MCC's vote hails end of elitism (29 September 1998)
THE MCC's decision last night to allow women into their membership diluted the club's maverick image, which was a treasured feature, but this was countered by a far-reaching benefit - political integrity beyond simple 'correctness'
29-Sep-1998
29 September 1998
MCC's vote hails end of elitism
By Charles Randall
THE MCC's decision last night to allow women into their membership
diluted the club's maverick image, which was a treasured feature, but
this was countered by a far-reaching benefit - political integrity
beyond simple 'correctness'.
Despite the insistence of the 'against' lobby that members were
entitled, without reference, to decide their own affairs as a club at
Lord's, the wide responsibilities of the MCC had been such that they
could never really be regarded as a purely private gentlemen's club.
After yesterday's meeting the MCC now have more in common with the
average cricketer than ever before. They have an affinity with all
aspects of the game, with less intrusion from snobbery and
chauvinistic ideals.
In the first year of the rest of their history the MCC intend to
arrange their inaugural women's fixtures - eight to 10 matches
against a variety of opposition, including Oxford and Cambridge
universities, depending on interest. Playing numbers could rise to
about 60 in the second year.
The MCC stopped running the game in 1969, when the old Test and
County Cricket Board was formed - since superseded as the governing
body by the England and Wales Cricket Board - but the MCC retained a
vote for decisions on the game.
Their one vote equated to each of the professional counties and the
collective presence of the Minor Counties Cricket Association. The
trouble was that the MCC, as a sexist organisation numbering about
18,000, were politically tainted, just as if they had been racist.
They lacked credibility.
During this month's campaign the committee drew attention to legal
dangers in the status quo. Their glossy brochure, which set out most
of the arguments for and against women members, mentioned briefly
their concern at "potential vulnerability to future legislation in
the area of discrimination".
The England Cricket Board, who recently absorbed the Women's Cricket
Association, were pleased with the result. Richard Peel, an official,
said before the meeting: "We've made it very clear that we're very
much in favour of women being allowed into the MCC.
"Women, as far as we're concerned, should play an equal role in the
promotion and development of the game. The MCC are a constituent
member of the ECB and are a very powerful brand name in the world of
cricket."
MCC president Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie said after the vote: "I am
absolutely delighted. It is great news for cricket and the club. From
a personal point of view it gives my presidency a lift two days
before I stand down from office."
The MCC have given increasingly vigorous support to youth
development; they back up the International Cricket Council - as
do-ers, not talkers - and they maintain and develop the Lord's ground.
They provide opposition in several hundred matches a season at
schools and clubs and send out tour parties to seemingly every nook
and corner of the globe. Their ECB vote is used independently, and
they remain custodians of the laws of cricket.
The endearing maverick quality of the MCC was well illustrated by
their special meeting of January 1993, when thousands gathered at
Central Hall in Westminster to debate David Gower's omission from
England's tour of India.
The proposers of the motion of no confidence in the England selectors
were defeated in the vote, but they were proved right by subsequent
events, with Graham Gooch's team returning heavily defeated by India
and well beaten by Sri Lanka.
Source :: Electronic Telegraph (https://www.telegraph.co.uk)