The ICC has rated the pitches used at Lord’s and Gaddafi Stadium as “Unsatisfactory”, handing both venues one demerit point each under its Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.
The sanction relates to the surface used for the first Test between England and New Zealand at Lord’s in London and the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore. The reports were submitted by match referees Andy Pycroft and Graeme La Brooy, who raised concerns after feedback from match officials and the captains.
The Lord’s pitch came under scrutiny after a Test that heavily favoured the bowlers. According to Pycroft, the surface produced excessive seam movement, variable bounce and several deliveries that kept extremely low. The balance between bat and ball became the central issue, with 33 wickets falling across the first two days of the match.
“There was plenty of excessive seam movement throughout the Test and the ball also kept extremely low on several occasions,” Pycroft said in the ICC release. “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 bat caused by the pitch.”
Lord’s and Gaddafi Stadium receive one demerit point each
The Gaddafi Stadium pitch was pulled up for a different reason. While Lord’s was considered too helpful for seamers and uneven in bounce, the Lahore surface was criticised for being slow, low and unsuitable for an ODI contest. La Brooy’s report noted that run-scoring became difficult and batters had to spend extra time adjusting to the surface.
“The pitch was slow and low and made scoring runs very difficult,” La Brooy said. “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.”
The ICC confirmed that the reports have been forwarded to the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board, respectively. Both boards have 14 days to appeal against the sanction.
Neither Lord’s nor Gaddafi Stadium had any demerit points prior to this rating.
Under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, venues are penalised when a pitch or outfield is judged substandard. A venue receives one demerit point if a pitch is rated “Unsatisfactory”, while three demerit points are awarded if it is rated “Unfit”.
Demerit points remain active for a rolling five-year period. If a venue reaches six demerit points, it is suspended from hosting international cricket for 12 months. A venue that reaches 12 demerit points faces a 24-month suspension from staging international matches.
The Lord’s rating is particularly striking because of the venue’s standing in world cricket and the nature of the criticism. The match referee’s report did not object to bowlers receiving assistance, but to the extent of the movement and uneven bounce across the match.
For Gaddafi Stadium, the concern was centred on the ODI format itself. The ICC’s assessment suggested the surface did not allow the rhythm expected from a 50-over match, with early spin assistance and low pace making scoring unusually difficult.
