Bolt stops play: Cricket abandoned at The Oval as MPS evacuates ground

Armed officers carried out a “controlled evacuation” at one of cricket`s most famous grounds after a metal-tipped crossbow bolt was fired onto the pitch during play at a County Championship game. Play was suspended shortly after tea when the projectile landed on the square to the right of play during Middlesex`s second innings against London rivals Surrey. The umpires stopped the game and instructed the players to head inside, while a warning was also issued to the 1,068 spectators in the ground – urging them to also move indoors. It was later confirmed that the match had been abandoned, with the game ending as a draw. The Metropolitan Police Service said the incident was not terror related and confirmed that no injuries had been suffered. Launching an investigation, the force said no arrests had been made and it retained an “open mind as to motive”. Surrey CCC chief executive Richard Gould praised The Oval`s security staff and the umpires for their quick response to Thursday (August 31) evening`s drama. When asked if there were adequate security measures in place, Gould replied: “We would like to think that they are always effective. “We had around 25 stewards and security on site for this Championship match. The police arrived very swiftly and the umpires did a very good job in removing the players from the pitch very, very quickly. “We look at a variety of threats constantly. Living and working in London, the threat is always with us. “We will of course review and see if there are any other measures which need to be taken into consideration.”