Match referee Boon COVID positive after Boxing Day Test

Aussie Test legend and match referee of the current Vodafone Ashes Series, David Boon, has tested positive to COVID.

Cricket Australia confirmed Boon received a positive result on Thursday on what was supposed to be the fifth day of the Boxing Day Test.

The third Test was wrapped up before lunch on day three after debutant and local Victorian Scott Boland ripped through England with a remarkable 6-7 as Australia won by an innings and 14 runs to clinch the Ashes and take an unassailable 3-0 in the series.

NSW-based Steve Bernard will take over as ICC match referee for the SCG Test, which is scheduled to begin on January 5.

CA anticipates that David Boon will return to the role for the fifth Test in Hobart, which starts on January 14. 

They said he was asymptomatic and fully vaccinated, including a booster shot.

"Boon will remain in Melbourne and in-line with Victorian state government health guidelines will continue quarantining for 10 days," CA said in a statement.

It comes as England head coach Chris Silverwood was also sidelined for the fourth Test due to his own exposure to COVID.

Silverwood became the third member of England's coaching staff to be impacted by the virus on Thursday after a family member tested positive and made him a close contact.

The under-fire mentor will now remain in Melbourne and miss the Sydney Test, with his 10 days in isolation only set to end as the match finishes.

Batting coach Graham Thorpe is expected to take over, with bowling counterparts Jon Lewis and Jeetan Patel as well as strength and conditioning boss Darren Veness also isolating.

Officials remain hopeful the England outbreak will somehow be contained to non-playing members of the group.

Silverwood was at England training with around 10 players on Wednesday morning, but has since tested negative to the virus.

The latest case now marks the third jump in numbers.

A member of the family group felt unwell on Christmas Day with rapid tests the next morning returning a positive result.

The entire 60-strong touring party was then rapid tested on the morning of day two, with all players returning negative but a total of four cases among the tour party.

Those four results were then backed up by PCR tests later that night, along with a further two cases in non-playing members of the group.

"I don't think it's particularly unexpected (with the amount of cases in the community)," Australia's chief selector George Bailey said. 

"There's been a power load of work, I wouldn't be across a quarter of it, behind the scenes to ensure the series can go ahead.

"The positive thing so far is no players have tested positive and both teams have some depth in their squads."

Both England and Australia players, as well as their families and support staff, along with match officials, are being tested daily under a new regime introduced following the initial positive case.

Cricket Australia is adamant the Sydney Test can go ahead as planned, despite rapidly rising case numbers in the Harbour City.

Crowds at this stage are also expected to remain as unrestricted, with that decision in the hands of the NSW government.

Vodafone Men's Ashes

Squads

Australia: Pat Cummins (c), Steve Smith (vc), Scott Boland, Alex Carey, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Marcus Harris, Travis Head, Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Nathan Lyon, Michael Neser, Jhye Richardson, Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Swepson, David Warner

England: Joe Root (c), James Anderson, Jonathan Bairstow, Dom Bess, Stuart Broad, Rory Burns, Jos Buttler, Zak Crawley, Haseeb Hameed, Dan Lawrence, Jack Leach, Dawid Malan, Craig Overton, Ollie Pope, Ollie Robinson, Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Mark Wood

Schedule

First Test: Australia won by nine wickets

Second Test: Australia won by 275 runs

Third Test: Australia won by an innings and 14 runs

Fourth Test: January 5-9, SCG

Fifth Test: January 14-18, Blundstone Arena