ZCZC
BSP-09
CRICKET-RSA-ENG-BOUCHER-HEALTH-VIRUS
I had virus without knowing it, admits South Africa coach Boucher
CAPE TOWN, Nov 19, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – South Africa head coach Mark Boucher
revealed Thursday that he had been a victim of coronavirus without knowing he
had contracted the disease.
Boucher was speaking ahead of limited overs series against England, which
starts with the first Twenty20 international in Cape Town on November 27.
An unnamed South African player tested positive for Covid-19 when the
South Africans assembled Wednesday.
He and two others, with whom the infected player had close contact, have
been separated from the rest of the squad and will stay in isolation while
being monitored by the team’s medical staff.
According to a statement from Cricket South Africa, all three were
asymptomatic.
Boucher said he sympathised with the affected players.
“Sitting alone in a room for six or seven days is very tough,” said
Boucher, adding that he had been fortunate to have had a mild dose of the
disease.
“I didn’t even know I had it,” he said. “I felt a little down for one or
two days. I had been throwing down to some players in the nets and felt some
aches and pains.”
“Covid is bigger than sport,” said Boucher.
He said that in line with a call from President Cyril Ramaphosa for a
period of mourning, he expected flags to be at half-mast during the first two
matches in honour of victims of coronavirus and gender-based violence and it
was possible that players would wear black armbands.
– ‘Tough issues’ –
But he indicated that it was unlikely players would “take a knee” as they
did before a three-team domestic match in July.
“It’s not something we have to continue to show, it’s something that we
have to live.”
Boucher said he welcomed the series against England after a bruising
winter during which Covid, boardroom battles and controversy over racism
dominated headlines.
“We have to put that behind us. We are in a position to put some good news
in South African cricket,” he said.
“We had some tough issues to deal with,” he said of a ‘culture camp’ in
August, held at a time when fissures in race relations in South African
cricket were exposed.
Boucher said he was happy with the outcome of the camp.
“We have started afresh and restructured our values,” he said. “It is all
based on performance. We want to be nice and aggressive, but we need to be
smart.”
Boucher said he was not concerned about being in a “bio-bubble” until the
series ends on December 9.
“We’ve been on tours where there have been security issues which have
meant we have had to stay in our hotels.
“We are in a fantastic hotel with lots of open space and we have spoken to
other teams that have been in bubbles.”
Playing international matches with no spectators would be an unusual
experience, “but there will be no lack of passion and we know that people
will be watching us”.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1800HRS