Second South Africa v England ODI postponed as series is thrown further into doubt

The Newlands day-night match has been delayed as the ECB await the results of the independent assessment of the unconfirmed positives in the camp

• South Africa v England: First ODI cancelled again after two positive tests at hotel

• Sir Alastair Cook expects South Africa-England series to be abandoned: "It is pretty much impossible"

South Africa and England have agreed to postpone the second one-day international at Newlands as uncertainty grows over the remainder of the tour.

The Newlands day-night match scheduled for Monday (December 7) will not take place as the ECB await the results of an independent review of the two unconfirmed positives for Covid-19 in the camp.

Talks between the ECB and Cricket South Africa are planned once the findings have emerged.

Despite the latest setback, which has followed three positive cases in The Proteas camp and two more among the staff working at the hotel where both squads are staying, there remains hope some 50-over matches could go ahead.

The first ODI has already been postponed twice, but games may yet be held on Tuesday and Wednesday (December 7 and 8). England's players are scheduled to leave South Africa on Thursday, with some due in Australia for the men's Big Bash League.

The squads remain in self-isolation at the team hotel at least until the results from the latest round of testing have been ratified. Players were assessed again after the two hotel staff tested positive on Sunday (December 6).

However, England's lack of confidence in the bio-secure bubble formed to protect players could yet see the tour pulled regardless of the outcome of the independent evaluation, which will attempt to decipher is the results represent false positives.

The series had been set to go ahead after all 18 of South Africa's players returned negative results on Saturday (December 5).

In the first leg of the tour, England won the T20 series 3-0.

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