Tuesday night’s WBBL match between the Sydney Thunder and Hobart Hurricanes had to be temporarily suspended as frightened players dodged a group of angry intruders.
Two adult plover birds caused the mayhem at Blacktown Oval as they aggressively protected their two chicks in the outfield.
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The swooping birds had their crosshairs firmly placed on the Thunder fielders who were forced to duck for cover.
“I can see that a few players are actually hitting the deck at the moment,” Thunder list manager Alex Blackwell said in commentary.
“A mum and dad plover, it looks like they’re protecting the chicks.
“The plovers are quite territorial and they lay their nest randomly out on the outfield.
“You’d expect a nest to be somewhere more protected but looks like the nest has been placed at short cover.”
While the players appeared terrified by the protective plovers, they also clearly saw the funny side of the situation as their laughs were heard amid the screeches of the birds.
Blackwell, who previously played for the Thunder, said she found her own entertainment in the antics of the birds while playing in somewhat uneventful Test match for Australia.
“They’re trying to stamp their authority aren’t they these plovers, with the two chicks,” Blackwell said.
“I actually remember a day-night Test match where Elysse Perry got a 200.
“What kept us entertained was there was a plover at North Sydney Oval, so it’s not just at Blacktown, they can occur anywhere around Sydney.”
Plovers are known to be territorial and aggressive in certain parts of the year while defending their eggs and chicks from other birds and mammals.
Thankfully they eventually departed Blacktown Oval to allow the match to be completed, with the Hurricanes eventually emerging victorious by 49 runs.
Hobart now sit in third place on the WBBL ladder, while the Thunder are in last position with three losses from three games.
