A cricket match in Burnopfield, near Newcastle, was abandoned on Saturday evening after a runaway bull stormed the playing field and charged at players. The North East Premier League fixture between Burnopfield Cricket Club and Hetton Lyons was called off despite efforts to remove the animal.
Bull's arrival and immediate danger
The young bull, weighing approximately 800kg, escaped from a farm and traveled about a mile to the playing field, arriving at around 3pm. Martin Oswell, director of the Tyneside club, described the animal as a juvenile bull, incredibly fit and athletic, and quite dangerous. Safety concerns escalated as the bull charged at players and farmers who attempted to recapture it.
Failed attempts to remove the bull
Two farmers tried to stop the bull, and it struck one of them. According to Oswell, the farmer was okay, but the beast's size made the situation perilous. The bull's owner brought a cow to the cricket club to entice the animal off the field, but that effort also failed. Oswell noted that the bull was very frightened and spooked. Police were eventually called, and the bull left the field of its own accord.
Impact on the match
Oswell said there was no chance of the game restarting before the cutoff time. Initially, the situation seemed novel and funny, but they never thought it would lead to the match being abandoned. At the time of interruption, Burnopfield CC, second in the North East Premier League, had scored 226 runs, while Hetton Lyons were 12 for one.
