England’s team bus was delayed by Just Stop Oil protestors en route to Lord’s for the first Test of the summer on Thursday morning.
Members of the activist group staged a ‘go slow’ demonstration which held up the bus as Ben Stokes’s side traveled from their Kensington hotel to the ground, where they face Ireland in a four-day Test.
Wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow, who returns to the side for the first time since suffering a broken leg last August, shared a photo of the incident on Instagram with the caption: “If we’re a bit late, it’s not our fault…”.
However, the hold-up is said to have lasted only five minutes and England had arrived at Lord’s by 9:15am, an hour-and-three-quarters before the scheduled start of play.
Test grounds, including Lord’s, are ramping up security this summer amid the threat of protests by Just Stop Oil, who have targeted several high-profile sporting events in recent months.
One activist poured orange dye onto a table at The Crucible during snooker’s World Championship earlier this year, while a pitch-invader staged a similar protest after breaking onto the field at Twickenham during Saturday’s rugby Premiership final between Saracens and Sale Sharks.
Just Stop Oil have not announced specific plans to target cricket, but told Standard Sport: “We will continue to disrupt sports and cultural events until the institutions join us in civil resistance against new oil and gas.”
