Dubai, June 9 (IANS) The International Cricket Council (ICC) has handed one demerit point each to Lord’s in London and the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore after pitches used in recent international fixtures were rated “Unsatisfactory” under the ICC Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process.

The sanction follows assessments submitted by match referees after the opening Test of the ICC World Test Championship 2025-27 cycle between England and New Zealand at Lord’s and the third ODI between Pakistan and Australia in Lahore.

Both venues have received one demerit point, with the ICC confirming there were no previous demerit points against either ground. The respective reports have been forwarded to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), who now have 14 days to appeal the decision.

At Lord’s, concerns centred on the excessive assistance offered to bowlers throughout the Test match, which ended inside four days despite significant rain interruptions on the third day. The match witnessed a remarkable 33 wickets fall across the opening two days alone, with 16 wickets tumbling on Day One and a further 17 on Day Two.

Explaining the decision, match referee Andy Pycroft pointed to the imbalance between bat and ball that persisted throughout the contest.

“There was plenty of excessive seam movement throughout the Test, and the ball also kept extremely low on several occasions. The bounce was variable throughout as 16 wickets fell on the first day and 17 on the second. There was simply an over-balance in favour of ball against bat caused by the pitch,” Pycroft said.

The pitch at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium came under scrutiny for entirely different reasons. While Lord’s was criticised for offering excessive assistance to seam bowlers, the Lahore surface was deemed too slow and difficult to score runs on in a 50-over contest.

The third ODI between Pakistan and Australia turned into a low-scoring affair, with batters from both sides struggling to score freely as the pitch offered assistance to spin from an early stage.

Match referee Graeme La Brooy highlighted those concerns in his report, stating, “The pitch was slow and low and made scoring runs very difficult. It did not suit a One Day International game as batters had to spend more time to settle in. It helped spin very early in the match and continued the same way throughout.”

Under the ICC’s Pitch and Outfield Monitoring Process, venues accumulate demerit points for below-standard playing surfaces. Grounds that accrue multiple demerit points over a rolling five-year period can face sanctions, including suspension from hosting international cricket.

While neither Lord’s nor Gaddafi Stadium faces any immediate threat, the latest ratings serve as a warning for two of the sport’s most prominent venues as they seek to avoid further penalties in future international fixtures.

–IANS

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