Somerset make first county Covid substitution as Jack Brooks replaces Lewis Gregory

Gregory's girlfriend, who is part of his bubble, has felt unwell and although she has returned a negative lateral flow test the allrounder will now isolate until a second negative result is returned

Somerset v Middlesex: Scorecard

Jack Brooks has replaced Lewis Gregory as a Covid substitute on day three of Somerset's County Championship match against Middlesex.

Gregory's girlfriend, who is part of his bubble, has felt unwell and although she has returned a negative lateral flow test the allrounder will now isolate until a second negative result, from a PCR test, is returned.

Brooks becomes county cricket's first Covid substitute.

Under the ECB's Covid replacement regulations, substitutions can be made if a player tests positive for the novel coronavirus, shows symptoms of the disease or requires removal from the game for any other reason related to public health guidance.

The guidelines state that a like-for-like replacement should be made where possible and must be approved by the match referee - who in this instance is Wayne Noon.

Once replaced, a player cannot return to the side for the fixture in question, regardless of submitting a negative Covid test.

Gregory was reportedly one of several English players who contracted Covid-19 while on PSL duty in March.

The competition was suspended following an outbreak within the bubble.

A Somerset statement on Saturday read: "Somerset County Cricket Club can confirm that Jack Brooks has been made available as a Covid-19 substitute for the remainder of the current LV= Insurance County Championship match against Middlesex at the Cooper Associates County Ground.

"A member of Lewis Gregory’s private bubble was feeling unwell this morning and has taken a lateral flow test. This test proved to be negative, but protocol dictates that until the results of a further test have been received, Lewis will remain in isolation as per government guidelines.

"There will be no further comment at this time."

In October, Auckland bowler Ben Lister has become cricket's first Covid-19 substitute after replacing Mark Chapman in a Plunket Shield game against Otago in New Zealand.