The New Zealand Test was not the first time Lord's, which the England and Wales Cricket Board effectively guarantees at least two Tests per year, has had trouble with its playing surface. The pitches used for the men's Tests against Ireland in 2019, New Zealand in 2021 and Australia in 2023, plus a women's one-day international against India in 2022, were all rated "average" under the ICC's previous system. Lord's has often been criticised for being slow and low, providing less entertaining cricket.
In February, the MCC said the "square must be at the forefront of the club's priorities," and over the summer it set out a seven-point "pitch action plan" that included bringing in external experts. This month things went a step further. Over five days, Pitch Nine was dug up, the 22-yard hole was filled with a base layer of gravel, and fresh soil was added on top. It now looks little different to the square around it.
But this is not the end of the story. In a letter to members, MCC chair Mark Nicholas warned that "we should all be braced for the scheduling challenges" the pitch plans will bring. Pitch Nine will be out of action until 2029 at the earliest, depriving Lord's of one of its main TV pitches. Major matches next year include the second men's Ashes Test in late June and a men's Test against Bangladesh in May.
Lord's is also expanding its use of hybrid pitches, which mix synthetic fibres into a grass surface and can be revitalised more quickly than natural pitches. A third hybrid will be added to the square in the spring, though hybrids are not yet allowed in Test cricket. Drop-in surfaces, grown away from the main square before being placed into position, are also planned, with the first trays due at the Nursery Ground in the coming weeks. "The work now underway represents the most comprehensive review of the square and pitch preparation at Lord's in a generation," Nicholas told members. Time will tell whether the changes are as successful as hoped.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing