Lord's rebuilds Pitch Nine as MCC expands pitch improvement programme

Lord's has rebuilt one of its principal international pitches, with the surface unavailable until at least 2029 as Marylebone Cricket Club expands its programme to improve playing conditions. BBC Sport reported on Wednesday that Pitch Nine had been excavated and relaid, leaving the ground without one of its main televised-match strips for the coming seasons.

The work follows the ICC's unsatisfactory assessment of the surface used for England's Test against New Zealand in June. According to Sky Sports, match referee Andy Pycroft identified excessive seam movement and uneven bounce. All 40 wickets fell in 166 overs, and the ground received its first ICC demerit point. Pitch Nine is one of five central strips used for international matches.

BBC Sport reported that the reconstruction took five days. Workers put gravel into the excavated 22-yard strip before rolling the area and adding fresh soil. MCC chair Mark Nicholas warned members in a letter last week that the wider programme would create scheduling difficulties. The club had already brought in outside expertise under a seven-point pitch improvement plan.

The workload remains substantial. The venue's published 2027 fixture list schedules England's men's Test against Bangladesh from 28 May, followed by the men's Ashes Test against Australia from 30 June. A women's Ashes one-day international is listed for 16 July, with a men's ODI against New Zealand on 16 September.

A third hybrid pitch is due to join the two already on the square in spring, BBC Sport reported. These combine grass with synthetic fibres and can be prepared for reuse sooner than conventional pitches. They are permitted for domestic cricket and white-ball internationals, but not for Tests.

MCC is also developing drop-in surfaces. Sky Sports reported that the club is producing the first of three trays intended for the main square in 2028. Unlike the pitches moved in and out seasonally at some Australian multi-use stadiums, these are planned as long-term installations. BBC Sport said the first trays would reach the Nursery Ground in the coming weeks.