Cricket has witnessed some bizarre interruptions over the years, from bee swarms and solar eclipses to a car parked on the pitch and even the death of King George VI in England in 1951. Now, another extraordinary incident has joined that list after a wildfire erupted near the ground, forcing the match between Whittlesey and Werrington to be halted for nearly 90 minutes as players left the field to help ensure everyone’s safety.
The incident took place on a field near Aliwal Road in Whittlesey at around 4.40 pm in the evening. The Cambridgeshire Police also said they were investigating the incident as a suspected arson attack.ย
Cricket match paused to control the fire
Whittleseyโs Andrew Ward and his three teammates, David Drage, Andrew Phillips and Brian Warwick, left the game when smoke started nearing in on a house near the ground. They rushed to the house and tried to prevent it from burning.ย
โThe smoke was coming across slowly and then all of a sudden it became unbearable to carry on playing, and you could all of a sudden see the flames. Our instinct was to look after the people in that house, to make sure they were out, and to make sure that we could try and save it in the best way we could. I don’t think at that point in time cricket even mattered. We needed to get across there and make sure [they were OK].” Ward told the BBC.
They removed the fence panels and used a hose to soak the area around the house until firefighters got there. Notably, Ward, who runs a hotel in Peterborough, said his side wasn’t playing well before the interruption. After the fire was dealt with and the match resumed, they ended up winning anyway.
Cambridgeshire Fire Service to the rescueย
Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said that crews from six stations, along with a volunteer crew, arrived at the scene. Together they worked to bring the fire under control. It was one of several wildfires the service dealt with across Cambridgeshire that weekend, including a fire that spread across three fields in Peakirk, near Peterborough.ย
โThere have been no arrests; a crime of arson has been raised, and an investigation is ongoing,โ said the police.
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