ICC Rates Lord’s and Gaddafi Stadium Pitches ‘Unsatisfactory’, Issues Demerit Points

Islamabad (Qudrat News) — The International Cricket Council has declared the pitches used for the first Test between England Cricket Team and New Zealand Cricket Team at Lord’s Cricket Ground, and the third ODI between Pakistan Cricket Team and Australia Cricket Team at Gaddafi Stadium as “unsatisfactory,” awarding one demerit point to each venue.

Match referees Andy Pycroft and Graeme Labrooy cited concerns raised by umpires and team captains in their respective reports.

Regarding the Lord’s pitch, Andy Pycroft noted that the ball exhibited excessive seam movement throughout the Test match and frequently stayed unusually low. He added that the bounce was consistently uneven, creating a significant imbalance in favor of bowlers. A total of 16 wickets fell on the first day and 17 on the second, highlighting the challenging batting conditions.

Commenting on the Gaddafi Stadium pitch, Graeme Labrooy stated that the surface was extremely slow and low, making run-scoring difficult. He said the wicket did not meet the standards expected for One-Day International cricket, as batters required an unusually long time to settle. The pitch also began assisting spinners from the early stages of the match and continued to do so throughout the contest.

The ICC has forwarded its reports to the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Pakistan Cricket Board. Both boards have been given 14 days to lodge an appeal against the decision.