Pitch Nine will remain out of action until at least 2029 as Lord's Cricket Ground begins a major renovation of its playing surfaces. Workers spent over five days digging up the 22-yard hole earlier this month to begin the reconstruction process.
The team filled the area with a base layer of gravel before adding fresh soil on top. The International Cricket Council rated the surface as "unsatisfactory" following a Test match between England and New Zealand in June 2024.
Ben Stokes claimed the surface does not benefit Test cricket. Previous pitches used for men's Tests against Ireland in 2019, New Zealand in 2021, and Australia in 2023 were rated as "average".
The MCC stated in February that the "square must be at the forefront of the club's priorities" and subsequently released a seven-point "pitch action plan" during the summer. Lord's currently has two hybrids and plans to add a third to the square in the spring.
Trays for drop-in surfaces will be introduced to the Nursery Ground in the coming weeks. Mark Nicholas said, "The work now underway represents the most comprehensive review of the square and pitch preparation at Lord's in a generation."
Nicholas also noted, "we should all be braced for the scheduling challenges." Upcoming fixtures include a men's Test between England and Bangladesh starting 28 May 2027, a second men's Ashes Test in late June, a women's Ashes one-day international in July, and a men's ODI in September.
