Is the Lord’s slope cricket’s longest standing excuse? 7 facts to suggest it might be

Archie Starkey 10 Jul 2025

Australia and South Africa navigated the Lord's slope during the 2025 WTC final.

Lord’s Cricket Ground in London is known as the ‘Home of Cricket’ and is arguably the most iconic cricket ground in the world.

It was opened in 1814 and is rich with history as home to the Marylebone Cricket Club, Middlesex CCC and, of course, England Cricket.

When we talk about Lord’s, memories of iconic Test cricket matches and its heritage come into our conversations.

But it’s the famous Lord’s ‘slope’ that draws great mystery with countless myths and tales about the impact of the storied gradient.

Cricket365 answer frequently asked questions about the ‘slope’ as we debunk the myths and sort the facts from the fiction.

1. What is the famous slope at Lord’s – and how steep is it?

When you hear commentators talk about the Lord’s slope at the Home of Cricket, they are referring to a distinguishable gradient running from the Pavilion end all the way to the Nursery end.

The slope drops around 2.5 metres (8″2) across the field of play, with the change in elevation being a unique feature of the ground since its inception.

2. Was the Lord’s slope intentional – or did they work with what they had?

The short answer is that the Lord’s slope was completely accidental.

The ground is historic, built over two centuries ago in 1814 on land in St John’s Wood, London – the land had a natural slope.

Instead of levelling the land, Thomas Lord worked with the terrain to create the cornerstones of the iconic pitch we see today.

3. Have they ever considered flattening the Lord’s slope?

While there have been debates looking into the benefits of a more modern playing field at the venue, there have been no serious proposals with the tradition and heritage of the venue universally appreciated.

The process of levelling the surface would require a serious rebuild and halt Test cricket at the ground for years.

4. How do batters cope with the Lord’s slope?

Put simply, the pressure of Test cricket means they have little time to adapt and just have to get on with it while adjusting to the slope.

Many ask for a middle stump guard to counteract the subtle visual change the slope provides. Playing the ball late, under their eyes, as well as micro changes in their forward strides, all help mitigate its impact in England.

5. Does the Lord’s slope help or hinder bowlers?

While many believe it’s perfect for one bowler going down the hill and a struggle for the other coming up, bowlers gain advantages at both ends.

The angle from the Pavilion End can help the ball nip back fiercely into right-handers – a quirk India’s Jasprit Bumrah always looks to benefit from.

While at the Nursery End, it tends to move away and offers a different challenge to the batters.

6. What about swing – does the Lord’s slope influence movement?

Again, many believe the Pavilion End offers more swing to the bowlers, but this isn’t always the case.

Swing is determined by the condition of the ball, weather and the bowler’s action.

The slope’s primary impact is actually seam movement off the pitch, with the slope making the bowlers’ natural angle even more severe with bigger deviation and bounce.

7. Is the Lord’s slope cricket’s longest standing excuse?

Tune into coverage of a Test match at Lord’s Cricket Ground and it’s guaranteed to have regular references to the Lord’s slope.

Players often use the gradient as an excuse for misfields, overthrows and missed run-outs, with one commentator once claiming the slope ‘pulled’ a ball over the boundary.

Of course, it didn’t!