JUST STOP OIL protesters stopped the second Ashes Test with England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow forced to take matters into his own hands.

Ahead of the second over of the morning session at Lord’s, two Just Stop Oil protesters raced onto the pitch.

Bairstow immediately took matters into his own hands by picking up one of the protesters and carrying them off the pitch.

The other Just Stop Oil protester was thwarted by security staff before being taken away from the grounds.

Bairstow had to briefly leave the field to change his top, after it was covered in orange powder, before returning ahead of Broad starting his spell from the Nursery End.

England bowled themselves into trouble on day one of the second Ashes Test at Lord’s, before two wickets in an over from part-timer Joe Root offered a late morale boost.

Desperate to produce a statement of intent after their tense two-wicket defeat at Edgbaston, the hosts failed to make the most of Ben Stokes winning the toss in helpful conditions as Australia reached the close on 339 for five.

A brief delay at Lord's due to protestors invading the pitch, but they're swiftly dealt with - with Jonny Bairstow helping remove one of them from the field. pic.twitter.com/xkp315Y9I2

— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 28, 2023

Speaking on BBC’s Test Match Special, commentator Jonathan Agnew said: “Jonny Bairstow’s dander was up there, he was like a flanker. Let’s hope this doesn’t happen again, let’s hope that’s the one attack on the Ashes this year.”

Ricky Ponting, speaking in the Sky Sports studio, felt for the players after the hotly-anticipated match was halted so early in the battle.

“As a batter in the build-up you just want to get out there and under way. Delays are not ideal for anyone,” he said.

“The batters just need to put something like this out of their mind.”