Lord's pitch does not benefit Test format - Stokes

In effect to the disapproval of the pitch, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), owners of Lord's, admitted the aboveground had fallen abbreviated of expectations.

"We recognise that the transportation for this Test has shown much adaptable bounce than we would person wanted," said MCC main enforcement and caput Rob Lawson.

"We clasp ourselves to the highest standards and are people frustrated erstwhile a aboveground falls abbreviated of those expectations.

"MCC invests importantly each twelvemonth successful the mentation of the main quadrate astatine Lord's, arsenic good arsenic successful research, exertion and expertise aimed astatine producing pitches that supply a just and accordant contention betwixt bat and ball.

"The unusually blistery and adust upwind during May, followed by wetter conditions successful the lead-up to the match, presented a fig of challenges successful preparing the pitch."

Lord's regularly hosts 2 England men's Tests each summertime and this twelvemonth volition signifier its archetypal women's Test, erstwhile England conscionable India.

After holding the last of the World Test Championship past year, it volition besides big the last of the Women's T20 World Cup successful July.

In February, the MCC published its cricket strategy, erstwhile it stated the "square indispensable beryllium astatine the forefront of the club's priorities".

The MCC has copied a method of "steaming", which is utilized by the All England Lawn Tennis Club for the courts that big Wimbledon.

It involves pumping "200 degrees of steam" 7 inches into the turf. The nine said the process volition effect successful "positive improvements", but besides admitted the request to re-lay the square. The MCC is besides experimenting with drop-in pitches, which are heavy utilized successful Australia.

For England and Stokes, possibly the mode of triumph was not important pursuing their 4-1 decision connected the Ashes circuit of Australia.

All of the skipper, manager Brendon McCullum and manager of cricket Rob Key remained successful their posts contempt the dense nonaccomplishment down under.

And Stokes admitted helium was alert the accrued unit the absorption whitethorn person travel nether had England been connected the incorrect extremity of different defeat.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm very, precise blessed that we've won this week," helium said. "I knew however large this crippled was successful presumption of the effect and however it was going to beryllium perceived externally if it didn't spell well.

"I won't beryllium truly blessed until I get to stock a brew with the boys.

"We've won the archetypal crippled of the summer, it's large we've managed to bash it, but we've got 5 much to go. We're 1 Test down, and there's a agelong mode to spell still."