It was a chaotic build-up to the third one-day international between England and the West Indies at the Oval, with players forced into emergency travel plans after both teams found themselves stuck in traffic. What was expected to be a routine pre-match schedule turned into a logistical nightmare, as the usual team buses became stationary in gridlocked London roads, leading to an unusual scramble to reach the ground.
The disruption was blamed on heavy traffic north of the River Thames, with reports of broken-down buses, malfunctioning traffic lights, and widespread roadworks contributing to the delay. As the scheduled start time drew closer, both squads found themselves miles away from the Oval and scrambling for alternative transport.
England’s players decided to abandon their team bus midway through the journey from their hotel in Kensington. What followed was an improvised and somewhat surreal commute to the stadium. Several players took to Lime bikes, while others opted for the London Underground or simply walked. Among them, Jamie Smith chose the Tube, while Joe Root and Adil Rashid were seen striding purposefully down Kennington Park Road, drawing surprised glances from fans making their own way to the match.
According to England captain Harry Brook, the realization of the time crunch came suddenly. “We were playing cards at the back of the bus,” he said. “Then we looked at the time and just thought: ‘We’re going to have to get on some bikes.’” The squad eventually arrived with just enough time to carry out their usual warm-up routine, which included a game of “pig” – a playful keepy-uppy exercise – and a stint in the nets.
The West Indies team, by contrast, chose to remain on their coach for the entire 3.5-mile journey from Chelsea. Unfortunately, the decision proved costly, as the bus crawled through the streets at what could barely be described as walking pace. By the time they finally reached the Oval, it was already the scheduled time for the toss, which was subsequently delayed by 30 minutes to accommodate their late arrival.
The delay left the visitors with barely any time to prepare. With only a few minutes between arriving and the start of play, their batters were unable to get any net practice. Unsurprisingly, the lack of preparation took a toll, with a few early wickets falling during a shaky start to their innings.
Spinner Gudakesh Motie described the experience as “very tough.” He explained that the journey had taken close to two hours, leaving the team with little chance to settle or go through their usual match-day routines. The West Indies’ disrupted build-up was evident in their performance, as England capitalized on the situation and cruised to victory, completing a clean sweep of the ODI series.
In the end, England’s adaptability and quick thinking in response to the travel chaos contributed to their comfortable win. While the incident added a comedic and chaotic element to the day, it also highlighted the unpredictable nature of city traffic and the importance of contingency planning, even in professional sport.
