Jonny Bairstow was hailed “a hero” by England team-mate Josh Tongue after his quick intervention prevented Just Stop Oil protesters potentially wrecking the opening day of the second Ashes Test.
Bairstow took matters into his own hands when two men from the activist group ran onto the field armed with orange paint dust in a clear attempt to halt the match after the first over of the morning.
Wicketkeeper Bairstow, a keen rugby league player in his younger days, ran to meet one of the protesters and lifted them off their feet before carting them over the boundary edge.
Having handed them over to the stewards, Bairstow headed to the pavilion to change his orange-stained whites, but his quick thinking may well have prevented a much lengthier delay had the paint made it as far as the wicket.
The other protester, who attracted the attention of England captain Ben Stokes, was intercepted by security staff, while another was apprehended in the stands. All three were arrested.
Ashes debutant Tongue, who claimed two wickets in Australia’s 339 for five, admitted he would not have been as brave as Bairstow.
He told Sky Sports: “Jonny doing what he did, who knows, the game could have been called off.
“Bit of a hero to be fair. If he didn’t stop him, they could’ve got on the pitch and done something to the pitch.
“For myself, I wouldn’t probably go towards them just in case they had anything else on them. Obviously Jonny doing that, maybe he shouldn’t have done that, but I don’t know the protocol.”
Australian opener David Warner was at the crease when the protesters entered the pitch and was briefly ready to engage in stopping them alongside England’s captain Stokes.
“Me and Stokesy didn’t really know what to do,” Warner reflected after hitting 66. “We’d been warned beforehand that it might happen. It’s a touchy situation.
“It was quite confronting because you don’t know what to do in that situation, you usually let those people run their course but because they could potentially damage the wicket, we felt like we had to intervene.
“We were actually told to stand away and be careful, but we know what they’re trying to do to the wicket so it was about – not manhandling them like Jonny – but it was about protecting the wicket.
“I don’t know what that chalk does to the wicket but it would have been a long delay and we wouldn’t have wanted that.”
An official spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak praised Bairstow’s actions earlier on Wednesday, saying: “These sorts of selfish, guerrilla tactics that target events bringing joy to millions are exactly why the Government brought in new powers so the police can take swift action.
“The Prime Minister is pleased play was able to resume quickly and thanks security staff, the swift hands of Jonny Bairstow and other England players who stepped in.”
Broadcasters largely chose not to highlight the incident, but former Australia captain Ricky Ponting offered one cheeky reference in the morning session.
“I didn’t want to say anything, but the one chance that’s come Jonny’s way, he’s held on to so far,” Ponting joked on Sky Sports.
A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said on Twitter: “We are aware of protesters on the Lord’s Cricket Ground pitch today, Wednesday, 28 June. Police have arrested three people and taken them into custody.”
Guy Lavender, chief executive of the Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord’s, criticised those involved.
He said: “MCC condemn in the strongest possible terms today’s pitch incursion and with the behaviour of the protesters involved.
“Their actions not only endanger themselves and those who work at the ground, but they have consistently shown complete disregard for the people who pay to attend events, not just here at Lord’s but around the country at other sporting venues.”
Just Stop Oil said on Twitter: “At 11am, three Just Stop Oil supporters stormed the pitch at Lord’s Cricket Ground in a cloud of orange powder paint and disrupted the #Ashes2023 Second Test between England and Australia.”
Just Stop Oil protesters previously delayed England’s arrival for day one of their one-off Test against Ireland on June 1 by standing in front of their team coach outside their Kensington hotel.
Bairstow highlighted the incident at the time by posting a picture on his Instagram story.
Just Stop Oil protesters also disrupted the Gallagher Premiership final at Twickenham between Saracens and Sale last month, while a similar incident occurred at the Crucible during the World Snooker Championship in April.
West Indies on the brink of series win over Bangladesh
West Indies are on the brink of a 2-0 win in their Test series at home to Bangladesh, needing just three wickets on day five with the tourists requiring 225 runs.
Having reached 269-9 by stumps on Sunday, Bangladesh surprisingly declared overnight while 181 runs behind, leaving Taskin Ahmed to start the day with the ball in hand, rather than the bat.
That decision gave West Indies the chance to rack up another commanding total after they declared at 450 in their first innings, but they could only tag on another 152.
Taskin scalped six in the best bowling display of his red-ball career, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz trapped the hosts' top scorer Alick Athanaze (42) lbw as the Bangladesh bowlers gave their batters a chance.
However, they were not repaid as Miraz's declaration soon started to look ill-advised. Just five balls of Bangladesh's second innings were required for Kemar Roach – who ended the day with figures of 3-20 – to make the breakthrough for West Indies, getting an inside edge off Zakir Hasan (1).
Bangladesh struggled to build any momentum and Roach got two more wickets to leave the tourists 23-4, and while Miraz tried to get things going with 45 off 46 deliveries, he saw a thick edge snapped up by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva for another crucial wicket.
Jayden Seales joined Roach in scalping three, and though Bangladesh made it to stumps with three wickets intact, they have an almighty task awaiting them on the final day.
Data Debrief: Taskin's efforts in vain?
When Taskin produced his brilliant six-wicket haul, it seemed for a fleeting moment as though Bangladesh's overnight declaration may have been a stroke of inspiration.
Taskin's figures of 6-64 surpassed his previous best red-ball inning figures of 4-37 versus Afghanistan last year, while he has now taken eight wickets altogether in the Antigua Test.
However, when Bangladesh slumped to 23-4 within 13 overs, Miraz was surely regretting his decision not to attempt to bat out Monday's morning session and bring the possibility of a draw into play.
Greaves hits unbeaten ton as West Indies dominate Bangladesh
Justin Greaves hit an unbeaten century – his first red-ball ton – as West Indies ended day two of their first Test against Bangladesh with a commanding 410-run lead.
Greaves resumed alongside Joshua Da Silva with West Indies 250-5 after day one in Antigua, eventually slamming 115 runs off 206 balls faced as the hosts established a dominant position.
His steady knock ensured the Windies recovered nicely after slipping to 261-7 early on, while Kemar Roach hit a career-best 47 through four defiant hours at the crease.
Hasan Mahmud took three day-two wickets for Bangladesh, including that of Roach, as his short delivery angled in to clip the top of middle stump.
Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite declared to put Bangladesh at the crease late on, and there was no respite for the tourists against the hosts' four-man pace attack.
Zakir Hasan fell to Jayden Seales for 15, while Mahmudul Hasan Joy edged Alzarri Joseph for five shortly after being dropped, leaving Bangladesh 40-2 at stumps.
Data Debrief: Career-best for Greaves
Greaves' unbeaten 115 marked his first century in Test cricket, surpassing his previous best knock – a score of 33 versus Australia in January – by some distance.
His strike rate of 55.83 on Saturday, while steady, also bettered his effort of 55.00 during that match in Brisbane. Thanks to his efforts, Bangladesh have a real mountain to climb on day three.
Inglis hails 'hard to stop' Stoinis after ruthless knock
Josh Inglis lauded "hard to stop" Marcus Stoinis as Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan in style, claiming a whitewash.
The hosts raced to a seven-wicket victory with almost nine overs remaining in Monday's third match.
After Australia's bowlers had limited Pakistan to just 117 runs, Stoinis ensured they signed off their final white-ball assignment in style, with his unbeaten 61 doing the damage.
Only twice has he bettered that knock in T20Is – versus New Zealand in 2021 (78) and against Oman at the World Cup earlier this year (67*).
"It's been a great week. We've had a lot of fun as a group," Inglis said. "It's been really nice.
"When Stoinis is going like that, he is really hard to stop. One of those sixes was probably the biggest I've ever seen!"
Stoinis, who was named player of the match, added: "Nice to score some runs on a beautiful wicket but credit to the bowlers who kept the total down.
"Yeah, I actually told [Haris] Rauf that this is the first time any of us got the better of him! No, he's a brilliant bowler, bowled well this series."
During their white-ball tour, Pakistan won the ODI series, their first time doing so in Australia in 22 years, but got whitewashed in the T20Is.
Despite the heavy loss, captain Agha Salman chose to focus on the positive effect the experience will have on their young players.
"I think in the middle overs, we didn't capitalise on the start," he said. "But lots of positives.
"The way Usman [Khan] batted, the way Jahandad [Khan] bowled. These youngsters will come good.
"It's obviously a big achievement winning the ODI series, but we could have done much better in the T20Is."
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