Flying ants to burnt toast: 5 bizarre reasons that stopped a cricket match

Wet weather conditions are one of the primary reasons cricket matches are usually halted. However, the reasons for a stoppage of play can sometimes be quite bizarre, as was observed during the India vs South Africa T20 match in Centurion. While flying ants caused the interruption last night, on another occasion, a burnt piece of toast once led to a stoppage in play in Australia.

 

From flying ants to burnt toast, here are some of the quirkiest moments in cricket history when the game was put on pause for reasons no one could have predicted.

 

Flying Ant Frenzy in Centurion: India vs South Africa, 3rd T20I, 2024

 

 

A swarm of flying ants briefly overtook the high-octane clash between India and South Africa in Centurion. Batting first, India had posted an imposing 219 for 6. But when South Africa’s chase was set to begin, the players were greeted by an uninvited menace: flying ants descended upon the ground in droves. 

 

Arshdeep Singh braved the infestation to bowl the first over, but the umpires soon intervened, halting play to avoid potential injuries from the tiny intruders. The big screen read: "Play suspended due to flying ants interfering with play." After a 30-minute delay and thorough inspection, the umpires finally declared the field safe. The unexpected visitors may have flown away, but their presence added an unusual twist to the evening.   

Play suspended due to FLYING ANTS!  pic.twitter.com/pfeQsgpwDW

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) November 13, 2024

 

Burnt Toast Causes Alarm: New South Wales vs Queensland, Sheffield Shield, 2017

 

Cricket has seen its share of dramatic delays, but a fire alarm caused by a piece of burnt toast? That’s a new one. In a Sheffield Shield game between New South Wales and Queensland at Brisbane’s Allan Border Field, play was halted with New South Wales needing just 18 runs to win.

 

The culprit? None other than Nathan Lyon, Australia’s off-spin maestro, who had accidentally burnt toast in the dressing room. The mishap triggered the fire alarm, summoning fire trucks to the venue. After a 30-minute pause, play resumed, and New South Wales sealed the victory. The toast, however, went down in cricketing folklore.

 

The Bee Siege: South Africa vs Sri Lanka

 

Bees are no strangers to cricketing interruptions, but their well-timed intrusion during a South Africa-Sri Lanka encounter left everyone buzzing. In a must-win match for Sri Lanka, with the team reeling at 194 for 8, play came to a halt as a swarm of bees took over the field.

 

Isuru Udana and Suranga Lakmal, Sri Lanka’s last recognised batsmen, found themselves lying flat on the ground to escape the invasion. What followed was a moment of calm, laughter, and bemusement before the bees departed, allowing the game to resume. Cricket fans, however, were left with a memorable snapshot of players taking cover.

 

Sunlight Stops Play: India vs New Zealand, Napier

 

In a sport where rain often halts proceedings, it was the sun that took centre stage during a match between India and New Zealand at Napier’s McLean Park. With India chasing a modest target, Shikhar Dhawan found himself blinded by sunlight streaming directly into his eyes, forcing the umpires to call for a break.

 

South African umpire Shaun George remarked, “In my 15 years as an umpire, I haven’t seen this before. But there’s a first time for everything.” While rare, this was not Napier’s first brush with sun-induced interruptions. It highlighted the challenges posed by certain venues’ orientations, with even domestic matches in New Zealand and England falling victim to the setting sun.

 

 

Sun stopped play...love it! #SuperSmash pic.twitter.com/Odjwzgmywp

— Sean Brown (@sean_brown235) January 19, 2019

  Halal Food Delay: South Africa vs Bangladesh, Test Match 2024

 

In Bloemfontein, a delayed food delivery caused an unexpected pause during the second Test between South Africa and Bangladesh. Lunch was postponed by ten minutes when the visiting team’s Halal meal failed to arrive on time.

 

A mix-up with printed menus had led to the hour-long delay, forcing Bangladesh’s players to wait while South Africa’s top order dominated the first two sessions. Despite the chaos, the Proteas piled on 256 runs, with the culinary mishap becoming a footnote to a lopsided day of cricket.