Rice: Forget the blazer brigade image

14 April 2012

This has been a tumultuous year for English cricket. So far this summer, spectators have been treated to a new and unashamedly populist one-day competition in the Twenty20 Cup and two new England captains, though both, admittedly, go by the name of Michael Vaughan.

This week's game against South Africa at Lord's is something of a departure, with August Tests there very much a rarity. In the autumn England travel to play their inaugural series against Bangladesh. Whatever happened to quiet evolution?

The great summer sport is in the throes of dramatic change and even the Marylebone Cricket Club, that last bastion of the establishment, are getting in on the act, as president Sir Tim Rice recognises the value of moving with the times.

He said: "MCC have to strike the balance between moving ahead and maintaining traditions. You don't want everyone rushing off down the hill, embracing every new gimmick.

"I don't see myself as someone who wants to shake the whole thing up because it's moving on very nicely. I didn't want to paint the pavilion green or anything." Rice sees the MCC as missionaries for the game of cricket and is concerned that the club's stuffy image - elderly gentlemen dribbling into their blazers as they sleep through the day's play - disguises much of their good work.

MCC play 500 games each year and aim to give youngsters the opportunity to play a good standard of cricket. As a driving force behind the move to admit women, Rice is passionate about broadening the game's appeal and wants to get more young people involved. The award-winning songwriter concedes that further changes are inevitable, including the relaxation of dress codes and even building a roof at Lord's. The old buffers had better wake up. Rice said: "MCC is very forward-looking but we need to freshen up our image. We let in women members a few years ago and need to keep it going.

"One of the best days of my presidency was the Varsity match this year, when the men's and women's teams played one-day matches on the same day. It was great afterwards in the pavilion seeing these good-looking, trendy people who were cricket lovers. In the pavilion you have to wear a tie at most matches but that will change. Everything changes. It's already started to relax in some areas of the ground. I'm happy with a more relaxed dress code, but it's nice to dress up on certain occasions.

"I've often stared at Lord's and thought it'd be nice to put a roof on it. But the architecture is so brilliant and varied that it'd be a difficult job. It will happen. If you've got a great asset like Lord's and a great game like cricket then anything is possible."

Anything seems possible for Vaughan as England's new-look side comes together, but Rice was sad to see the back of his predecessor. Nasser Hussain's resignation took everybody by surprise and Rice would have liked him to see out the summer. He said: "My initial reaction was that it's very sad. I respect Nasser's decision but had hoped he would stay until the end of the series. He's taken a personal decision but selfishly I wanted him to carry on. Michael will be terrific but Nasser could have done this series." Apart from Hussain's shock departure, though, Rice is happy with England's progress and is looking forward to Lord's. The wind of change has been beneficial.

Rice said: "England have a young side and seem to be coming together, particularly the bowlers. They might not be truly world class just yet but in a couple of years could be in the Trueman/Statham league.

"Jimmy Anderson, Andrew Flintoff and Simon Jones all have qualities. They all have good points and things that need correcting, but as I'm probably the worst cricketer ever to be president of the MCC, they probably wouldn't welcome my advice. It'd be a bit like them telling me how to write a song."

MORE ABOUT

Bangladesh

Marylebone Cricket Club

South Africa

Rice: Forget the blazer brigade image

Read More