Squirrel steals show at T20

Squirrel Mitchley stole the show when it disrupted the third T20I cricket match between South Africa and Australia.

Squirrel Mitchley stole the show when it disrupted the third T20I cricket match between South Africa and Australia on Wednesday night.

Despite the Proteas’ six-wicket defeat, Newlands spectators were given an extra treat when a squirrel made a show-stopping appearance on the field, delaying the play for about five minutes at the start of the second over.

Meet Squirrel Mitchley - the critter who stole the show at the mid-week SA vs Aus T20 match at Newlands. pic.twitter.com/0ilO2p4kAO

— Cape Argus (@TheCapeArgus) March 11, 2016

In a video that has gone viral, the squirrel is seen standing on the field oblivious to the spectators seated on the grandstand and the players.

A woman dressed in black is seen walking to Squirrel Mitchley, but the clever rodent is way ahead of her and sprints further away.

The woman then sprinkles a few nuts on the ground to lure the squirrel, but that too fails. At one point the players appeared impatient; one is shown tossing the ball in the air and the other watching the chase.

Evan Flint, head groundsman at the ground, said they had named the squirrel “Squirrel Mitchley” after former South African cricket, umpire and match referee Cyril Mitchley.

He said: “It was bizarre because it was there hours ago, and closer to the time we tried to get it off the ground. We started to panic at around 20 minutes before the game started and had six security officials chasing him, but he wouldn’t leave.”

Flint said the woman dressed in black in the videos was one of the spectators.

“She told us she is a squirrel expert and had a pack of nuts with her.

“We asked the match referee if we could pause the game and she was convinced that she would be able to lure him,” he said.

The woman’s attempt to capture Mitchley failed as he still managed to watch the game from all corners of the field.

Flint said during the game Mitchley was nearly hit twice. “He survived Hashim Amla’s square cut and cover drive, which nearly took his head.”

Mitchley only left the ground when two other women claiming to be working with an animal association captured him.

“I don’t remember which animal association they said they came from, but they came with nets and he ran right up to those nets and they took him away,” he said.

The head groundsman said he and his team would like to see the show-stopper again.

“It would be great to see him again on the field,” Flint joked.

On Twitter, Mitchley had also made a name for himself when people started tweeting about him.

Pietman Die Skot said: “The poor squirrel at Newlands, fielding at deep squirrel leg now. #t20squirrel.”

Carson Tawanda said: “The poor lady trying to capture the squirrel at Newlands.

“Squirrel wasn’t about to get bribed by a few nuts.”

Shaun Engel said: “SA got a new mascot at Newlands… a squirrel.

“Addicted to cricket.” - Cape Argus