ICC rates Lord's pitch as unsatisfactory for England-New Zealand Test
BBC Sport • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 9, 2026, 12:55 PM
Last updated Jun 9, 2026
The International Cricket Council has rated the pitch at Lord's as "unsatisfactory" for the first Test between England and New Zealand, awarding the venue one demerit point. England won the match by 115 runs, but pitch conditions led to difficulties in batting, with 33 wickets falling over two days. Match referee Andy Pycroft noted significantly variable bounce and excessive seam movement. This rating marks a continuation of Lord's history of underwhelming pitches, with the surface not benefiting the Test format according to England captain Ben Stokes. The Marylebone Cricket Club plans to implement drop-in pitches by 2028.
- •Lord's awarded one demerit point for pitch conditions.
- •Match saw 33 wickets fall in two days.
- •Variable bounce and seam movement criticized by match officials.
- •MCC plans to use drop-in pitches by 2028.
- •England's next Test is against Pakistan in August.
- 12:55 PMBBC Sport — Lord's pitch rated 'unsatisfactory' by ICC
"The Lord's pitch for the first Test between England and New Zealand is rated "unsatisfactory", with the historic venue given one demerit point.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- IPL•Jun 9, 2026, 3:26 PMAmid Vaibhav Sooryavanshi buzz, Ruturaj Gaikwad's century lifts India A from 16/2 to 277/6
- Cricket•Jun 9, 2026, 2:40 PMIND A vs SL A result, highlights as Ruturaj Gaikwad's century, clutch run-out help India A snatch victory from Sri Lanka A
Cricket•Jun 9, 2026, 2:39 PMGaikwad 101 trumps Arachchige 74 as India A win thriller against Sri Lanka A
ICC T20 World Cup•Jun 9, 2026, 2:35 PMWhat do you know about women's events in England?- ICC T20 World Cup•Jun 9, 2026, 2:29 PMMohammed Siraj ruled out of Ireland and England T20Is; Prasidh Krishna named replacement
- Cricket•Jun 9, 2026, 2:10 PMWatch: Arjun Tendulkar turns fan's pain into cherished memory with a heartwarming gesture
