Blame it on the grass

A sixth-successive draw at Lord's is indeed a dubious distinction for the ground and Mike Selvey reckons the swanky new outfield, despite having one of the best drainage systems, is to blame. Read on in the Guardian.

I happen to think that the new outfield is a contributing factor, for it will have helped lower the natural water table, sucking moisture from beneath the square and making preparation a different task from that which the Lord's head groundsman, Mick Hunt, would have had when he first took over the job in the late 70s. There is so much more artificial watering required now which, when added to a top-dressing that binds, results in a true surface but one which has discovered the secret to eternal youth, like anti-wrinkle cream.

Also read Neil Manthorp's Lord's diary in Supercricket, Manners on Tour

Holding, meanwhile, is not as affable and friendly as he was a couple of years ago. He is far, far more so! There appear to be no minutes in the day when ‘Mikey’ doesn’t have a smile on his face and when he boarded the lift to descend from the famous UFO-style media centre after Saturday’s play, he seemed well-prepared for a party with half a case of rum under his arm.