England confirm South Africa white-ball tour

South Africa will return to action when they host England next month, playing six white-ball matches against Eoin Morgan's side.

 
 

England will head to South Africa next month for three ODIs and as many Twenty20 matches behind closed doors at bio-secure venues in Cape Town and Paarl.

The South African government has given the green light for the tour to go ahead and England will fly out on November 16.

Eoin Morgan's side will be based in Cape Town prior to a T20 series that starts at Newlands on November 29 and finishes at the same venue after a match at Boland Park, Paarl.

The Proteas and the world champions will play the first and final match of the ODI series, which gets under way on December 4, at Newlands, with Boland Park again hosting in between.

England will also play 50-over and T20 intra-squad practice matches at Newlands and Boland Park on November 21 and 23 respectively.

It will be South Africa's first international action since the coronavirus pandemic brought sport to a halt in March.

Kugandrie Govender, acting chief executive of Cricket South Africa (CSA), said: "This is a wonderful boost for cricket and, although all the matches will have to be played behind closed doors, I am sure that our Proteas fans will rally behind South Africa's favourite team as they always do, but just on alternative digital and social media platforms.

"The fact that England are the current World Cup champions will add tremendously to the two series and will give our own players every motivation to perform at their very best to challenge the reigning champions."

The news comes amid off-field controversy, with Nathi Mthethwa, South Africa's minister of sport, having claimed CSA failed to comply with an investigation into the organisation's governance.

Meanwhile, Victor Mpitsang has been appointed as CSA's national convenor of selectors and starts the role on November 2.