England tour match downgraded as Stuart Broad, Jofra Archer and Jack Leach remain ill

England's first-class tour match against South Africa A has been downgraded to a friendly as the tourists' first Test preparations remain disrupted by illness.

Seamers Stuart Broad and Jofra Archer, and spinner Jack Leach, all missed the tour opener against a South Africa Invitational XI earlier this week and continue to suffer with 'flu-like symptoms'.

England were due to face South Africa A in a three-day first-class fixture from Thursday, but so affected are England's resources that the status of the match has now been adjusted to a friendly.

A spokesman for Cricket South Africa confirmed: "Please be advised that considering the England squad status due to illness, it has been agreed that the match between the touring side and South Africa A starting at Willowmoore Park tomorrow be downgraded to a three-day friendly tour match with only 11 players batting or fielding at any point in time. The playing conditions remain as previously agreed."

Broad, Archer and Leach will continue to be assessed but appear unlikely to feature in the match, which begins one week before the opening Test against South Africa.

A spokesman for the England and Wales Cricket Board said: "ECB would like to take this opportunity to thank CSA for their flexibility on this situation and to emphasise that under normal circumstances we would have wanted to play the match first class, but illness in the camp made this very problematic."

Watch the first Test between South Africa and England live on Sky Sports Cricket from 7am on Boxing Day.