England coach Chris Silverwood will miss fourth Ashes Test after Covid outbreak

Covid continues to threaten the Ashes tour with David Boon, the match referee, becoming the eighth person involved in the series to test positive this week. The two teams will travel to Sydney on Friday on separate flights to cut the infection risk.

On Friday England will also learn the results of their last round of testing after six members of the touring party tested positive during the Boxing Day Test.

Chris Silverwood will miss the Sydney Test after a member of his family returned a positive test. He will isolate for ten days, missing the entire fourth Test just as he fights for his job. As a close contact Silverwood could be released after seven days but is understood to want to make sure his family, who will remain in Melbourne, are settled before he leaves them to join up with England. Seven days would mean that he is released after the first day of the fourth Test.

In Silverwood's absence Graham Thorpe will take charge of the team, providing he does not test positive himself. Two other England coaches, Jon Lewis and Jeetan Patel, have tested positive, further hampering England’s preparations at just the wrong time.

Boon will miss Sydney but is expected to be back for the fifth Test in Hobart. Australia’s rising covid cases caused the Big Bash fixture between Perth Scorchers and Melbourne Stars to be postponed on Wednesday.

“It's not ideal but it's been that sort of tour,” said James Anderson after learning of Silverwood’s situation. “Something has been happening all the time. Lots of stuff away from the cricket which can cause distractions, so it's something we have to deal with. We've got two Tests and we have to restore some pride and try and compete - that's our main focus as players. We have to block out what's happening off the field and focus on the fourth and fifth.”