Wanderers abuzz at pitch invasion

You cannot but feel that cricket in this country continues to throw up surprises – the highly successful Indian Professional League, despite some less than savoury happenings off the field, being moved at virtually the 11th hour to South Africa in 2014 when Indian authorities could not provide safety guarantees during the populous nation’s general elections.

But there can never have been a less welcome innovation than a swarm of uninvited guests at the annual Pink Game at the Wanderers this weekend and the unlikely journey, caused by an infestation of bees, by an equally unlikely hero who saved the day.

Pierre Hefer, who lives about five kilometres from the ground in Johannesburg, was watching the game dedicated to both beating the opposition and raising awareness of breast cancer, when the swarm settled.

He rushed to the ground dressed in his bee-keeping regalia and managed to get through traffic blocks and talk his way into the jam-packed stadium. Where fire extinguishers, brooms and wheelie bins had failed, Hefer succeeded and play eventually continued.

The venue is famous for the Proteas chasing down a record Australian total to win the famed 438 game, but it will be the battle with the bees which will keep memories of this weekend’s game buzzing.