England coach Chris Silverwood will miss the fourth Ashes Test in Sydney after the COVID-19 outbreak in the touring team’s camp grew to seven.

Silverwood awoke on Thursday to the news that he had been identified as a close contact, after a family member in the touring party contracted the virus.

The under-fire England coach returned a negative result in the latest round of tests, but will remain in Melbourne and isolate for 10 days.

With the Sydney Test starting on Wednesday, he is not expected to be available for any of the match, when England must attempt to regroup after surrendering the series 3-0 in less than 12 days of cricket.

Batting coach Graham Thorpe is expected to take over as England’s head coach in the interim, with their cricket staff now torn apart by the outbreak.

Bowling coach Jon Lewis and spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel are believed to be among others staying behind in Victoria as well as strength and conditioning coach Darren Veness.

The latest case has sparked fears of the outbreak growing again within the England camp.

A member of the family group felt unwell on the night of Boxing Day, and rapid tests the following morning showed a positive case.

The entire touring party was then rapid tested on the morning of day two, with all players returning negatives but a total of four cases found in the tour party.

Those four results were then backed up by PCR tests later that night, providing a further two cases in non-playing members of the group.

Officials continue to cross their fingers that the virus has not spread to the playing group.

The England players are being tested daily under a new regime introduced following the initial positive case, with the rest of the series remaining under some threat.

England players are due to share a chartered flight with the Australians to Sydney on Friday, before they all stay at a hotel booked out exclusively for the groups.

Cricket Australia are adamant the Sydney Test can go ahead as planned, despite raidly rising case numbers in the city and the outbreak in England’s camp

AAP

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