Two Lightning players self-isolating after breaching Covid-19 guidelines

Two players representing Lightning in the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy are self-isolating after breaching Covid-19 guidelines.

The ECB has confirmed a report on the CricketHER website that both players were made unavailable for selection for Lightning's last game against Northern Diamonds, which they lost by two wickets.

The players have been told to self-isolate for two weeks, a stricter sanction than the one imposed by Kent on Jordan Cox, the 19-year-old batsman who breached protocols by agreeing to have his photo taken with a fan.

It is understood that clubs have been given discretion on how they handle breaches, with certain minimum standards imposed. Lightning have opted to exceed those minimum standards to mitigate the risks of transmission, though the exact nature of the breach remains unclear.

Lightning are currently winless after three games of the tournament. They will be without the self-isolating players during their next two fixtures, against Central Sparks on Friday and Thunder on Sunday, though are likely to have them available again for their final group game.

The news follows the abandonment on Sunday of Northamptonshire's Bob Willis Trophy match against Gloucestershire, after a non-playing Northants squad member tested positive for Covid-19.

The ECB will confirm later this week whether Friday's T20 Blast game between the two teams will go ahead as planned, depending in part on what contact the player involved had with team-mates before his positive test.

The player who tested positive has not been part of Northants' T20 campaign so far, and did not travel with the squad to Bristol. The ECB and the club are working through the relevant medical protocols, and as things stand, the fixture is still expected to be played.