Rob lawson

The Marylebone Cricket Club: The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) has admitted it was "naturally frustrated" by the Lord's pitch used in the opening Test between England and New Zealand after concerns over excessive seam movement and variable bounce dominated discussion throughout the match.

The four-day contest ended with England winning by 115 runs against New Zealand. However, the pitch faced harsh criticism after 40 wickets fell in just 166 overs.

Throughout the game, the pitch produced uneven bounce, with some deliveries staying unusually low while others rose sharply. This led to 24 dismissals that were either bowled or leg-before wicket. In a statement released after the Test, MCC chief executive Rob Lawson admitted that the playing surface did not meet expectations, despite significant investment to improve conditions at Lord's. "We recognize that the pitch for this Test has shown more variable bounce than we would have wanted," Lawson said. "We hold ourselves to the highest standards and are naturally frustrated when a surface falls short of those expectations."