Delray Rawlins is one of nine Sussex players and staff who have had to self-isolate after a player tested positive for Covid-19.

Early-order batsman Tom Clark’s close contacts include Rawlins among the seven first-team players affected, an academy player and a member of the team’s support staff.

The news was confirmed yesterday on the official Sussex website, revealing that the seven players had been in close contact with Clark in the 48 hours preceding the onset of his symptoms and have self-isolated.

The development forced Sussex to make late changes to last night’s match against Kent in the Vitality Blast, with Rawlins, Henry Crocombe and Ollie Robinson — who is already under the national microscope with an investigation under way into his historical tweets of a racist and misogynistic manner — left out of the team as a precaution.

The other first-team players self-isolating are Jamie Atkins, James Coles, Tom Haines and Sean Hunt. They and Clark will not be available for selection during their periods of isolation.

Stuart Meaker and Ali Orr were added to the squad as cover, but the match did not go ahead, as Sussex suffered the frustration of a fifth abandonment in the Twenty20 tournament when rain prevented any play at the 1st Central County Ground.

After winning their first three Vitality Blast matches in the South Group, Sussex have managed to complete only one of their past six scheduled matches, a defeat by Gloucestershire last Friday.

Their home matches against Somerset and Glamorgan were abandoned without a ball bowled, while just five overs were possible at the Kia Oval against Surrey. On Sunday play was abandoned with only one more ball needed to be bowled for a result in the return fixture against Surrey, with Sussex ahead on Duckworth-Lewis.

Sussex’s next match in the Vitality Blast will be tomorrow when they travel to London to meet Middlesex at Lord’s.