New Delhi
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has rated the pitches used for the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s and the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium as “unsatisfactory”, with both venues receiving one demerit point under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
The decision follows reports from match referees highlighting that both surfaces provided playing conditions that were not in balance between bat and ball, significantly impacting the quality of competition in both matches.
At Lord’s, the opening Test of the ICC World Test Championship 2025–27 cycle ended within four days despite interruptions due to rain on Day 3. The match saw a dramatic collapse of wickets across both sides, with England and New Zealand losing 16 and 17 wickets respectively on the first two days alone.
Match referee Andy Pycroft noted that the surface offered excessive seam movement and inconsistent bounce, which at times stayed unusually low. He said the conditions heavily favoured bowlers, making it extremely difficult for batters to settle or build innings.
“There was plenty of excessive seam movement throughout the Test, and the ball also kept extremely low on several occasions. The bounce was variable throughout as 16 wickets fell on the first day and 17 on the second. There was simply an over-balance in favour of ball against the bat caused by the pitch,” Pycroft stated in his report.
Similarly, the Gaddafi Stadium pitch used for the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia on June 4 also came under scrutiny. Match referee Graeme La Brooy described the surface as slow and low, making stroke play challenging and unsuitable for the demands of one-day international cricket.
According to La Brooy, the pitch offered early assistance to spinners and remained consistent in its sluggish nature throughout the match, forcing batters to struggle for timing and momentum.
“The pitch was slow and low and made scoring runs very difficult. It did not suit a One Day International game as batters had to spend more time to settle in. It helped spin very early in the match and continued the same way throughout,” he said.
The ICC’s rating places both venues under observation as part of its ongoing effort to maintain balanced playing conditions across international cricket.
