Image: During the match James Vince hit a powerful shot that accidentally injured a seagull / © The Australian
A fuller-length delivery from Joel Paris bowled around the wicket, was struck with great force by James Vince over the non-striker’s head. The ball appeared headed for a boundary near long-on but unexpectedly hit a seagull along the way, causing a surprising interruption to the play.
When the ball hit the seagull, the bird dropped to the ground, fluttering its wings in pain, and feathers scattered across the field. The unexpected incident caused a brief pause in the game, drawing attention from players and spectators. James Vince, who had hit the ball, looked visibly disturbed and uneasy about the situation. The moment was shocking and unfortunate, as no one anticipated such an unusual interruption during the match.
The ball bounced before reaching the boundary ropes, but the attention of players and spectators was focused on the injured seagull. The unusual incident created a moment of concern on the field. Shortly after, the ground staff at the Melbourne Cricket Ground arrived, gently picked up the bird, and carried it away to address the situation.
Sydney Sixers chose to field after winning the toss. The stars faced an early setback, losing wicketkeeper Sam Harper in the second over. Struggling on a challenging batting pitch, they were reduced to 60-4 by the 10th over, putting them under pressure early in the game.