Australia v England - 1st Test: Day 2
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 09: Ben Stokes of England bowls during day two of the First Test Match in the Ashes series between Australia and England at The Gabba on December 09, 2021 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images) (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Australia v England - 1st Test: Day 2

The England Cricket Board have confirmed that the third Test of their three-match series against South Africa in London will resume on Saturday.

Friday's play was abandoned after the loss of Queen Elizabeth II.

The news saw the United Kingdom all but grind to a halt, with other sports also altering plans following her passing in the country.

The ECB also confirmed that recreational and domestic cricket matches would be able to resume from Saturday local time, with the English women's team's T20 series against India to proceed.

"Cricket will resume on Saturday to pay tribute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and honour her remarkable life and service," the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said.

"All players and coaches will wear black armbands. Branded inventory will be replaced with messaging paying cricket's respects to The Queen," the ECB said.

It's understood that, following the entire loss of the first day, the ECB had been in discussions with Cricket South Africa about extending the Test by a day to make up for the lost Day 2, however, the Proteas are due to fly back home on Tuesday and so that option wasn't viable.

It now means the match - a deciding one in the series with serious World Test Championship ramifications - will be played on only three days, made up of 98 overs each.

No Australian sport has been impacted at this stage, although the AFL have been forced to move their Brownlow Medal count from Monday, September 19 to Sunday, September 18 to avoid clashing with the likely date of the Queen's funeral.