MCC set to address 'ridiculous' gender divide at AGM to increase women members
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is set to formulate plans to drastically increase the number of women members in an attempt to address what senior club figures have called a "ridiculous" gender divide.
A discussion on the subject of female membership has been slated on the agenda for the club's Annual General Meeting (AGM) at Lord's on Wednesday.
The MCC voted to allow women to join the club in 1998, having been an all-male preserve for more than two centuries.
But of its current 18,350 full members, fewer than 3% are women.
At a pre-AGM meeting last month, leading MCC committee figures were left exasperated at just how slow progress has been.
Sources at the MCC have since told BBC Sport it is "frankly ridiculous" that so few members are women and the issue is one the club cannot ignore but must "meet head on".
Frustrations have centred on how to make non-playing membership available to more women, with the club largely hamstrung by a lengthy waiting list which currently stands at approximately 29 years.
A paper has been prepared in advance of the AGM and the meeting will be used as a platform to discuss the issue, gather the views of members and devise a model to reduce the gender divide.
While the AGM will test the water it is understood leading MCC figures are resolutely determined to develop practical solutions.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
‘A lot of fun' – Harry Brook's England reign starts with West Indies whitewash
England claimed their first ODI series whitewash in three years – when they beat the Netherlands by an identical scoreline – after prevailing by seven wickets in a one-sided contest at the Oval. Jamie Smith's explosive 64 from 28 balls broke the back of a revised chase of 246 from 40 overs, with Brook's predecessor as skipper Jos Buttler getting them home with an unbeaten 41 off 20 deliveries. Get there safely in singles? 🤔 Nah, hit it out the ground to win the game! 💪 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 3, 2025 English white-ball cricket was in the doldrums after a dreadful Champions Trophy campaign which led to Buttler's resignation as skipper earlier this year but Brook has started on the right track. 'It's a hell of a lot of fun when you're enjoying it with a lot of mates,' said Brook, who will now turn his attention to the three-match T20 series that starts on Friday in Chester-le-Street. 'I think we've got such a good side. The depth in batting is amazing and then we've got a lot of skilful bowlers as well. I'm really looking forward to the future and seeing how it goes.' England were as dominant at Edgbaston last week as they were on Tuesday but they were off the boil at Sophia Gardens on Sunday, dropping four catches and fluffing two run-outs in a ragged fielding display. Jos Buttler his 41 from just 20 deliveries (Adam Davy/PA) Only an all-time great 166 not out from Joe Root got them out of jail but Brook believes how close-knit the group are can be emphasised by their reaction to how they fielded in Cardiff. 'I don't feel like we really deserved that win,' he reflected. 'Our fielding was a little bit sloppy. A few lads spoke up about it and said it wasn't good enough, which I think is a really good sign. 'But because we are so tight as a group, we've managed to scrape a victory there. Obviously, having Joe Root in your side is always a big help.' One of the big calls ahead of this series was Smith's promotion to open alongside Ben Duckett. The pair made ducks in Cardiff but rebounded with half-centuries as Duckett contributed 58 off 46 balls. Jamie Smith hit 10 fours and three sixes in his 28-ball-64 (Adam Davy/PA) Smith, who replaced Phil Salt as opener, averaged 17.63 after his first dozen ODI innings with a best of 49 but demonstrated the class that has made him an automatic selection for England's Test side. 'He's gone out there and and played extremely well, but he's not a slogger,' Brook added. 'He's playing proper shots, he's putting their bad balls away and he's putting them under immense pressure. 'We've seen in Test cricket how good he is. He knows how to bat. We want batters that can put their best balls under pressure, manipulate the field, and score big runs. 'He's going to have a good go at it at the top in one-day cricket and I think everybody's excited to see how he goes.' Rain reduced the match to 40-overs-per-side (Adam Davy/PA) The Windies had recovered from 28 for three and 154 for seven to post 251 for nine after arriving to the ground late because of traffic which – combined with a 95-minute rain delay – meant a reduced game. Adil Rashid was the pick of the England bowlers with three for 40, with Brook quick to hail his evergreen Yorkshire team-mate. 'Rash has got so much skill,' Brook added. 'He's a very wily bowler. He's he's been around the block for a while, and he keeps on getting better and better.'
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
‘A lot of fun' – Harry Brook's England reign starts with West Indies whitewash
England claimed their first ODI series whitewash in three years – when they beat the Netherlands by an identical scoreline – after prevailing by seven wickets in a one-sided contest at the Oval. Jamie Smith's explosive 64 from 28 balls broke the back of a revised chase of 246 from 40 overs, with Brook's predecessor as skipper Jos Buttler getting them home with an unbeaten 41 off 20 deliveries. Get there safely in singles? 🤔 Nah, hit it out the ground to win the game! 💪 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 3, 2025 English white-ball cricket was in the doldrums after a dreadful Champions Trophy campaign which led to Buttler's resignation as skipper earlier this year but Brook has started on the right track. 'It's a hell of a lot of fun when you're enjoying it with a lot of mates,' said Brook, who will now turn his attention to the three-match T20 series that starts on Friday in Chester-le-Street. 'I think we've got such a good side. The depth in batting is amazing and then we've got a lot of skilful bowlers as well. I'm really looking forward to the future and seeing how it goes.' England were as dominant at Edgbaston last week as they were on Tuesday but they were off the boil at Sophia Gardens on Sunday, dropping four catches and fluffing two run-outs in a ragged fielding display. Only an all-time great 166 not out from Joe Root got them out of jail but Brook believes how close-knit the group are can be emphasised by their reaction to how they fielded in Cardiff. 'I don't feel like we really deserved that win,' he reflected. 'Our fielding was a little bit sloppy. A few lads spoke up about it and said it wasn't good enough, which I think is a really good sign. 'But because we are so tight as a group, we've managed to scrape a victory there. Obviously, having Joe Root in your side is always a big help.' One of the big calls ahead of this series was Smith's promotion to open alongside Ben Duckett. The pair made ducks in Cardiff but rebounded with half-centuries as Duckett contributed 58 off 46 balls. Smith, who replaced Phil Salt as opener, averaged 17.63 after his first dozen ODI innings with a best of 49 but demonstrated the class that has made him an automatic selection for England's Test side. 'He's gone out there and and played extremely well, but he's not a slogger,' Brook added. 'He's playing proper shots, he's putting their bad balls away and he's putting them under immense pressure. 'We've seen in Test cricket how good he is. He knows how to bat. We want batters that can put their best balls under pressure, manipulate the field, and score big runs. 'He's going to have a good go at it at the top in one-day cricket and I think everybody's excited to see how he goes.' The Windies had recovered from 28 for three and 154 for seven to post 251 for nine after arriving to the ground late because of traffic which – combined with a 95-minute rain delay – meant a reduced game. Adil Rashid was the pick of the England bowlers with three for 40, with Brook quick to hail his evergreen Yorkshire team-mate. 'Rash has got so much skill,' Brook added. 'He's a very wily bowler. He's he's been around the block for a while, and he keeps on getting better and better.'
North Wales Chronicle
an hour ago
- North Wales Chronicle
‘A lot of fun' – Harry Brook's England reign starts with West Indies whitewash
England claimed their first ODI series whitewash in three years – when they beat the Netherlands by an identical scoreline – after prevailing by seven wickets in a one-sided contest at the Oval. Jamie Smith's explosive 64 from 28 balls broke the back of a revised chase of 246 from 40 overs, with Brook's predecessor as skipper Jos Buttler getting them home with an unbeaten 41 off 20 deliveries. Get there safely in singles? 🤔 Nah, hit it out the ground to win the game! 💪 — England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 3, 2025 English white-ball cricket was in the doldrums after a dreadful Champions Trophy campaign which led to Buttler's resignation as skipper earlier this year but Brook has started on the right track. 'It's a hell of a lot of fun when you're enjoying it with a lot of mates,' said Brook, who will now turn his attention to the three-match T20 series that starts on Friday in Chester-le-Street. 'I think we've got such a good side. The depth in batting is amazing and then we've got a lot of skilful bowlers as well. I'm really looking forward to the future and seeing how it goes.' England were as dominant at Edgbaston last week as they were on Tuesday but they were off the boil at Sophia Gardens on Sunday, dropping four catches and fluffing two run-outs in a ragged fielding display. Only an all-time great 166 not out from Joe Root got them out of jail but Brook believes how close-knit the group are can be emphasised by their reaction to how they fielded in Cardiff. 'I don't feel like we really deserved that win,' he reflected. 'Our fielding was a little bit sloppy. A few lads spoke up about it and said it wasn't good enough, which I think is a really good sign. 'But because we are so tight as a group, we've managed to scrape a victory there. Obviously, having Joe Root in your side is always a big help.' One of the big calls ahead of this series was Smith's promotion to open alongside Ben Duckett. The pair made ducks in Cardiff but rebounded with half-centuries as Duckett contributed 58 off 46 balls. Smith, who replaced Phil Salt as opener, averaged 17.63 after his first dozen ODI innings with a best of 49 but demonstrated the class that has made him an automatic selection for England's Test side. 'He's gone out there and and played extremely well, but he's not a slogger,' Brook added. 'He's playing proper shots, he's putting their bad balls away and he's putting them under immense pressure. 'We've seen in Test cricket how good he is. He knows how to bat. We want batters that can put their best balls under pressure, manipulate the field, and score big runs. 'He's going to have a good go at it at the top in one-day cricket and I think everybody's excited to see how he goes.' The Windies had recovered from 28 for three and 154 for seven to post 251 for nine after arriving to the ground late because of traffic which – combined with a 95-minute rain delay – meant a reduced game. Adil Rashid was the pick of the England bowlers with three for 40, with Brook quick to hail his evergreen Yorkshire team-mate. 'Rash has got so much skill,' Brook added. 'He's a very wily bowler. He's he's been around the block for a while, and he keeps on getting better and better.'
