We have all heard stories growing up; the fox who said “Angoor khatte hain” (the grapes are sour) is one of the most told fables of them all. It speaks of frustration, pride, and denial. But no one expected that one day, a real fox would steal the spotlight, not in a jungle, but on a cricket field.
Yes, you read that right. On Tuesday evening, during the opening match of The Hundred cricket league at the historic Lord’s Cricket Ground in London, a wild fox took everyone by surprise. The fixture between Oval Invincibles and London Spirit came to a brief halt when a fox dashed across the lush green outfield, and the video clip of the same went viral in no time on social media.
Wild Fox invades the Lord’s during The Hundred opener
While cricket grounds have witnessed dogs, cats, and even snakes halting play in the past, this was a super rare incident of a wild fox making an appearance in a game of cricket and it happened at Lord’s, the home of cricket.
There's a fox on the field! 🦊 pic.twitter.com/3FiM2W90yZ
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) August 5, 2025
The fox’s sudden entry brought the game to a standstill, but not before it sprinted confidently across the field, almost as if it had a message to deliver. Commentators and fans couldn’t stop laughing at the incident. Many pulled out their phones to record the moment. Meanwhile, the fox’s short visit to the field was all over social media.
After its quick run around, it casually trotted off the field. The incident left behind smiling faces, flashing cameras, and loud claps. In fact, the Lord’s crowd at Lord’s absolutely loved it. Once the fox left the stage, cricket took over again. But unlike the surprise visitor, the match didn’t have much drama.
London Spirit, playing at home, had a rough day with the bat. They could only put up 81 runs, a total that was never going to trouble a team like Oval Invincibles. Keaton Jennings and David Warner opened the innings but managed to score 5 off 9 and 9 off 10, respectively. Both were dismissed by Jordan Clark. Jennings fell first and was replaced by Kane Williamson, who added 9 off 7 before being caught off Jason Behrendorff.
The batting order crumbled soon after. Wayne Madsen scored 10 off 11 but was bowled by Rashid Khan. Nathan Sowter dismissed John Simpson for just one, while Liam Dawson also fell cheaply, scoring only a single run. Rashid Khan picked up his second wicket with the dismissal of Dawson.
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Ashton Turner was the lone bright spot for London Spirit, top-scoring with 21 runs off 14 balls. But once Sam Curran dismissed him, the collapse continued. Curran then took out Luke Wood and Richard Gleeson, while Ryan Higgins was outfoxed (pun intended) by Rashid Khan.
Oval Invincibles cruise to victory
In reply, the Oval Invincibles made light work of the target. Will Jacks and Tawanda Muyeye, who opened the innings, didn’t get off to a flying start. Muyeye scored 18 off 20 before falling to Liam Dawson, who went on to dismiss Jacks after a run-a-ball 24.
Jordan Cox managed only 5 off 9 before Dan Worrall sent him back. Sam Curran scored 14 off 9 but was dismissed by Ashton Turner. From there, Sam Billings and Donovan Ferreira took over. They calmly guided their side to victory with 31 balls to spare, sealing the game with ease and showing why the Oval Invincibles are defending champions.
In the end, while Oval Invincibles cruised to victory, the most memorable part of the match wasn’t a six, a wicket, or a record. It was the moment a fox ran across Lord’s that halted the play for a while. We may have seen animals on the pitch before, but never a fox on a cricket field. And certainly not at Lord’s. For those who grew up with the tale of the fox and the sour grapes, this was a moment to smile.
