Marylebone Cricket Club facts for kids
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| Team information | |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1787 |
| Home ground | Lord's Cricket Ground |
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a famous cricket club that started in 1787. Since 1814, its home has been Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London, which the club actually owns.
The MCC used to be the main governing body for cricket around the world. Even though the International Cricket Council (ICC) now handles most of the rules, the MCC still has a lot of influence. For example, the MCC still owns the copyright to the official Laws of Cricket. When the ICC was created in 1909, the MCC's secretary ran it, and the MCC president was automatically the ICC chairman until 1989.
For a long time in the 20th century, from 1903 to 1977, the MCC also organized international tours for the England cricket team. This meant the England team played under the MCC's name in non-Test matches. In 1993, the MCC passed its main administrative jobs to the ICC and the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB).
MCC teams are not part of regular competitions. They play special matches and are considered to have first-class status when they play against other top teams.
The current president of the club is Mark Nicholas, who used to be a captain for Hampshire County Cricket Club. He took over from Stephen Fry on October 1, 2023.
Contents
How the MCC Started
The MCC began as a social club for gentlemen in the 1700s. Many of its early members were also part of other cricket clubs, like the original London Cricket Club and the White Conduit Club. These gentlemen loved cricket and wanted a private place to play.
One of the key figures was Thomas Lord, a businessman and bowler. The White Conduit Club members, especially George Finch, 9th Earl of Winchilsea and Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, asked Lord to find a new, more private cricket ground. The public at White Conduit Fields could be quite noisy, which the gentlemen didn't like.
So, Thomas Lord leased some land in Marylebone, where Dorset Square is today. This new ground opened in 1787 and was first called the New Cricket Ground. Soon, it became known as Lord's. Because it was in Marylebone, the club members decided to call themselves the "Mary-le-bone Club." The exact date the MCC was founded is not known, but it was likely in the spring or summer of 1787.
The first known match at Lord's was on May 21, 1787. The first match involving the Mary-le-bone Club itself was on July 30, 1787, against the Islington Club.
Lord's Cricket Grounds
There have been three different Lord's grounds, all located west of Regent's Park.
The First Lord's Ground
Thomas Lord leased the first ground, now called Lord's Old Ground, in 1787. The MCC played there until 1810. Lord decided to move because the rent was going to increase a lot. Over 200 matches were played there. Today, Dorset Square stands on this site. A special plaque was put there in 2006 to remember the club's beginnings.
The Second Lord's Ground
Lord found a new site in St John's Wood in 1808. This second ground was ready in 1809. He even moved the turf (the grass playing surface) from the old ground to the new one. However, many MCC members didn't like the new location, and cricket was also less popular during the Napoleonic Wars.
This second ground is known as Lord's Middle Ground. Only a few matches were played there. The exact spot is not certain, but it was near where the Regent's Canal was being built.
The Current Lord's Ground
Because of the canal construction, Lord had to move again in 1813. He leased another plot of land nearby in St John's Wood. He moved his turf once more, and this third ground opened in 1814. This is the Lord's Cricket Ground we know today, and it has been the MCC's home for over 200 years.
Other Places MCC Plays
Sometimes, the MCC men's and women's teams play matches at other cricket grounds around England. This happens when they play against touring teams from other countries.
The Laws of Cricket
The MCC is very important because it is still responsible for the official Laws of Cricket. It owns the copyright to these laws. A special committee at the MCC discusses and writes any changes to the rules. Then, the main MCC committee votes on these changes.
MCC Membership
The MCC has about 18,000 full members and 5,000 associate members. Members can vote on club matters and use the famous Lord's Pavilion and other stands to watch matches at Lord's.
For a long time, only men could be members. The club voted several times to allow women, but it never got enough votes. A big push for change was led by Rachael Heyhoe Flint. Finally, in September 1998, 70% of members voted to allow women to join. This ended 212 years of being a male-only club. Ten women were immediately made honorary members, including Rachael Heyhoe Flint. Before this, The Queen, who is the club's patron, was the only woman allowed in the Pavilion during play (apart from staff). In 1999, five women were invited to become playing members.
To become a full member, you need votes from three current members and sponsorship from a person on a special list of MCC sponsors. Because so many people want to join, there is a very long waiting list, currently around 27 years! However, some people can join faster, like playing members or those with distinguished cricket careers. Famous people like Mick Jagger and former Prime Minister Theresa May have also been elected ahead of the waiting list. The club also gives honorary memberships to people who have had great cricket careers, including women like Charlotte Edwards.
MCC Matches
The MCC has both men's and women's teams. They play domestic matches throughout the spring and summer. They play against teams from universities, schools, the Armed Forces, and other special invitational teams. The men's team also travels internationally four times a year, and the women's team tours every other year.
Cricket Coaching
The MCC has always been very involved in teaching cricket. The club has a head coach and a team of coaches who work in England and around the world. They run an indoor cricket school at Lord's. The MCC also traditionally publishes the MCC Cricket Coaching Book, which is like a guide for learning cricket skills. They also run training programs for young cricketers. The club continues to tour around England, playing matches against different schools, a tradition that started in the 1800s.
Club Colours
The MCC's official colours are scarlet (a bright red) and gold. These are sometimes called "egg and bacon" colours. For many years, the England cricket team wore these colours when playing non-Test matches overseas, up until 1997.
No one is completely sure how the MCC got its colours. One idea is that they came from a gin company whose chairman helped the club financially. Another, more likely, idea is that the colours came from the racing colours of Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond, one of the club's founding members.
MCC's Modern Role
The MCC is sometimes seen as very traditional. However, the club is working to update its image and show that it is still important in the changing world of cricket. It tries to balance its long traditions with modern ideas.
Legal Status
Before 2013, the MCC was a private members' club without its own legal identity. This meant it couldn't own property like Lord's Cricket Ground in its own name, and any legal action had to be taken against individuals. To fix this, the club asked The Queen for a Royal Charter.
In December 2012, the MCC was granted a Royal Charter. This made the club an official legal entity. Now, it can own its assets, like Lord's Cricket Ground, in its own name. It also means that individual members are no longer personally responsible if the club faces serious financial problems.
MCC Universities
Since 2005, the MCC has helped fund six university cricket academies, known as the MCC Universities (MCCUs). These academies are at universities like Cambridge, Cardiff, Durham, Leeds/Bradford, Loughborough, and Oxford. From 2012, all six MCCUs were given "first-class status," meaning they could play top-level matches against professional county teams at the start of each season.
In 2018, it was announced that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) would take over funding these university centers from 2020. The university teams still use the MCC University names.
Club Leaders
The MCC has several important leaders.
Presidents
The President of the MCC serves for one year. Usually, they cannot serve two years in a row. However, during World War I and World War II, some presidents stayed longer to help the club through difficult times. For example, Lord Hawke was President for five years during World War I, and Stanley Christopherson served for seven years during World War II.
Historically, many presidents were from noble families, showing that social status was once very important. However, in recent times, many former professional cricketers have become president, like Tom Graveney and Mike Gatting. In 2020, Kumar Sangakkara became the first non-British President of the MCC.
Each President chooses who will be the next President at the club's annual meeting.
Other Leaders
The club chairman and treasurer serve for three years and can serve multiple terms. They are chosen by the committee and approved by the members. The secretary and chief executive is the most senior employee of the club and is chosen by the MCC committee.
The main committee includes these officers, plus the chairmen of other committees, and twelve elected members. Elected members serve for three years.
Secretaries
The MCC first had a Club Secretary in 1822. In 2000, the title changed to Secretary and Chief Executive. Here are some of the people who have held this important role:
- Benjamin Aislabie (1822–1842)
- Roger Kynaston (1842–1858)
- Alfred Baillie (1858–1863)
- Robert Allan Fitzgerald (1863–1876)
- Henry Perkins (1876–1898)
- Francis Lacey (1898–1926)
- William Findlay (1926–1936)
- Rowan Rait Kerr (1936–1952)
- Ronnie Aird (1952–1962)
- Billy Griffith (1962–1974)
- J. A. Bailey (1974–1987)
- John Robin Stephenson (1987–1994)
- Roger Knight (1994–2006)
- Keith Bradshaw (2006–2011)
- Derek Brewer (2011–2017)
- Guy Lavender (2017–)
Images for kids
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The official logo of the Marylebone Cricket Club.
See also
In Spanish: Marylebone Cricket Club para niños
