Jalgaon Tractor Invasion Adds To Long List Of Bizarre Incidents On Cricket Field

Time and again, bizarre incidents keep disrupting cricket matches in India. The latest entrant to that list was a tractor plowing the pitch amid the final of a local tournament.

The MLA Trophy summit clash in Maharashtra's Jalgaon district ended in chaos when a politician allegedly drove the tractor onto the pitch and vandalised it as he was angry over not being invited, officials said. The unusual occurrence took place in Dharangaon, more than 400 kilometres from Mumbai.

As per officials, the leader—who serves as the Dharangaon municipal council president—was upset about not being invited to the event by the organisers. A video of the incident, which has since gone viral, shows the man driving a tractor onto the playing field, churning up the turf and rendering the pitch unplayable.

Players, organisers, and spectators were left stunned as the situation escalated rapidly. You can watch the video below:

"The council president acted in a fit of rage," an official said later. The match was immediately called off due to unsafe playing conditions, raising concerns about the security arrangements for teams from Dharangaon and nearby villages.

Local police reached the spot promptly and brought the situation under control, the official said. No complaint was lodged as organisers decided not to escalate the matter, the official added.

This was not the first viral instance of a vehicle invading the cricket ground. In 2017, a man notoriously drove his car onto the pitch during a Ranji Trophy face-off between Delhi and Uttar Pradesh at the Air Force ground in the national capital's Palam.

The 32-year-old man hilariously claimed that he had lost his way, and as there was no security at the entrance, he drove his vehicle, a Maruti Wagon R, onto the ground. The unexpected entry of the car startled players as well as umpires, and the intruder was caught by security officials and handed over to the Air Force Police.

(With PTI inputs)