ENG vs WI, 3rd ODI start delayed after team buses get “stuck in heavy traffic”

The start of the third One-Day International between England and the West Indies at the Oval was on Tuesday delayed after the team buses got stuck in heavy traffic.

The England and Wales Cricket Board issued a statement ahead of the toss, saying, “Due to a delayed arrival of one of the playing teams, who are stuck in heavy traffic north of the river, the scheduled start of play will be delayed.

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“Once all members of the playing teams arrive, the match officials will coordinate updated timings and discuss any impact on the schedule of play. We will update spectators with the schedule of play as soon as we are able to.”

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The updated timings were later communicated. The toss, originally scheduled to happen at 12:30pm local time (5pm IST), took place at 1:10pm local time (5:40pm IST). The game started at 1:30pm local time (6pm IST).

England’s players eventually decided to ride bikes to the ground instead. While they arrived in time to conduct a thorough pre-match warm-up, the Windies players stayed on the bus and arrived 10 minutes after the scheduled time for the toss.

“We probably should have walked,” West Indies captain Shai Hope said, laughing.

West Indies stayed overnight at a hotel about a 3 1/2-mile drive (five-kilometer) from the Oval, Britain’s PA news agency reported. The team later posted on X: “Due to heavy traffic delays, our team arrived moments before the previously scheduled toss time.”

England has already clinched the three-match series after wins in Birmingham and Cardiff last week.

(With inputs from PTI)

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