It was cold, it was wet, it was January. But it was only twelve weeks before the first game of the season at Lord's, so I called in to see how the place was. The chances are that on April 13th the weather will be very much like the weather in January and Middlesex versus Nottinghamshire is going to be one of those overcoat and scarf games that numbs the fingers even through thick gloves, so the chances are, I'll be huddled in the Long Room with all the others. I wanted to see how the Home of Cricket looked when the cricket is being played on the other side of the world, and to say hello to the pavilion stewards who always make our days there so pleasant. 

The first thing you notice going in through the Grace Gates is that the floodlights have been lowered and face away from the ground, and the next thing is that there are road works behind the Tavern and Mound stands and that walking around the ground is off the itinerary.

I wandered around the ground as far as I could and took these photos and a few others and I probably missed more than I captured, but this is Lord's in January. But take heart, it's not too long before we can be back there enjoying cricket in the best ground in the world.

IMG_2017Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2019Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2023Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2024Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2028Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2032Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2036Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2039Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2047Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2049Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2053Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2056Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2061Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2065Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2066Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2070Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2080Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2091Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season

IMG_2020Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2082Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2073Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season IMG_2096Calling in at Lord's Cricket Ground during the closed season