Lord's Pitch 9 Axed After Historic ICC Penalty

Dr. Annelies De Vos · 2026-10-15

Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has taken the extraordinary step of relaying Pitch 9 at Lord's after the ICC slapped the iconic ground with its first-ever demerit point for an unsatisfactory Test surface. The strip will be out of action for the next two or three seasons. It's a big deal for a venue that prides itself on pristine playing conditions. ### Why the ICC Rated the Lord's Test Pitch Unsatisfactory Match referee Andy Pycroft handed down the rating after England's win over New Zealand in early June. His report highlighted excessive seam movement and variable bounce on a surface that produced 40 wickets in just 166 overs. That's a wicket roughly every four overs—a bowler's dream but a batsman's nightmare. In fact, 24 of those dismissals were either bowled or LBW, and several deliveries kept low, including the one that got Jacob Bethell on day two. Pitch 9 is one of five central strips used for international matches at Lord's. Before this Test, the ground had never received a demerit point. So this is uncharted territory. ### MCC Begins Reconstruction and a Wider Review of Pitch Preparation MCC chair Mark Nicholas didn't waste any time. He drew up a seven-point action plan right after the match. Rob Lynch, the club's director of cricket and operations, and the ground staff have since consulted experts and commissioned data analysis as part of a broader review of the square and pitch preparation. Work on rebuilding Pitch 9 started earlier this month. Nicholas emailed members on Wednesday, saying the project would "ensure that the club prepares pitches worthy of the ground's reputation." He also warned members to brace for scheduling headaches in the coming years. According to Cricinfo, Lord's may add a longer lead-in period before major events like Ashes Tests, giving ground staff more time to work on the surfaces. Some smaller recreational fixtures could shift to Sir Paul Getty's Ground at Wormsley, which MCC plans to use as a partner venue after a pilot program this summer. The club hasn't confirmed details yet. > "We are committed to delivering world-class pitches, and this investment is a crucial step in that direction." — Mark Nicholas, MCC Chair ### Hybrid and Drop-In Pitches Feature in MCC's Long-Term Strategy MCC is betting big on both hybrid pitches and permanent drop-in pitches. A third hybrid strip—made of 95% natural turf and 5% synthetic fibre—will be installed in the spring. Nicholas said efficient use of these surfaces would ease the pressure created by losing Pitch 9. Currently, the ICC doesn't allow hybrid pitches in Test matches. Limited-overs internationals can use them if both teams and the ICC agree, and they're already common in English domestic cricket. Hybrid surfaces are believed to play more consistently than standard turf and recover faster between matches. The club is also producing its first three drop-in trays. The first will move to the main square in 2028 after a period on the nursery ground. Unlike the seasonal drop-ins used at multi-purpose grounds in Australia, MCC will keep these in place on a long-term basis. ### What This Means for Future Matches at Lord's Lord's stages two men's Tests a year under an agreement that runs until 2031. Next summer it will host England vs Bangladesh from May 28 to June 1 and England vs Australia from June 30 to July 4. The ICC has chosen The Oval, not Lord's, to host the 2027 World Test Championship final. The other two Tests at Lord's this season—England women vs India and England men vs Pakistan—received satisfactory ratings for their pitches. The four limited-overs internationals, which included three women's T20 World Cup matchdays and an England men's ODI against India, got very good ratings. So while the demerit point stings, it's clear MCC is taking bold steps to ensure Lord's remains a premier cricketing destination. The next few seasons will be a test of their new approach.