Lord’s played host to a rare sight in the world of cricket; no, not a record-breaking knock or a last-ball thriller, but a fox dashing across the pitch mid-game. As the Oval Invincibles cruised towards victory against the London Spirit in The Hundred, the unexpected guest grabbed the spotlight, briefly halting play. While such interruptions aren’t unheard of: snakes in Sri Lanka and bees in South Africa; a fox making a cameo in a professional game at the ‘Home of Cricket’ was certainly a first.
The fox sprinted across the field before exiting on its own, jumping over the hoardings at the boundary.
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Before the fox drama took over, it was Rashid Khan who had the stage to himself. Returning to competitive cricket after a brief break post-IPL, the Afghan leg-spinner was untouchable. He turned the contest on its head with a spell that read 3/11 from 20 balls, ripping through Spirit’s middle-order and setting the tone for a comfortable chase. Sam Curran provided strong support with a disciplined 3/18, ensuring London Spirit never found momentum and folded for just 80.
The much-anticipated showdown, which featured seasoned internationals David Warner and Kane Williamson, didn’t materialise, with both failing to make an impact. Ashton Turner top-scored with 21, but the Spirit innings lacked both fight and fluency. For Invincibles, the target was modest, and the approach measured.
Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye stitched together a steady 34-run stand in 32 balls, and despite a few stumbles along the way, the chase never really slipped out of control. A six-wicket win, with 14 balls to spare, was a fair reflection of their dominance.
Rashid, named Hero of the Match, explained the reasoning behind his recent break and the value of experience in such fast-paced tournaments.
“It was nice to get off to a winning start, it was good to perform for the side. (On the reason for his break after the IPL) Physically and mentally to get myself ready for the next competition, IPL is a long tournament, it helped me to think how to prepare going ahead.
“It was a good surface, there was spin on offer, when I was bowling I was trying to hit the right areas. I mixed things up and it worked out well. (On the importance of experience) It does help a lot, in a competition like this when things happen so quickly, it helps. I haven’t bowled in the last couple of months but the amount of cricket I have played in the last ten years, that really helps,” said Rashid.