Fox steals the show in Hundred opener

In one of the more unusual interruptions seen in the game's storied history, a fox stole the spotlight during the opening fixture of The Hundred 2025, momentarily halting play and delighting a full house at Lord's Cricket Ground in London on Tuesday.

The surreal incident unfolded during the high-profile clash between London Spirit and defending champions Oval Invincibles, when, instead of rain or injury, it was a fox that brought proceedings to a standstill. With Spirit pacer Daniel Worrall marking his run-up and the Invincibles chasing 72 runs for victory, the furry interloper sprinted across the hallowed turf -- blissfully unaware of the mayhem it was causing.

There's a fox on the field! pic.twitter.com/3FiM2W90yZ; Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 5, 2025

The crowd erupted in laughter and applause, with the cameras immediately switching focus to the animal's escapade. Even commentators Eoin Morgan and Stuart Broad, typically unflappable in the commentary box, were caught off guard, struggling to stifle their amusement as the fox became an unexpected star of the night.

Sky Sports Cricket shared the footage online, and the clip quickly went viral, racking up views and witty responses from fans. One cheeky user drew parallels with Jamie Vardy, the former England striker who famously played for Leicester City, nicknamed The Foxes. "Most entertaining thing that happened," quipped another, while a third joked, "The fox might be looking for the King Power Stadium."

Adding to the hilarity, another user tied in lead broadcaster Fox Sports, writing: "Reporting live from pitch side." The animal eventually exited the ground after crossing the boundary, allowing play to resume but not before securing its place in cricket's growing collection of oddball interruptions.

On the cricketing front, the Invincibles had the last laugh, cruising to a six-wicket victory by chasing down Spirit's modest total of 80 in just 69 balls. Rashid Khan and Sam Curran starred with the ball, taking three wickets apiece to dismantle a Spirit lineup that included seasoned names like David Warner, Kane Williamson, and Ashton Turner.

Rashid, who finished with figures of 3 for 11 and was named Player of the Match, reflected: "It was nice to get off to a winning start. I haven't bowled in the last couple of months, but the amount of cricket I've played in the last ten years really helps."

While the Invincibles kicked off their title defence in style, it was the fox at Lord's that captured hearts and hashtags.

This isn't the first time wildlife has made a guest appearance in cricket. During the Champions Trophy 2025 in February, a black cat strutted onto the pitch at the National Stadium in Karachi, causing a temporary delay in the Afghanistan and South Africa match. Last month, a snake was spotted slithering across the outfield during the first ODI of the three-match series between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh in Colombo. Back in August 2023, a snake was spotted slithering across the outfield during a Lanka Premier League game, halted only after Shakib Al Hasan alerted officials.