Sports, all over the world, are associated with excitement and adrenaline rush which explains why no one likes interruptions during an ongoing match. But sometimes, there is only so much the players and authorities can do.
Human behavior can still be controlled with rules and regulations but what do you to discipline a swarm of bees? Or stop a squirrel from entering the ground?
The answer is, nothing. When an incident like this happens, players become helpless and the game has to be stopped. Despite being a bummer, these situations make for a funny sight. Here’s looking at 15 of the most amusing ones:
1. The time when Suresh Raina used Grant Elliott as a shield against a dog.
The incident happened during the first ODI between India and New Zealand in 2010 and left the viewers in splits.
2. When a pig named Eddie Botham entered the ground and created a havoc.
Unlike the previous incident, this pig was unleashed by a person in the stands who wrote Eddie and Botham on either side of the animal with an obvious reference to England players: Ian Botham and Eddie Hemmings.
3. This -like alligator decided to take a stroll in the golf course, almost giving a heart attack to people.
Imagine how terrifying that would have been.
4. When the actual monkeygate happened.
A curious monkey entered the Galle stadium in Sri Lanka during a Test between their home side and India in 2015.
5. Novak Djokovic is unstoppable, except when a sparrow decides to pay him a visit.
The bird-sighting happened during Wimbledon 2015, halting the game for a few seconds. FYI, Djokovic went on to win the tournament later.
6. Bee-lieve it or not, a swarm of bees once decided to attack players mid play.
This happened during an India vs Australia Test at Kotla in 2008. To save themselves from the attack, players from both the sides had to lie down on the ground.
7. This innocent looking stray cat was guilty of stopping a soccer match.
A high stakes Liverpool vs Tottenham match was halted by this cat who couldn’t care any less.
8. Animals clearly have an obsession with tennis majors.
A 2012 US Open match was halted by a squirrel which later got confused as to where it should go and after a lot of contemplation and attempts chose to exit through wired barricades.
9. Holy Cow! The revered Indian animal entered an ITF event like a boss.
The video of a cow wandering inside the tennis court was shared by a young Omani player Fatma Al Nabhani, who captioned the post as, “I have seen cats enter the court but a cow that’s a new thing”.
10. When a duck entered the playing ground and found fans.
It was an England vs New Zealand match when a duck entered the ground and kept sitting there. The bird became so famous that a person created a mock Twitter account for it and gained quite a few followers.
11. Camels decided to watch a cricket match once. Rest is history.
A flock of camels from a nearby circus entered the ground during a local cricket match in Australia, much to the amusement of spectators.
12. The not-so grand start for Indian Grand Prix.
The first Grand Prix to take place in Indian Subcontinent was marred by interruption from a stray dog which was later led away before re-opening the track.
Competition can make things tense but regular guest appearances by these animals ensure that humor’s maintained on the field!
