ICC rates Lord's pitch unsatisfactory after England-New Zealand Test 2026

The ICC classified Lord's pitch as 'unsatisfactory' after England defeated New Zealand by 115 runs in a two-day Test affected by poor conditions.

ICC rates Lord’s pitch The pitch used for the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s in 2026 received an 'unsatisfactory' rating from the International Cricket Council. The historic venue also earned one demerit point. England won the match by 115 runs, but batting proved extremely challenging on the surface. Without prior demerit points, Lord’s avoids immediate penalties from the governing body. ## Pitch analysis by match referee Match referee Andy Pycroft highlighted excessive seam movement and low bounce throughout the Test. He noted variable bounce caused 16 wickets to fall on the first day and 17 on the second. Pycroft stated the pitch heavily favored bowlers over batters. The conditions made it difficult for players to bat consistently. ## MCC and England captain react The Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord’s, acknowledged in a statement that the pitch did not meet expected standards. England captain Ben Stokes remarked that such surfaces do not support the future of Test cricket. Stokes commented on how challenging the conditions were for both teams. The match concluded in 166 overs, making it one of the shortest at Lord’s to produce a result. ## History of Lord’s pitch ratings Previous Lord’s pitches received 'average' ratings under the ICC system for men’s Tests against Ireland in 2019, New Zealand in 2021, and Australia in 2023. A women’s ODI against India in 2022 also earned an 'average' rating. An ODI against Australia in 2024 and last year’s Test against India were rated only 'satisfactory'. The venue has struggled with underwhelming surfaces in recent years. ## Efforts to improve conditions Lord’s attempted to address pitch issues by copying a 'steaming' technique used at Wimbledon for winter preparation. Mark Nicholas, MCC chairman, revealed plans to introduce drop-in pitches grown on the Nursery Ground before being moved into the main square by 2028. Lord’s will host a women’s Test between England and India in July. England’s men will return for a Test against Pakistan in August, sandwiched between white-ball internationals and The Hundred.