Heavy traffic led to a delayed toss at the Kia Oval, as the West Indies team found themselves stuck en route to their third men’s ODI against England. The scheduled 12.30pm toss was postponed due to their late arrival, despite the expectation that inclement weather might be the day’s greatest obstacle.
The ECB clarified the situation minutes before the planned toss, stating, “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.” They assured that once the team arrived, officials would adjust the timings accordingly.
The West Indies team was departing from the Chelsea Harbour Hotel and Spa, merely four miles from the Oval. However, an unexpected traffic-light failure in the Vauxhall Cross area caused severe congestion. Transport for London (TfL) noted “serious delays” around Kennington and advised drivers to seek alternative routes to avoid anticipated hold-ups. Commenting on the situation, a CWI spokesperson simply stated, “There were some road closures.”
The team eventually reached the ground at about 12.40pm, prompting a 40-minute delay for the toss, which subsequently took place at 1.10pm. The match itself was pushed back to a 1.30pm start. While waiting, England players maintained their warm-up routines, with Jacob Bethell, Adil Rashid, and Joe Root making the most of the delay by briefly exploring the area on Lime bikes.
The West Indies, trailing two-nil in the series, are keen to secure ranking points critical for automatic qualification for the 2027 World Cup. Despite the day’s setback, their focus remains on their cricketing goals.
Matt Roller, Assistant Editor at ESPNCricinfo. @mroller98
