Cricket

[Trackman]

My mate went today with his wife, they are in for a full refund anyway.

 

[Mikey C]

My mate went today with his wife, they are in for a full refund anyway.

The refund rules worked well for punters today, as they got to see a bit of cricket, but not enough to start clawing back the refund.

It becomes more annoying if you see 15.1 overs (just 50%) or 30.1 (zero refund). I've had the latter situation before, and it's annoying spending £100-£150 on a ticket, just to see 32 overs of cricket, so less than a full length T20 or Hundred game.

 

[Bald Rick]

The refund rules worked well for punters today, as they got to see a bit of cricket, but not enough to start clawing back the refund.

It becomes more annoying if you see 15.1 overs (just 50%) or 30.1 (zero refund). I've had the latter situation before, and it's annoying spending £100-£150 on a ticket, just to see 32 overs of cricket, so less than a full length T20 or Hundred game.

Yep I’ve seen 30.1 before, but also a result at 14.3, swings and roundabouts.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

New Zealand (2nd innings).....138 all out.

Atkinson ... 11.3 - 3 - 30 - 5

England win by 115 runs.

 

[Haywain]

The refund rules worked well for punters today, as they got to see a bit of cricket, but not enough to start clawing back the refund.

It becomes more annoying if you see 15.1 overs (just 50%) or 30.1 (zero refund). I've had the latter situation before, and it's annoying spending £100-£150 on a ticket, just to see 32 overs of cricket, so less than a full length T20 or Hundred game.

Good news for the ECB and MCC today, with England taking around 19 overs to polish off the New Zealand tail, but bad news for those who stayed at home with only 50% of their money being returned.

 

[JD2168]

A good win for England but it was a poor wicket as it was offering much assistance to the bowlers & little to the batsmen.

The choice of taking the lunch break on Saturday during the best weather was farcical as you only had to look at the forecast to see that rain was coming, good to see fans got a refund for so little play.

 

[75A]

Tell you who really impressed me in this match, Umpire Rod Tucker.
Every decision he gave was spot on both wickets and 'Not Outs' as the cameras proved.
This was his 100th Test Match, let's hope he has many more.

 

[Haywain]

The choice of taking the lunch break on Saturday during the best weather was farcical

Wasn't it the case that the covers were being dried and removed so play couldn't have started much earlier than it did anyway? So, ultimately, very little playing time was lost.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 7 Jun 2026 ==

Tell you who really impressed me in this match, Umpire Rod Tucker.
Every decision he gave was spot on both wickets and 'Not Outs' as the cameras proved.
This was his 100th Test Match, let's hope he has many more.

He got one wrong, but overall he was absolutely superb and showed that there's nothing better than a very good umpire.

 

[Trackman]

Tell you who really impressed me in this match, Umpire Rod Tucker.
Every decision he gave was spot on both wickets and 'Not Outs' as the cameras proved.
This was his 100th Test Match, let's hope he has many more.

Indeed, he had a cracking Test match.
I knew him when he came over to the UK as a Pro for a local team.
He looks exactly the same today as he did the 1980s! (or was it early 90s)

 

[75A]

He did the Test against Ireland in Belfast a couple of weeks ago and I thought he was good then but the replays @ Lords have really proved in.

 

[ainsworth74]

A good win for England but it was a poor wicket as it was offering much assistance to the bowlers & little to the batsmen.

Trying to imagine the sanction we'd have gotten up here at Durham if we'd offered such a poor pitch for a test match. Probably relegated back to the Minor Counties. But as it's Lord's I imagine it'll be nothing more than a sternly worded letter, if that...

 

[scarby]

Trying to imagine the sanction we'd have gotten up here at Durham if we'd offered such a poor pitch for a test match. Probably relegated back to the Minor Counties. But as it's Lord's I imagine it'll be nothing more than a sternly worded letter, if that...

It will almost certainly get a rating of "unsatisfactory", which carries a demerit point of 1, to stay on record for 5 years. You need 6 points to be banned from hosting international cricket for 12 months.

"Unfit" carries 3 points but that would have basically had to be so bad that the match would be abandoned.

So yeah, it's not going to amount to much.

 

[ainsworth74]

It will almost certainly get a rating of "unsatisfactory", which carries a demerit point of 1, to stay on record for 5 years. You need 6 points to be banned from hosting international cricket for 12 months.

"Unfit" carries 3 points but that would have basically had to be so bad that the match would be abandoned.

So yeah, it's not going to amount to much.

That might be what the rules say but I'm sure that the ECB would have found a way of punishing us more severely it if it had been our pitch that was that dubious. Bitter? Moi?

 

[Haywain]

A good win for England but it was a poor wicket as it was offering much assistance to the bowlers & little to the batsmen.

There was a suggestion during the summing up after play that there is going to be some sort of big announcement about that today.

 

[SuspectUsual]

It will almost certainly get a rating of "unsatisfactory", which carries a demerit point of 1, to stay on record for 5 years. You need 6 points to be banned from hosting international cricket for 12 months.

"Unfit" carries 3 points but that would have basically had to be so bad that the match would be abandoned.

So yeah, it's not going to amount to much.

So in general * a test ground can produce an unsatisfactory pitch for their annual test match and not be banned from hosting?

* Lord’s would be an exception as they generally host two tests per summer

 

[Howardh]

So in general * a test ground can produce an unsatisfactory pitch for their annual test match and not be banned from hosting?

* Lord’s would be an exception as they generally host two tests per summer

Reports I've read suggest they are looking towards "drop-in" pitches (using the Nursery) for Tests from 2028; I suppose completely digging up the square would be horrendously expensive, cause part of next season to be unusable as the square would need to bed down, and might not solve the issue anyway.

When Old Trafford turned the square 90 degrees, the exact opposite of Lords happened, the square produced bland, boring wickets which meant loads of draws - so any digging up may have consequences.
If "drop-in" pitches work, then could the Olympic Stadium (with the stands retracted to allow a decent sized outfield) be used for, say, an Ashes Test or a World Cup Final?

 

[SuspectUsual]

If "drop-in" pitches work, then could the Olympic Stadium (with the stands retracted to allow a decent sized outfield) be used for, say, an Ashes Test or a World Cup Final?

I'm not sure the dimensions would work - we went to the baseball there and there were a *lot* of home runs because it was pretty short in places

 

[Howardh]

I'm not sure the dimensions would work - we went to the baseball there and there were a *lot* of home runs because it was pretty short in places

Yes, could be like playing on New Zealand's rugby grounds (remenber that?)! But I think if the wicket was exactly middle, and the stands pushed back, and the track grassed over (is the track underneath the stands or removed??) that leaves 55-60 yards either side of the wicket. Bit tight for a Test, maybe OK for ODI's?

 

[Bald Rick]

Reports I've read suggest they are looking towards "drop-in" pitches (using the Nursery) for Tests from 2028

Lord’s tried drop in pitches about a decadeago. And then stopped as they were no good!

The pitch this time wasn’t a good one, obviously, but any grounds keeper woudl have had difficulty given the weather in the weeks building up to it, ie almost no rain for nearly 3 months, frost at the beginning of May, 34C two weeks later, then loads of rain.

 

[Haywain]

Lord’s tried drop in pitches about a decadeago. And then stopped as they were no good!

Well, it hasn't put them off because they're apparently working on them with a view to using them in 2028.

 

[Howardh]

Lord’s tried drop in pitches about a decadeago. And then stopped as they were no good!

Could be like those early football astro's - which were like concrete; and so much better now - could the technology have moved on sufficiently since then to improve things? Also they have been tested worldwide (well, in Australia!) so there should be enough data now? Personally I like neither drop-ins or hybrid (not for first class cricket anyway) but test pitches must meet a certain standard!

 

[SteveHFC]

Oh dear! ECB statement below - and judging by reports elsewhere including the BBC and Sky, it seems that the midnight curfew was still in place last night despite the test match being over, and the incident allegedly involves a Saracens academy player. Important to point out that no one is saying that Stokes & Atkinson were involved in the incident, but if they've broken the curfew, then I can see them not playing the second test, and Stokes losing the captaincy. Unless there is a very good explanation, I have a feeling Harry Brook will be captain for the second test, and Jofra Archer will be replacing Gus Atkinson. Sam Curran to replace Ben Stokes as the all rounder maybe.

Just to be clear, I have no issues with the team celebrating, having a drink etc - but if you're going to do so after midnight - at least do it in private somewhere.

https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/4515930/ecb-statement-ben-stokes-and-gus-atkinson

ECB Statement: Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson​

The ECB is investigating a breach of team protocols following first Men’s Test against New Zealand

The ECB is currently investigating a breach of team protocols following the conclusion of the first Men’s Test against New Zealand.
Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were present at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident took place.
We are currently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course.
The Cricket Regulator has been informed and we will provide a further update when possible.

 

[SuspectUsual]

What was it they said after the winter? Ah yeah, lessons will be learned.

Stokes' position would be untenable in any sensible organisation, but this is England cricket.

And his replacement potentially being Brook, the previous person to break a curfew. You couldn't make it up

 

[Haywain]

What was it they said after the winter? Ah yeah, lessons will be learned.

Stokes' position would be untenable in any sensible organisation, but this is England cricket.

And his replacement potentially being Brook, the previous person to break a curfew. You couldn't make it up

It's ridiculous that any sort of curfew should be in place on the night a match has finished.

 

[SuspectUsual]

It's ridiculous that any sort of curfew should be in place on the night a match has finished.

That’s not the point

There was. They knew there was. They went out anyway. Looks like they found trouble. Again, in Stokes’ case

 

[Purple Train]

Tell you who really impressed me in this match, Umpire Rod Tucker.
Every decision he gave was spot on both wickets and 'Not Outs' as the cameras proved.
This was his 100th Test Match, let's hope he has many more.

Agreed. I remember when George Scrimshaw had the yips on his ODI debut and Tucker was the umpire who had to keep no-balling him. When he finally got a wicket, Tucker went up and gave him a tap on the shoulder - a really nice, sporting gesture.

Oh dear! ECB statement below - and judging by reports elsewhere including the BBC and Sky, it seems that the midnight curfew was still in place last night despite the test match being over, and the incident allegedly involves a Saracens academy player. Important to point out that no one is saying that Stokes & Atkinson were involved in the incident, but if they've broken the curfew, then I can see them not playing the second test, and Stokes losing the captaincy. Unless there is a very good explanation, I have a feeling Harry Brook will be captain for the second test, and Jofra Archer will be replacing Gus Atkinson. Sam Curran to replace Ben Stokes as the all rounder maybe.

Just to be clear, I have no issues with the team celebrating, having a drink etc - but if you're going to do so after midnight - at least do it in private somewhere.

https://www.ecb.co.uk/news/4515930/ecb-statement-ben-stokes-and-gus-atkinson

ECB Statement: Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson​

The ECB is investigating a breach of team protocols following first Men’s Test against New Zealand

The ECB is currently investigating a breach of team protocols following the conclusion of the first Men’s Test against New Zealand.
Ben Stokes and Gus Atkinson were present at a nightclub in the early hours of Monday morning when an incident took place.
We are currently seeking further information, and an announcement regarding the squad for the second Test will be made in due course.
The Cricket Regulator has been informed and we will provide a further update when possible.

Not a good look at all, particularly given Stokes's history. Particularly disappointed to see Atkinson involved - in general he's seemed like one of the more sensible new players, and certainly before all this I'd have taken him as captain over Brook, for instance (not that I'm necessarily suggesting he should be). But then I'd take nearly everyone as captain over Brook.

If this is the end of Stokes, who have we got as potential captain? It's not like the England women's team where they have a quiet and dependable tactician in Charlie Dean to take over from the talismanic all-rounder when their time is up. Also, if Stokes does go, I really don't think McCullum will last long without him.

 

[yoyothehobo]

Lets be honest as well, Stokes is hardly tearing up the scoresheets at the moment with his batting...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

Ben Stokes is out of the England Squad as well as Gus Atkinson. Joe Root is captain for the next test as reported by the BBC

Ben Stokes out of England squad, Joe Root captains for second Test

Ben Stokes will miss England’s second Test against New Zealand at The Oval following an incident in a London nightclub, with Joe Root stepping up as interim captain.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Purple Train]

Ben Stokes is out of the England Squad as well as Gus Atkinson. Joe Root is captain for the next test as reported by the BBC

Ben Stokes out of England squad, Joe Root captains for second Test

Ben Stokes will miss England’s second Test against New Zealand at The Oval following an incident in a London nightclub, with Joe Root stepping up as interim captain.

www.bbc.co.uk

Interesting choice, but then I'm not sure who else could have stepped up as captain. It'll be interesting to see what happens if Stokes doesn't return to the captaincy, because surely Root won't want more than a game or two.

Also interesting to see how they deal with Atkinson.

 

[Harvester]

The ECB investigation is expected to take a few weeks, which would leave Root in charge for the Trent Bridge Test too. Brook appears to be definitely out of favour, but the door seems to have been left open for Stokes to return for the three Tests against Pakistan in August/September.

 

[DarloRich]

Root to the rescue once again.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Jun 2026 ==

The ECB investigation is expected to take a few weeks, which would leave Root in charge for the Trent Bridge Test too. Brook appears to be definitely out of favour, but the door seems to have been left open for Stokes to return for the three Tests against Pakistan in August/September.

You can't have stokes jettisoned for a night club indiscretion being replaced by brook who had his own nightclub indiscretion during the ashes.

No drinking culture and all that!