CA chief explains decisions to ban fans, suspend women's tour

UPDATE: Kane Richardson has been cleared of contracting coronavirus after he returned a negative result to COVID-19 testing today. He received the all-clear about 8pm AEDT and was released from his hotel room quarantine to travel to the SCG for the opening Gillette ODI against New Zealand.

EARLIER: Australia arrived to the Sydney Cricket Ground today one squad member short, with fast bowler Kane Richardson quarantined after reporting a mild sore throat last night.

Having returned from South Africa this week with the Australia’s ODI squad, Richardson informed the team's medical staff last night of the complaint and has been tested for COVID-19.

The 29-year-old is reportedly feeling fine and will immediately come to the ground if tests return a negative result.

"Our medical staff are treating this as a typical throat infection but we are following Australian Government protocols that require us to keep Kane away from other members of the squad and perform the appropriate tests given he has returned from international travel in the last 14 days," a Cricket Australia spokesperson said.

"Once we receive the results of the tests and Kane recovers in the next few days we expect he will re-join the team. We will not be making further comment until something changes."

NSW quick Sean Abbott has joined the squad as cover. Abbott was part of Australia's T20 squad in the recent tour of South Africa.

It was unlikely Richardson was going to play in the Gillette ODI Series opener against the Black Caps in Sydney, where both sides will play in front of empty stands after Cricket Australia shut the doors to the general public in the wake of the spreading pandemic.

QUICK SINGLE COVID-19 pandemic sends ODIs behind closed doors

At this stage, all three Chappell-Hadlee ODIs will be played behind closed doors, while the Australian Women's Cricket Team has had their limited-overs tour of South Africa cancelled.

However, there is no impact on the final round of Marsh Sheffield Shield fixtures, which will commence in Perth and Adelaide on March 17 and then in Melbourne two days later.

Fans who bought tickets to the ODI series will receive a full refund, with the series to be broadcast on Fox Cricket, Kayo Sports and ABC Grandstand and Macquarie radio.

Australia are set to travel to New Zealand for a T20 tour, which begins in Dunedin on March 24, but Cricket New Zealand says the series will go ahead as planned with fans permitted to attend.

While there were no patrons in the stands today, it was business as usual for both sides at the SCG this afternoon.

The appetite for hitting balls has not waned for Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne as both players were the first in the SCG nets receiving throwdowns two hours before play was scheduled to begin.

Gillette ODI Series v New Zealand

Australia squad: Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Alex Carey (vc), Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Marnus Labuschagne, Mitch Marsh, Kane Richardson, D'Arcy Short, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (c), Martin Guptill, Henry Nicholls, Ross Taylor, Tom Latham, Tom Blundell, Jimmy Neesham, Colin de Grandhomme, Mitchell Santner, Kyle Jamieson, Ish Sodhi, Matt Henry, Tim Southee, Lockie Ferguson, Trent Boult.

First ODI: March 13 at SCG. 2.30pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Second ODI: March 15 at SCG. 10.30am AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo

Third ODI: March 20 at Blundstone Arena. 2.30pm AEDT, Fox Cricket & Kayo