Two New Pitches To Be Laid As Lord's Extends Square

Two New Pitches To Be Laid As Lord's Extends Square

By 2013 there will be 21 pitches on the Lord's square

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Lord's Cricket Ground will boast two extra pitches after the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) announced plans to extend the square at the home of cricket.

One new pitch is to be laid at either end of the square and both will be used in the 2013 season for training and practice purposes ahead of major matches.

The pitches will undergo a two-year 'bedding-in' process ready for full use from 2015, bringing the total number of pitches at Lord's up to 21.

"MCC is determined to maintain the reputation of Lord’s as the best cricket ground in the world for players, members and spectators," MCC Head of Cricket and Estates John Stephenson said.

"The laying of two new international standard pitches represents the most recent phase in the Club’s ongoing commitment to make sure that this is the case.

"The new pitches will initially be used next season purely for practice purposes, but once they have ‘bedded-in’ over the next couple of years they will be used for competitive cricket and will therefore provide even greater flexibility for the Ground to host further fixtures.  In particular, it will present the opportunity for Lord’s to accommodate more women’s and youth cricket on the Main Ground."

It will be the first work on the square since 2004 when one of the pitches in the middle of the square was relaid and ahead of the 2013 season, the whole outfield will be relaid. This follows one third of the outfield having already been relaid in order for Lord's to host the archery at the London 20120 Olympic Games.

© Cricket World 2012