LONDON, May 2019: Cricket legend and former national captain Kumar Sangakkara was announced as the next President of the prestigious Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), becoming the first non-British to hold the post in the MCC’s history.
One of the game’s most popular global ambassadors, Sangakkara’s one-year term will begin on October 1 and his nomination was announced by the current President Anthony Wreford at the MCC Annual General meeting today, an MCC statement read.
MCC, which owns the hallowed cricket ground Lord’s and acts as the guardian of the laws of the game, was founded in 1787 and lists 168 presidents in its history. That number includes one member of the royal family, 13 knights and six baronets but, until now, no one from overseas. In 1788, the MCC took responsibility for the Laws of Cricket, and although changes to the Laws are now determined by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the copyright is still owned by MCC.
A living embodiment of the gentleman’s game, Sangakkara was invited to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture in 2011 and was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the Club the following year. The same year, he joined MCC’s influential World Cricket committee and remains an active member.
A former wicketkeeper-batsman, the 41-year old Sangakkara scored 12,400 runs in 134 tests, more than 14,000 one-day international runs and almost 1,400 T20 runs. Sangakkara’s achievements at Lord’s saw his name appear twice on the Honours Boards at Lord’s with both innings coming in 2014. He hit 147 in the drawn Test Match with England, and 112 in Sri Lanka’s One-Day International victory over the same opposition.
He was also bestowed with the honour of ringing the bell at Lord’s at the start of the 2016 Test between Sri Lanka and England.
Sangakkara said it was a huge honour to be named the next President of MCC and it is a role that he was thoroughly looking forward to.
“For me, MCC is the greatest cricket club in the world, with its global reach and continued progress for cricket on and off the pitch. The year 2020 is going to be yet another significant one in cricket, especially at Lord’s, and I am thrilled that I am going to be able to play a part in supporting its future as President of MCC,” he said.
Sangakkara’s one-year tenure will include another busy year at Lord’s next summer, with two England Test Matches against West Indies and Pakistan and the launch of the new 100 ball format cricket competition – The Hundred.
MCC President Wreford said he was delighted that Kumar has accepted the invitation to be the next President of MCC.
“He is an outstanding individual both on and off the field and will make a huge contribution to the Club. In a World Cup and Ashes year he will also have a significant role to play as President Designate,” he said.
In a statement, Sri Lanka Cricket congratulated Sangakkara on behalf of its Executive Committee, its membership, officials, players, staff and the cricket loving public of Sri Lanka . “We at Sri Lanka Cricket, are most delighted that he continues to bring honour and glory to this beautiful island nation…We wish him the best of success as he takes on his new role.”
Best wishes from Taiwan!