Virat Kohli speaks highly of the Black Caps on the eve of the first ODI in Napier
The first ODI between the Black Caps and India in Napier on Wednesday night was delayed due to the conditions.
But it wasn't because of rain, but because of the sun. Too much sun led to a 37-minute delay as the glare from the sunset over the stadium caused difficultiesfor the players to see.
It was one of the more unusual delays in a sporting fixture, joining a list that makes for interesting reading. Here are a few other instances:
Catfish on ice
Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel skates past a catfish during the third period of a game against the Nashville Predators. Photo / Getty Images
If you ever watch a Nashville Predators ice hockey game, there's a fairly good chance you'll see a catfish find its way onto the ice. In what has become a tradition for Predators fans, catfish are often hurled onto the rink as a good luck omen for the team. The tradition reportedly started in 2002 when a fan threw a catfish – a staple of local Nashville cuisine – onto the ice during a game. The Predators went on to win, and the tradition was born.
Earthquakes wait for no one
A Welsh League football match between Port Talbot and Taff's Well was halted by a 4.4 magnitude earth tremor near Swansea in 2017. "Temporary stop in play. A recorded earthquake in the area. Incredible," Port Talbot tweeted.
James Miller crashed into the side of the ring during a heavyweight title boxing match. Photo / Getty Images
American paraglider and parachutist James Miller made somewhat of a nuisance of himself at a number of sporting events – most famously dropping in on the heavyweight title fight between Evander Holyfield and Riddick Bowe in 1993. Miller dropped into the open-air stadium using his powered paraglider and eventually crashed into the side of the ring. He was swarmed by fans and security and beaten unconscious. He later said the stunt was unintentional and was a cause of mechanical issues, and joked about being the only one to be knocked out during the title fight. The stunt was also immortalised in an episode of the Simpsons.
Archery and cricket don't mix
A county cricket game between Surrey and Middlesex was suspended two years ago when a 45cm long arrow with a steel tip landed between two players. Armed police were called in, terrorism was discounted. "It looked like a particularly nasty crossbow arrow," one spectator reckoned.
"It can't be that good"
Loud groaning of an intimate nature, sourced to a nearby apartment, interrupted a Challenger Tour tennis match between Americans Frances Tiafoe and Mitchell Krueger in Florida a couple of years ago. As the players waited for the ardour to subside, Tiafoe yelled out: "It can't be that good." Krueger took action, slamming a tennis ball towards the noise.
T20 World Cup - the perfect kite-flying destination
Ben Stokes tries to get rid of a kite on the field during a match at the 2016 T20 World Cup. Photo / Getty Images
Play was temporarily stopped in a T20 World Cup match between England and Afghanistan in 2016 when a kite descended onto the pitch. The kite floated down to the pitch with its string broken and play was halted as it was removed from the field of play during Afghanistan's run chase. England would go on to win the match by 15 runs.
Gator don't play no s***
The PGA Tour Zurich golf classic was halted when a three-legged alligator turned up on the course, strolling through the bunker on the 14th hole. Earlier a group of alligators surrounded Talor Gooch, who was given free relief for a dangerous situation. Attempts to scare them off were met by strong resistance when one of the alligators tried to eat a bunker rake.
