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Cape Town - England all-rounder Ben Stokes will miss his team's training session in Centurion on Tuesday after his father, Ged, was admitted to a hospital in Johannesburg due to a serious illness.
According to a statement by the ECB, Stokes' father is in a critical condition and the player has requested the public to respect the privacy of him and his family at this time.
The first of four Test matches between England and the Proteas starts in Centurion on Thursday at 10:00.
The ECB statement said: "Ben Stokes’s father, Ged, was admitted to hospital on Monday in Johannesburg after suffering a serious illness. He remains in a critical condition.
The all-rounder will not be at England's training session at SuperSport Park this afternoon so that he can be at his father's bedside.
The England and Wales Cricket Board, with the support of Ben and his family, request that the media and public respect Ben and his family’s privacy at this time."
Stokes arrived in South Africa later than his team-mates after picking the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after what has been stellar 2019 for the 28-year-old all-rounder.
He played a starring role as England won their first ever 50-over World Cup and then played one of the all-time great Test innings to guide his country to a thrilling one-wicket victory against Australia in the Ashes.
- TeamTalk Media
