Ashes 2023: MCC working on quicker Lord's pitch for second Test to aid England pacers

England could be handed with a major boost as the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is working on getting more pace for the second Ashes Test at the Lord’s in London. This comes after the English side lost the first Test at Edgbaston, thereby handing a 1-0 lead to arch-rivals Australia in the five-match series.

In addition to this, the English pacers courtesy of James Anderson and Stuart Broad did not prove to rattle the rival batting unit which eventually led to the Aussies winning in a dramatic fashion by mere two wickets. Following the match, Broad provided his two cents on the flat deck, as he called it a ‘soulless’, whereas Anderson described the surface as a ‘kryptonite’ and further added that he would be ‘done’ with the Ashes if similar pitches were made.

However, as per Jamie Cox, who is the MCC’s assistant secretary for cricket and operations, the English pacers could be aided with the surface on offer for the forthcoming red ball clash in London. He further stated that the Lord’s groundsman Karl McDermott, was looking to obtain more pace at the Lord’s for the second Test.

“It’ll be a similar pitch to the Ireland Test match. It just got through. It wasn’t fast, but it was easy to score on. It was a good batting pitch when the sun was out. Here, they always say ‘look up, not down.’ So, if the clouds are out, the game will accelerate. If it’s nice sunny days batting will look fun,” Cox told ‘Code Sports’.

There’s always something there for the bowlers: Cox

Furthermore, Jamie Cox also iterated that the pitch will behave according to weather conditions as well. Notably, the Lord's track does not assist the spinners much. However, Cox believes that if the weather remains sunny for most of the part then spinners can also play some role in the second Ashes Test.

“We want a little bit more pace and carry. Our biggest battle here is always getting pace and carry. It’s just not a fast, bouncing surface. There’s always something there for the bowlers with the overheads and the slope and everything else. It doesn’t spin much historically. But it will do if you get four or five hot days,” he added.

The second Test is scheduled to commence on Wednesday, June 28, as England will be gunning to push through and get on level terms in the crucial series.