LONDON: The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) admitted they were “disappointed” with the condition of the Lord’s surface as England conceded 40 wickets in 166 overs during their dramatic win over New Zealand.
England won by 115 runs on the fourth morning at Lord’s, but play was severely affected by rain interruptions and a very uneven bounce across the pitch.
Many balls were low and others were sharply lifted, with 24 of the 40 dismissals coming via the bowling or lbw.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) is expected to confirm next week whether the surface, assessed by match referee Andy Bycroft, provided a fair balance between bat and ball. If rated below standard, Lord’s may receive a demerit point under the ICC pitch and outfield monitoring system.
The MCC, which owns and operates Lord’s, has invested significantly in recent years to improve playing conditions, including pitch steaming and a full outfield relay this winter.
However, chief executive Rob Lawson admitted that Surface did not meet expectations.
“We recognize that the pitch in this Test showed more variable bounce than we would have liked,” Lawson said. “We hold ourselves to very high standards and are naturally disappointed when a surface falls short of those expectations.”
Unusual weather patterns, unseasonably warm conditions in May and heavy rain ahead of the Test created huge challenges for head groundsman Carl McDermott and his team, although the MCC admitted a quick review was needed.
England captain Ben Stokes said the conditions made for an entertaining match for the visitors, but raised concerns about the long-term health of Test cricket, citing excessive seam movement and unpredictable bounce.
“It’s tough for the fielders,” Stokes said. “They don’t actively produce 16 wickets in a day. But given the extreme conditions like that, it’s not going to help the game in the future.”
New Zealand captain Tom Latham avoided blaming the pitch entirely for his side’s defeat, instead pointing to missed opportunities in the field and England’s disciplined bowling, although he admitted the surface played a significant role in the match ending early.
He noted the dismissal of Jacob Bethel, a delivery from Matt Henry that barely bounced, compared to other balls that rose sharply from similar lengths.
“We’ve seen a lot of players get hit with gloves,” Latham said. “It shows that there’s not always confidence on the surface. When that happens, batsmen get caught in the crease and you see dismissals like bowling or lbw dominating.”
Following the early result, the MCC allowed the visitors to the outfield, while fourth-day ticket holders would get a 50 percent refund if less than 30 overs were bowled.
Earlier in the tournament, a full refund was given after only 58 legal deliveries were possible due to rain and poor light.