The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Judith Benjamin
England’s pace bowlers are set to benefit from a faster wicket in their second Ashes Test against Australia at Lord’s that gets underway on Thursday.
An opening Test defeat at Edgbaston was lamented by England’s quick bowlers who struggled to get swing or bounce out of the surface.
Stuart Broad and James Anderson were particularly critical of the playing surface and felt that their bowling was hampered by the lack of pace they were able to generate in their deliveries.
However, those concerns could be eradicated at Lord’s as the venue’s groundsman Karl McDermott has been working hard to craft a more potent bowling wicket.
MCC’s assistant secretary for cricket and operations, Jamie Cox, explained to the Telegraph what work had been going on behind the scenes.
England pace bowler Stuart Broad (left) could be braced for a more enjoyable second Ashes Test against Australia
England’s pace bowlers struggled to get the most out of the Edgbaston wicket in the first 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,’ he said.
He further explained that Lord’s should be quicker than Edgbaston, explaining: ‘A little bit [faster] I think. Well, that’s what we want.
‘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.
James Anderson criticised the Edgbaston wicket in England’s first Test defeat against Australia
The Lord’s wicket has been undergoing intense preparations to help aid England’s bowlers
‘But it will do if you get four or five hot days,’ he added.
England must claw back a victory against their Down Under opponents when they meet for the second Test following their opening series defeat.
The hosts’ Bazball approach has created renewed excitement around Test cricket in the country, but will count for little if England fall to another defeat.
