England wicketkeeper Jonny Bairstow has carried a Just Stop Oil protester off the field as other players protected the Lord’s pitch in a dramatic start to the second Ashes Test.

Three protesters sped onto the ground five minutes after the start of play at the home of cricket on Wednesday, forcing players to stop them from throwing orange powder on the pitch.

One was apprehended by Bairstow, who frogmarched the protester to the boundary.

Another had to be wrestled to the ground close to the wicket as Ben Stokes and David Warner, who had his bat in hand, attempted to tackle him.

Tweet from @JustStop_Oil

The incident prompted a delay of five minutes as the ground staff cleared some of the powder from the outfield, after England had earlier won the toss and sent Australia in to bat.

Officials have been concerned about the threat of protesters disrupting Test matches this summer, and the potential of matches being abandoned if pitches are destroyed.

Several major sporting events, including premier league matches, the premiership rugby final at Twickenham and World Snooker Championships in April have been targeted by the activists.

England’s team bus was also held up by the protesters during the Lord’s Test against Ireland earlier this month.

Australia captain Pat Cummins, who has been vocal in his push for action against climate change, pleaded with protesters not to target pitches at the start of the tour.

“My view is always just there’s right ways to go about things and potentially not the right way to go about things,” Cummins said.

“Whenever anyone’s got any beliefs, you just hope you take the right option.”

Curators have prepared a back-up pitch in recent Tests in England in case the main one is damaged, however that would significantly change match conditions.

-AAP