MARDYKE, Ireland - The much-anticipated Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial T20 trophy match between Munster Reds and Northern Knights took an unexpected twist Wednesday as the game came to a halt due to a swarm of bees invading the ground at Mardyke.

With Munster Reds positioned at a promising 91/2 after 10.4 overs, the match officials made the prudent decision to suspend play when thousands of bees swarmed over the field, making it impossible for players to venture near the boundary line.

The unexpected interruption occurred at approximately 4:30 pm, leaving the players and spectators in awe of the unusual spectacle.

Efforts to safely remove the bees and ensure the players' safety were soon underway. The daunting task of capturing the queen bee, which had settled on a pavilion fence, fell to Mauro Dias from Buzz of Nature, an experienced beekeeper.

With expertise and precision, Dias skillfully secured the queen bee, leading to the gradual dispersal of the remaining 20,000 bees.

After a delay of over an hour, the cricket match finally resumed at 6:15 pm.

The Cricket Ireland Inter-Provincial T20 trophy match is part of a larger three-day festival celebrating domestic cricket in a provincial competition.