English cricketer Jonny Bairstow’s no-nonsense approach to a Just Stop Oil protester running onto the pitch mid-match has won praise from Twitter.
The Ashes is a major international sporting event watched by people all around the world, but, on Wednesday, the first morning of the second Ashes Test was interrupted by environmentalists when protesters ran onto the pitch.
The campaign group are famous for disrupting all kinds of events or venues, from spray-painting buildings, to throwing liquids over paintings and pouring powder onto snooker tables mid-world championship.
These tricks are meant to highlight the world’s inaction with the climate crisis – something which is on many people’s minds right now as the UK faces yet more summer heatwaves in the coming weeks.
However, Bairstow, the England wicketkeeper, ended up stealing the show from the protesters, as he didn’t let them unsettle him when his game became the target of their latest demonstration tactic.
It began when a few people ran onto the field, spreading bright orange powder with them.
The players guarded the pitch, and England captain Ben Stokes tried to stop the protesters.
Meanwhile Bairstow quickly swopped in and picked one protester up easily.
Security then grabbed the protesters who were still on the pitch.
The powder was then quickly cleared up by the nearby staff, and the game was back on in no time, even though damage to the pitch is a particularly serious issue in cricket.
And that was that, the demonstration was over before it even began. Three people were then arrested in connection to the disruption and put in custody.
Perhaps Bairstow’s quick-thinking came about because the England’s team bus was briefly held up by protesters before the Test against Ireland at Lord’s earlier in June.
Still, regardless of your thoughts on climate protests and activism, it’s hard not to find Bairstow’s exceptionally unfazed attitude funny – as Twitter pointed out.