Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020

Lord’s pitch rating has been marked “unsatisfactory” by the International Cricket Council after England beat New Zealand by 115 runs inside four days in a rain-hit first Test at the famous London venue.

England took a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, but the surface drew scrutiny after 33 wickets fell across the first two days and batters struggled with seam movement and uneven bounce.

For more cricket coverage, read Sri Lanka seal ODI series win after second straight washout in West Indies.

ICC Hands Lord’s Demerit Point

The ground received one demerit point, which will stay on its record for five years.

Any international venue that reaches six demerit points across that period faces a one-year ban from hosting international matches.

"There was plenty of excessive seam movement throughout the Test and the ball also kept extremely low on several occasions," match referee Andy Pycroft Crowe said in a statement from the International Cricket Council on Tuesday.

"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."

Official match reports and playing conditions can be followed through the International Cricket Council website.

Batters Struggle In Low-Scoring Test

The surface at Lord’s, widely known as the Home of Cricket, produced sideways movement off the seam and inconsistent bounce throughout the match.

One of the clearest examples came when Jacob Bethell was dismissed in England’s second innings by a ball that kept low.

England captain Ben Stokes had already criticised the pitch, saying it was not suitable for Test cricket.

Marylebone Cricket Club, which owns Lord’s, said the pitch behaviour was partly linked to weather, with a long hot spell followed by heavy rain before the match.

The club apologised after the match became the second-shortest completed Test at Lord’s.

Lord’s is also planning to trial drop-in pitches, with the aim of using them for Test cricket by 2029.