Just Stop Oil protesters stopped the second Ashes Test with England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow forced to take matters into his own hands.
Ahead of the second over of the morning session at Lord’s, two Just Stop Oil protesters raced onto the pitch.
Bairstow immediately took matters into his own hands by picking up one of the protesters and carrying them off the pitch.
The other Just Stop Oil protester was thwarted by security staff before being taken away from the grounds. The Metropolitan Police said three people had been arrested following the pitch invasion.
Bairstow picking up a pitch invader#Ashes pic.twitter.com/vCWCkXb3IA
— England's Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) June 28, 2023
Bairstow had to briefly leave the field to change his top, after it was covered in orange powder, before returning ahead of Broad starting his spell from the Nursery End.
Speaking on BBC’s Test Match Special, commentator Jonathan Agnew said: “Jonny Bairstow’s dander was up there, he was like a flanker. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen again, let’s hope that’s the one attack on the Ashes this year.”
Ricky Ponting, speaking in the Sky Sports studio, felt for the players after the hotly-anticipated match was halted so early in the battle.
Jonny Bairstow carrying off a Just Stop Oil protestor like he’s putting the ironing board away. #Ashes2023 pic.twitter.com/G7f5HL4RY8
— Sam Farley (@FarleyWrites) June 28, 2023
“As a batter in the build-up you just want to get out there and under way. Delays are not ideal for anyone,” he said.
“The batters just need to put something like this out of their mind.”
England’s last Test at Lord’s had also been targeted by Just Stop Oil protesters, with Bairstow again involved.
Just Stop Oil protesters 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.
It was Bairstow who highlighted the incident at the time by posting a picture of the Just Stop Oil protesters in the middle of the road on his Instagram story.
Just Stop Oil protesters were able to disrupt the Gallagher Premiership final at Twickenham between Saracens and Sale last month.
Two men wearing Just Stop Oil T-shirts invaded the pitch midway through the first half and threw orange paint powder onto the field before being removed.
A similar incident occurred at the Crucible during the World Snooker Championship in April.
Robert Milkins’ match against Joe Perry was interrupted when a man wearing a Just Stop Oil T-shirt jumped on to table one and tipped orange powder over the cloth.
Bairstow’s intervention at Lord’s this time ensured no orange powder was thrown over the wicket, but broadcasters largely chose to ignore the delay and keep the focus on cricket.
Nevertheless, Ponting made reference to the incident on Sky Sports.
“I didn’t want to say anything, but the one chance that’s come Jonny’s way, he’s held onto so far,” Ponting joked.
