ENG vs SA 3rd Test: Following the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, the third Test between England and South Africa at the Kia Oval has been postponed, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has announced.
On Thursday, the first day of the Test, soon after 6.30 p.m., it was announced that the Queen, who reigned for 70 years, had passed away at the age of 96. The ECB then announced that there would be no scheduled play on Friday. As well as day two of the Test, four ties in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy were slated to be played.
“Following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Friday’s play between England and South Africa Men at The Oval, along with all scheduled matches in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy, will not take place,” ECB stated in an official release. “For fixtures beyond Friday, updates will be provided in due course.”
Due to the heavy weather, Day 1 of The Oval Test was called off without a ball being bowled. After winning the toss, England decided to field. The current score in the series is 1-1.
On the best course of action for the remainder of the Test, the ECB is consulting with the government and other sports. The board announced that ticket holders for day two will be entitled to a complete refund.
According to ESPNcricinfo, the ECB and the Proteas management team met to discuss possibilities, including shifting day two of the Test to Saturday or calling it off entirely. To ease the completion of the series, which is currently tied at one Test apiece, CSA is willing to prolong the team’s stay in the UK and was happy to accept whatever the ECB board judged fit.
ECB Chair Richard Thompson said: “I’m sure I speak for everyone in the game when I say how truly sad I am to hear of the Queen’s passing. Her Majesty has been such a great supporter of the game and was always so vocal of her and her late husband’s enjoyment around the sport. Her dedication to her country will never be forgotten. For her service and her selflessness over her extraordinary reign, we owe her a debt that can never be repaid.”
Follow MadOverCricket for the latest cricket news, cricket match updates, live cricket scores, cricket series updates, and more!
