The sight no one has seen

Diggers have appeared in front of Lord's famous pavilion, with a gaping hole now visible in the middle of the square.After years of complaints about the playing surface, cricket's spiritual home has taken drastic action.

The pitch that caused it all

Pitch Nine was used for England's Test against New Zealand in June. The surface proved incredibly difficult for batting. Jacob Bethell was bowled by a ball that shot along the ground.

England captain's verdict

After the match, England captain Ben Stokes said the surface does not benefit Test cricket. The International Cricket Council rated it as unsatisfactory, placing a demerit point on Lord's record.

“the surface does not benefit Test cricket”

A pattern of poor pitches

Pitches used for men's Tests against Ireland in two thousand nineteen, New Zealand in two thousand twenty-one and Australia in two thousand twenty-three were all rated average.

What the MCC did to Pitch Nine

Over five days, Pitch Nine was dug up and the twenty-two-yard hole filled with a base layer of gravel. The area was rolled and tended to by groundstaff, then fresh soil was added on top.

The cost of the fix

Pitch Nine will be out of action until two thousand twenty-nine at the earliest, depriving Lord's of one of its main television pitches.

Lord's plans for the future

Lord's is adding a third hybrid pitch to the square in spring, where synthetic fibres are mixed with grass.