England captain Ben Stokes has raised serious concerns over the Lord’s pitch used in the first Test against New Zealand. He believes the surface was not ideal for the long-term future of Test cricket despite England’s 115-run win.
The match ended before lunch on the fourth day, with bowlers dominating throughout. Batters from both sides were seen struggling on a pitch that offered movement and uneven bounce from the start.
Speaking to the BBC after the win, Stokes said: “From someone who loves Test cricket, is that something that will benefit Test cricket? I don’t think so.”
Stokes clarified that he was not blaming the ground staff.
“But nobody’s doing it on purpose. It’s a tough job to be a groundsman,” he added.
The England captain also spoke about the importance of preserving Test cricket.
“I get asked questions all the time about the longevity of this format,” Stokes said. “For someone who believes Test cricket should be the best format and should never disappear, that’s not ideal.”
The Lord’s surface came under criticism after all 40 wickets in the match fell to pace bowlers.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan said he “felt sorry” for the batters, while commentator Jonathan Agnew described the pitch as “really poor”.
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) chief executive and secretary, Rob Lawson, also admitted that the pitch had not met expectations, saying it showed “more variable bounce than we would have wanted.”
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