A New Beginning for MCC?

We have been through some difficult times at Lord’s in recent years and may give the wrong signals to the public whenever there are signs of discontent within the Club. In many respects we have failed to react constructively to the impact of the events of 1969 when the MCC ceased to be responsible for the governance of English Cricket – we effectively lost our raison d’etre.

The Test and Counties Cricket Board (TCCB) was set up as the administrative body responsible for the English national sport. Within this organisation grew a hunger for power and control that resulted in a takeover of the Cricket Council representing the controlling government. Lord’s Cricket Ground became the centre of a huge row that culminated in the 200th Anniversary Report and A/c’s being rejected for the first time in the Club’s history.  The cat jumped out of the bag at this AGM in May 1987 to reveal that Lord’s was being used by the TCCB without the consent of the Members for Big Matches.

And yet whilst the administration and governance of British Cricket has undergone an incredible transformation and the English Cricket Board (ECB) the governing body of today, the structure of MCC has failed to respond. The Club should have negotiated on the dissolution of the TCCB to become responsible for the government of the amateur grass roots game played in UK Clubs, Universities and Schools.

Instead we remain rudderless, inward looking and without any purpose, with no influential voice to champion the best interests of Cricket. Sadly the public see the Club as old fashioned and out of touch – a privileged establishment of a bygone era. Despite all of this the MCC remains the greatest benefactor our national sport has ever had and remains so today.

The problem lies in the fact the grant of a Royal Charter on 12th December 2012 provided a huge opportunity for change which has been  neither deermined nor executed more han a decade later.

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Nigel Knott

Elected Playing Member MCC 1966

 

 

 

 

 

Dr Nigel Knott

Elected Playing Member MCC 1966