England cricketers banned from playing football

Cape Town - The England cricket team has banned football from being played after their opening batsman Rory Burns was ruled out of the Test series due to an injury.

On the eve of the second Test at Newlands, the England players participated in a 'friendly' football warm-up game.

Burns suffered a ligament damage on Thursday after England skipper Joe Root inflicted damage on his left ankle (see video below).

Burns immediately limped out of the game in visible pain and was sent for scans at a local hospital.

The 29-year-old batsman will not take any further part in the four-match Test series and will return to England for treatment at the "the earliest convenience".

England middle-order batsman Ollie Pope, who scored an unbeaten 56 for the tourists on the opening day at Newlands on Friday, confirmed that the training football games are banned.

"I think we have to find something else to get us having a laugh in the morning," Pope told reporters after the day's play.

"Unfortunately for Burnsy, it's just a freak accident, these things happen and hopefully we won't have anymore of them."

A flu-like illness swept through the England camp for their first two weeks in South Africa, which saw 11 players and six support staff affected.

England went on to lose the first Test at Centurion by 107 runs.

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Meanwhile, Root and his charges had a disappointing day in Cape Town as England ended Day 1 on 262/9 after winning the toss and electing to bat first.

Proteas bowlers Vernon Philander, Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Dwaine Pretorius took two wickets each.

Day 2 gets underway on Saturday at 10:30.

- Compiled by Lynn Butler

England cricketer Rory Burns has picked up an injury warming-up ahead of the second Test.This was the moment it happened...Full story: https://t.co/Nj6tDHiadV #bbccricket pic.twitter.com/KLcSNsX2jK

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 2, 2020