Monkey business hits match

England’s tour match against Haryana was halted briefly in Ahmedabad on Friday after a group of monkeys appeared on the field, leaving the tourists amused. The monkeys walked across the field when the post-tea session was in progress on the ‘B’ field of the Motera stadium complex, where the first Test starts on Thursday. England seamer Tim Bresnan, who hails from Yorkshire, said the unexpected invasion did not bother him. “No, we get them down at my local cricket club all the time,” he joked. Bresnan took two wickets as Haryana, replying to England’s first innings total of 521, cruised to 172-4 by stumps on the second day of the four-day game. Bizarre interruptions in cricket are not an uncommon feature. Bees, snakes, and even hedgehogs have been known to stop play in various centres around the world. England are hoping to win their first Test series in India since 1985 when the four matches are played in Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Kolkata and Nagpur.