The third ODI between England and West Indies at The Oval on Tuesday was thrown into unprecedented disarray after London traffic forced the visiting team into a long, chaotic commute that delayed the start of play by nearly an hour. Despite the disruption, England went on to win the match by seven wickets under DLS conditions—sealing a 3-0 series sweep.
West Indies stuck in traffic for two hours
The drama began hours before the first ball, as the West Indies team—staying just three miles away in Chelsea Harbour—got trapped in heavy congestion caused by traffic light failures and road closures near Vauxhall Bridge, a key artery to The Oval.
What should have been a short ride turned into a nearly two-hour ordeal. With thousands of fans already in the stadium and England players warming up, the absence of one of the teams led to confusion across the venue.
“We don’t have two teams”: commentators stunned by delay
“The toss has been delayed, because basically, we don’t have two teams, would you believe it,” Sky Cricket commentator and former England Test cricketer Ian Ward told viewers in their pre-game coverage. “We have an England Cricket Team (but) we do not have a West Indies cricket team. The traffic in and around The Oval … all around, is absolutely gridlock.”
The ECB issued a statement confirming the delay: “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. Once all members of the playing teams arrive, the match officials will co-ordinate updated timings and discuss any impact on the schedule of play.”
England take Lime bikes to the ground
While West Indies were stuck, several England players—including captain Harry Brook and Jos Buttler—took matters into their own hands by hopping on Lime bikes, the popular app-based electric bicycles, to get to the ground on time.
“We were on the bus for a while, then we all decided to get off and get some Lime bikes in,” said Brook after winning the toss and opting to bowl.
“We were in a little bit earlier than the West Indies boys, but we’re here now and ready to go.”
When asked about the ordeal, West Indies captain Shai Hope quipped, “We probably should have walked.”
Match finally begins after delay and rain
After the West Indies eventually arrived and rushed through their warm-up, England won the toss and elected to bowl. Rain then added another complication, reducing the match to 40 overs per side. West Indies posted 251/9, but England chased the DLS-adjusted target (246) with seven wickets to spare.
Despite the disrupted lead-up, England’s dominance remained intact as they completed a 3-0 sweep of the series. The two sides now turn their attention to the T20 leg, which begins June 6.
