on Friday night - is among the players having to self-isolate. Picture: Keith Gillard (49060278)
Joe Denly - in action for Kent on Friday night - is among the players having to self-isolate. Picture: Keith Gillard (49060278)

Kent captain Sam Billings is already in self-isolation after he was part of the England ODI squad that saw a number of positive Covid-19 tests on Tuesday. Kent's Zak Crawley was then called into the England set-up when they named an entirely new set of players for the current series against Pakistan.

Read more: All the latest sports news in Kent

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