Lord's Cricket Ground — The Home of Cricket

Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London, is the most famous cricket venue in the world. Founded by Thomas Lord in 1814 on its current site, it is the home of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), Middlesex County Cricket Club, and the England and Wales Cricket Board. Every cricketer aspires to play at Lord's, and the venue has hosted more historic matches than any other ground on earth.

The Long Room and Pavilion

The Grade II*-listed Pavilion, built in 1890, is Lord's most iconic structure. Its Long Room corridor is where members watch play and where players walk from dressing room to pitch — past portraits of cricketing legends. Tradition holds that members applaud players through the Long Room regardless of performance, making it one of the sport's most moving rituals.

The Famous Slope

Lord's has a distinctive natural slope — a fall of approximately 2.5 metres from the Grandstand side to the Tavern side running across the full width of the playing area. This makes bowling from one end fundamentally different from the other. Bowlers must account for the slope in their line, and fielding sides must position outfielders at different depths on each boundary. The slope has decided countless matches and remains one of cricket's most discussed physical quirks.

The Father Time Weather Vane

The Father Time weather vane — depicting the Grim Reaper removing the bails — is Lord's most recognisable symbol. It was erected in 1926 and sits atop the Grand Stand. Father Time has become the unofficial emblem of the ground and appears on Lord's merchandise worldwide.

Notable Matches at Lord's

• First Test match at Lord's: England v Australia, 1884
• 1983 Cricket World Cup Final: India's historic first World Cup victory
• 2019 Cricket World Cup Final: England beat New Zealand on boundary count in one of the greatest finals ever
• Multiple Ashes Test victories for both England and Australia
• Home ground for MCC's Bicentenary Match (1987)

The MCC and Cricket's Laws

The Marylebone Cricket Club, based at Lord's, remains the custodian of the Laws of Cricket. The MCC periodically reviews and updates the Laws, which govern the game worldwide. Playing a Test at Lord's is considered the pinnacle of the game — every player who scores a century or takes five wickets here is awarded a special honours board in the dressing room.