Lord’s Cricket Stadium: Pitch Report Bowling and Batting, Records & Stats

Cricket enthusiasts often refer to Lord’s Cricket Ground simply as Lord’s. It is one of the most historic and prestigious cricket venues in the world. The ground is located in the St John’s Wood area of ​​London, England. Both players and fans call it the “home of cricket”.

The ground’s heritage dates back over two centuries. The current venue has been in use since 1814 when cricket was a separate sport. Lord’s is the world’s oldest sports museum, filled with some of cricket’s most valuable artefacts. It hosts Test matches and major international matches, including One Day Internationals and T20 Internationals.

Its famous slope is a unique slope of around 2.5 metres across the playing surface. This slope significantly affects the speed and tactics of the ball for both batsmen and bowlers. Players must adjust their play to take this natural feature of the ground into account.

Lord’s has hosted many prestigious competitions, including ICC event finals and Ashes Tests. Over the decades, this hallowed ground has witnessed historic individual performances across all formats.

Pitch Report for Bowling and Batting

General Nature

The Lord’s pitch, while balanced, is known for its unique characteristics. The cloudy weather and famous slope make it easier for pace bowlers to seam and swing early on. As the match progresses, the surface flattens out, helping batsmen survive the early periods.

In Test cricket, the surface can help seamers early on, especially when the weather is cloudy. Later, the pitch allows spinners to take turns as the pitch remains weak for five days. As a Test match naturally develops, the balance shifts from bowlers to batsmen and spinners.

Format-Wise Behaviour in Different Games

Test Matches

Fast bowlers get lateral speed and swing early in the game, especially in English conditions. The new ball spins in both directions, which poses a challenge for batsmen facing the opening bowlers. Batsmen will have to show patience and technique to survive the first session of the game.

As the match progresses, the pitch becomes much flatter in the later days. This makes batting easier and helps with stroke-play when the ball is batted. The surface offers some grip for spin later on as cracks appear and become rough.

One Day Internationals

ODI pitches are generally batsmen-friendly and support good scores once the batsmen settle in. The average score in an ODI at Lord’s often hovers around 280 to 300. If the teams batting first bat well in their first fifty overs, they can make competitive scores.

The pitch still offers something for the bowlers at the start of an ODI innings at Lord’s. Swing and seam movement are present in the first ten overs before the fielding restrictions are lifted. Bowlers must use the new ball effectively before conditions ease for batting.

T20 Internationals

The surface for T20 is usually flat and high scoring which helps in aggressive batting from the start. When conditions are favourable, teams score in the range of 160 to 180 runs. Power hitters can regularly cross the boundary after seeing the ball properly.

In T20 cricket, chasing teams often succeed at Lord’s if they get off to a good start. The fog factor can sometimes make bowling difficult in the second innings.

Balance Between Bat and Ball

When the ball is new, the slope and grass cover help fast bowlers initially. The slope creates unique angles that bowlers can exploit with skill and planning. The stable pitch allows batsmen to build their innings after adapting to the conditions and slope.

At Lord’s, neither the bat nor the ball dominates. The balance shifts depending on match conditions, weather and the wear and tear of the pitch over time.

Records and Statistics at Lord’s

Test Cricket Records

The highest team score ever recorded here is 729 for 6 by Australia against England. This mammoth score came in 1930 when Don Bradman Australia completely dominated England’s bowling. This innings is still the highest score in Test cricket at Lord’s.

The highest individual score is that of Graham Gooch who scored 333 runs against India in 1990. Gooch batted with extraordinary concentration and skill during his long innings at Lord’s. His 333 runs at this ground in Tests are the benchmark for individual batting excellence.

The best bowling figures in a single innings are 8 wickets for 34 runs by Ian Botham against Pakistan. Botham achieved this feat in 1978 by destroying Pakistan’s batting with swing and seam. His figures in Tests at Lord’s remain the best single innings bowling performance.

The best bowling figures in the match were 16 wickets for 137 runs by Bob Massey for Australia. Massey achieved this feat by swinging the ball brilliantly from both ends against England in 1972. His figures of 16 wickets at Lord’s are unmatched in Test cricket.

Ireland’s recent lowest team score of 38 runs against England is the lowest ever. In 2019, Ireland completely collapsed and could not cope with England’s bowling on a good surface. This is the lowest score ever in Test cricket at Lord’s.

Historically, the West Indies hold the record for the most successful chase against England of 344 runs for 1 wicket. The West Indies chased this target easily, losing only one wicket. This is the largest successful chase in the fourth innings at Lord’s in Test cricket.

ODI Records at Lord’s

England’s highest team score in ODIs against India is 334 for 4. England’s batting line-up put all their might into making this huge ODI score. This innings showed how flat the pitch can be for limited-overs cricket.

The highest chase in ODIs is 326 for 8 which India successfully achieved against England. India chased this huge target by showing batting depth and composure under pressure. This has been the most successful chase in ODI cricket at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The average first innings score in ODIs at this venue is 232 runs. This suggests that ODI cricket teams at Lord’s score a total of 230 runs or more. The chasing teams need a strong start to chase a big score at this ground.

The lowest score in women’s ODIs is 85 for 10 by South Africa against England. South Africa completely collapsed that day, unable to cope with England’s bowling attack. This is the lowest ODI score at Lord’s in women’s cricket history.

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T20 International Records

The highest team score in T20I is 199 for 4 by the World XI against West Indies. The West Indies power hitters dominated the bowling after making this huge T20 score at Lord’s. This innings showed how T20 cricket has now become a high scoring pastime.

The highest chase in T20I is 163 for 6 by the Netherlands against England successfully. The Netherlands chased this target which shows that the Associate Nations can compete at Lord’s. This has been the most successful chase of T20I chases at this historic cricket venue.

The average first innings score in T20I is around 151 runs at Lord’s Stadium. This suggests that T20 cricket here usually produces competitive totals in the 150 range. Teams posting over 160 often successfully defend their totals in T20 cricket.