ngland’s crew bus was delayed by Just Stop Oil protestors en path to Lord’s for the primary Test of the summer season on Thursday morning.

Members of the activist group staged a ‘go slow’ demonstration which held up the bus as Ben Stokes’s facet traveled from their Kensington lodge to the bottom, the place they face Ireland in a four-day Test.

Wicketkeeper-batter Jonny Bairstow, who returns to the facet for the primary time since struggling a damaged leg final August, shared a photograph of the incident on Instagram with the caption: “If we’re a bit late, it’s not our fault…”.

However, the hold-up is claimed to have lasted solely 5 minutes and England had arrived at Lord’s by 9:15am, an hour-and-three-quarters earlier than the scheduled begin of play.

Test grounds, together with Lord’s, are ramping up security this summer amid the specter of protests by Just Stop Oil, who've focused a number of high-profile sporting occasions in latest months.

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One activist poured orange dye onto a desk at The Crucible throughout snooker’s World Championship earlier this 12 months, whereas a pitch-invader staged an analogous protest after breaking onto the sector at Twickenham throughout Saturday’s rugby Premiership last between Saracens and Sale Sharks.

Just Stop Oil haven't introduced particular plans to focus on cricket, however informed Standard Sport: “We will continue to disrupt sports and cultural events until the institutions join us in civil resistance against new oil and gas.”