Lord's pitch re-laid after receiving first demerit point

MCC has replaced pitch 9 at Lord's after the strip earned its first demerit point. The surface, used for England's June Test versus New Zealand, showed too much seam movement and uneven bounce, according to match referee Andy Pycroft. Work started earlier this month, so the square will remain unused for two or three years.

All 40 wickets fell inside 166 overs. After its widest review of pitch behaviour, MCC also intends to lay hybrid surfaces that last longer, though these cannot be used in Tests. Three drop-in trays are being prepared, with the first due on the main square in 2028. Lord's will stage two Tests next summer, one against Bangladesh in May and the Ashes game versus Australia at the end of June.