Australia captain Pat Cummins said he hopes "Just Stop Oil" protesters will not disrupt the World Test Championship final against India in London after his team's bus was held up on the way to training.
Protesters stopped traffic near The Oval Monday and had to be cleared by police before the Australian team could reach the venue for training.
The latest death toll from last week's three-train crash near Balasore in the eastern state of Odisha was revised upwards to 288 on Tuesday@BCCI @CricketAus @ICC #TestChampionship #INDvsAUS https://t.co/m01yXOuSD4
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) June 7, 2023
England's team bus was held up by the same group's protesters when heading to Lord's ahead of the first day of their one-off Test against Ireland last week.
"It's something we got in the security briefing a couple days ago," Cummins told reporters.
"I've heard that they're aware of it and kind of keeping an eye out. But that's as much as we've heard.
"So hopefully, it doesn't happen, obviously. But yeah, I've heard there's a few different events that have been affected."
All-rounder Moeen Ali came out of Test retirement Wednesday to bolster the @englandcricket squad for the first two Tests of the Ashes.https://t.co/9OMo1CXws6
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) June 7, 2023
Other sports interrupted
"Just Stop Oil" protesters halted the World Snooker Championship and the English Premiership rugby final in recent months.
One protester climbed onto a table and scattered a bag of orange powder paint at the snooker tournament while protesters invaded the pitch 15 minutes into the rugby match in Twickenham between Saracens and Sale.
Easy half-centuries from @OfficialSLC openers @IamDimuth and @pathuwa18 made short work of @ACBofficials Wednesday in a nine-wicket drubbing that clinched a 2-1 ODI series win for the hosts.https://t.co/XQqSAcGv3j
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) June 7, 2023
Cummins has long voiced concerns about the impact of climate change but did not throw his weight behind the demonstrations.
"My view is always just there's right ways to go about things and potentially not the right way to go about things," he said.
"Whenever anyone's got any beliefs, you just hope you take the right option."
The @windiescricket produced a fine team display to secure a series victory over the United Arab Emirates with a 78-run win in the second one-day international Tuesday.https://t.co/OQ9pKZEqfG
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) June 6, 2023
ESPNcricinfo reported that the International Cricket Council has prepared a back-up pitch at The Oval in case activists disrupt the final, which starts at 10:30am Wednesday.
