England cricket team delayed on way to Lord’s by Just Stop Oil protesters

The England team bus’s arrival at Lord’s for their first Test of the summer was delayed when they were caught in traffic caused by a Just Stop Oil protest.

The England wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow posted a photo on his Instagram story captioned “if we’re a bit late it’s not our fault”, accompanied by three facepalm emojis.

They were indeed around five minutes late to arrive at Lord’s, following disruption near the team hotel at High Street Kensington, but there would be no disruption to the 11am start time of the game or anything else.

This comes amid fears that the environmental activists could make cricket the next major event they target, following disruption at Saturday’s Premiership Rugby final (where two protesters threw orange powder paint on the field before being removed), the Chelsea Flower Show and the World Snooker Championship.

The Marylebone Cricket Club told Telegraph Sport on Monday that they would beef up their security provision this summer in attempt to prevent disruption.

“We look forward to welcoming players and spectators to the first international Test match of the summer at Lord’s,” a statement said. “Their safety and security is the highest priority for MCC.

“We have a number of Ground Regulations that help us achieve that; including not entering the playing area or demonstrating. Whilst protests would disrupt the game, we have a number of security measures in place, some visible, some less so to deter this. In some areas we have enhanced those existing provisions ahead of this summer’s schedule.”

There are seven men’s and one women’s Test matches in England – four of them in the capital – over the next two months, including the sold-out World Test Championship final at the Oval next Thursday.

Security numbers appear set to be enhanced, because cricket could find itself uniquely vulnerable to a protest, given the sanctity of the 22-yard strip. It is unclear whether paint being thrown on the pitch could be easily brushed off; it would certainty be more complicated than simply washing it off, given the months it takes to prepare the surface. That said, it would require a 100-yard dash without being apprehended to reach the middle.

In 1975, the third Test between England and Australia at Headingley was abandoned after the pitch was attacked overnight by vandals, who poured a gallon of oil on it and dug three large holes to campaign for the release of George Davis, an east London cab driver jailed for involvement in a robbery.