New Zealand's Lockie Ferguson Returns Home after Testing Negative for COVID-19

New Zealand pacer Lockie Ferguson returned home on Sunday after testing negative for the COVID-19 virus after the Black Caps' ODI match against Australia at Sydney.

The remainder of the series has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak but Ferguson had to stay back in the city while awaiting his test results, even as his other teammates flew back home.

“I was taken to get swabs done and talk to the doc, but fortunately all was good,” Ferguson said upon arrival in Auckland.

“We had pretty clear comms that we knew if we got back tonight it'd be all good (to avoid the 14-day isolation period introduced by the government).

“So when we got the negative test for the virus last night we just took it as it came then it was nice to come today.

“I just had very mild cold symptoms, but the procedures were as they were and followed by the support staff,” he said.

“You can get run down quite a bit playing cricket and travelling all the time. So (it’s) not too unusual for me.”

The Chappell-Hadlee series isn't the only cricket series to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. India's three-match ODI series against South Africa was called off after the first game was washed out and the IPL has been postponed till April 15.

Back with his family, Ferguson thinks it was blown out of proportion.

"No. Probably a bit over-exaggerated as to how I was," he told reporters at the Auckland airport.

"I just sort of had very, very mild cold symptoms and the procedures were as they were and followed by Tommy (Simsek, physio) and the support staff. Completely understandable. So yeah, kinda had a day in the hotel room by myself.

"It was strange certainly playing the game under the circumstances and with an empty crowd. For sure, that was an odd experience.

"At the same time, we were a little bit disappointed with how the game ended up. And yeah, that night I was sort of taken to get swabs and talked to the doctor there and fortunately all was good and yeah happy to be home."

"Um, from my point of view, I just thought it was normal small cold symptoms," he said.

"Get quite rundown from time to time playing cricket and travelling a bit. So not too unusual for me. But as I said, Tommy our physio and the doctors followed procedure as is needed.

"So yes, been 24 hours in isolation but that's okay. And I'll be honest, I actually felt good the next day I woke up. I was fine."

Ferguson had plans of playing domestic cricket upon returning home but admits that may not happen in the present climate.

“I think everyone in every industry is feeling it a little bit. Certainly we want to play cricket but under these circumstances we are following the directions.”