England's first Test against New Zealand is set to end inside three days on a pitch labelled 'sub-standard' by Nasser Hussain

England took control of a match moving with breakneck speed at the home of world cricket.

England's first Test against New Zealand is set to end inside three days on a pitch labelled 'sub-standard' by Nasser Hussain

17 wickets fell on day two as the game hastened towards a conclusion on a surface weighted heavily in the bowlers’ favour

Rain halted play at Lord's on Saturday, delaying England's pursuit of victory in the first Test against New Zealand. The Black Caps, reeling at 36-3, face a daunting 218-run…

Move to replant the playing surface by 2028 is latest effort to repair the embarrassment caused by its variable bounce

The Lord's 150th Test has sparked controversy over the pitch quality, with former England captains Vaughan and Atherton criticising it. | Cricket

Only rain ensured the first Test of the summer was not a two-day Test as inconsistent bounce made batting nearly impossible for both sides in a game that lasted just 166 overs

The ground's surface has been heavily criticised for offering too much assistance to bowlers

The MCC admitted frustration over the Lord's pitch, where variable bounce led to 40 wickets falling in just 166 overs during England's Test win against New Zealand.

The MCC accepted that the Lord's pitch was not upto scratch for the series opener between England and New Zealand. | Cricket

MCC will consider drop-in pitches from 2029 after admitting the surface failed.

The ECB needs to send a message over farcical pitch for England's win over New Zealand