CRICKET: Anyone who has seen a Test match on television from Lord's will have noticed when the next gladiator strides down from the Long Room he passes dozens of elderly gentlemen wearing the familiar egg and tomato tie of the Marylebone Cricket Club.
These relics of a different age applaud politely before reaching for another sweet sherry or pork pie from their hamper. But if that is your only impression of what members of the MCC get up to during the cricket season, then you may be mistaken. It is actually a very active playing club that organises tours to exotic locations around the world and helps develop the game beyond St John's Wood.
There is an MCC tour going on in Ireland with the national side playing them in two one-day games as a warm-up for the ICC Trophy (July 1st-13th). After Bangor yesterday, today at Waringstown Adrian Birrell's squad face an MCC team that includes English county players, youngsters from New Zealand and the odd Irish club player.
According to former Ireland international Greg Molins, himself a member, the MCC have been touring Ireland for many years. This year alone, apart from the national side, the MCC has played Leinster Schools, Leinster Under-19s, Irish Universities, Ulster Schools, Ireland Under-19 and other development teams. I am told they will return later in the summer to help Phoenix CC celebrate their 175th anniversary.
The highlight from a playing point of view is surely the chance to tour foreign parts. Anyone who has ever stood at first slip while YMCA's Keith Bailey has been keeping wicket - himself a veteran of an MCC trip to the sub-continent - will be able to testify the stories from these tours are legendary.
In 2001, Molins travelled with the MCC to Namibia. He roomed with a little-known Middlesex left-hander who broke into the full England team last year, Andrew Strauss. He has made a huge impact, averaging an outstanding 55 in Test matches.
"I have managed to keep in touch with him since that tour, as I have done with many of the other guys," said Molins. "Having Irish representatives on these tours can only be good for Irish cricket. It reinforces the fact with some of the best players around we do play cricket here . . the club is endeavouring to try to build up and strengthen the Irish playing membership."
Gerry Kelly from Civil Service CC has informed me the club's first team, playing in the Senior 3 league, last week made 387 for 3 off 50 overs against Leinster 3rds. Urvin Desai made 199 before being run out in the last over. At one stage Service were 217 for no wicket. Can anyone recall a more impressive total in junior cricket, a higher personal total or a higher partnership for the first wicket?
jfitzgerald@irish-times.ie
