The start of the third ODI between England and the West Indies at The Oval on Tuesday was anything but conventional. While a bit of English drizzle was always expected to play spoilsport, it was London’s notorious traffic that stole the early headlines. The West Indies team found themselves gridlocked en route to the venue, forcing a delay to the scheduled 1:00 PM local time start. As England players were spotted warming up on the outfield, the ECB confirmed the reason: the visitors were “stuck in heavy traffic.”
But in a light-hearted twist to the pre-match build-up, England players — determined not to be stalled by the jam as they opted for a different route altogether. Quite literally. In a video posted by England Cricket, several players were seen arriving at The Oval on bicycles, dodging the city’s congestion with a smile and a spin. The video quickly went viral, showing the squad pedalling through London streets to make it to the ground on time. The toss was eventually rescheduled to 1:10 PM once the West Indies team made it in. With England already sealing the series 2-0, the stakes are now higher for the visitors. Ranked ninth in the ICC ODI rankings, West Indies must win in London to keep their hopes alive for direct qualification to the 2027 World Cup. England, currently eighth, will be looking to secure crucial ranking points to avoid slipping further. An unusual start to a high-stakes day and a reminder that in cricket, the drama often begins before the first ball is bowled.
