It's time to axe Lord's, says Beefy

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The former England captain is furious about London's domination of Test cricket in general and can't stand cricket's headquarters where a docile five-day pitch has seen six successive bore draws.

And Botham, known as Beefy, accused the ECB of putting cash before cricket, saying: "London is all about filling corporate boxes and hospitality."

In his newspaper column this morning, Botham said: "This Test has settled it. For me, English cricket is about winning matches. If you continue to play on surfaces like Lord's that are designed to last five days, then you are going to kill the enthusiasm that result driven cricket creates.

"You've got to ask how much do they want it to be a result wicket? Since 2000, only 23 per cent of all Tests have been drawn and we've had six in a row at Lord's. Winning cricket matches is good for England, not bore draws in front of the prawn sandwich brigade.

"The Ashes success of 2005 did more for English cricket than any PR campaign could ever do and where did we play the games we won that summer? Edgbaston and Trent Bridge."

"Get the pitches relaid and get some life into them, because this isn't good. Old Trafford has been relaid and it is the best cricket wicket in the country."

Botham, now a Sky TV pundit, added: "How can it be right that three Tests out of seven every summer are played in London? Just because Lord's and The Oval bring in big money, they are given preferential treatment.

"Now we've got Durham and the Rose Bowl too. Let's put cricket before the coffers."