Ashes 2023: Jonny Bairstow hilariously escorts protestor off the field during Lord's Test

As the second Ashes Test got underway at the Lord’s Cricket Ground in London on Wednesday, June 28, England’s Jonny Bairstow was caught up in a bizarre moment. During the start of play on Day 1, Bairstow picked up and escorted a pitch invader off the field.

In a rather hilarious moment during the second Ashes Test, a pitch invader, part of the oil protestors group, disrupted the play as he stormed on to the field in the midst of the contest. However, upon spotting the pitch invader, wicketkeeper Bairstow immediately took heed of the scenario and decided to escort the former in a peculiar way by lifting him up.

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

Soon after, the star English cricketer headed back to the pavilion to change his whites, as it had been soiled in the process. The fans present in the stands applauded Bairstow for his immediate action on the protestor. 

The coalition of environmental action groups, ‘Just Stop Oil’, are known to have disrupted a number of games in the UK which also includes football matches in the Premier League, the rugby union's Premiership final and the World Snooker Championship.

Speaking about the match, England won the toss and elected to field first. The Aussies took a 1-0 lead in the five-match series after a dramatic win on the final day of the first Ashes Test at the Edgbaston in Birmingham. 

England announced one change in their setup as Josh Tongue came in place of veteran all-rounder Moeen Ali after the latter sustained an injury to his spinning finger. On the other hand, Australia too made one change from the previous clash as they got the likes of speedster Mitchell Starc in place of Scott Boland. 

Notably, Australia’s Nathan Lyon made his 100th consecutive Test appearance during the match against the Three Lions. In the process, he also became the first specialist bowler to feature in 100 games on the trot in world cricket.