Finally, the summer term is back, bringing sunshine, light and most importantly, the return of the cricket season. I had the honour of interviewing fellow cricket enthusiast and Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) member, Justin Rose. I hope this article will shed some light on how to become an MCC member; what it involves; and as the cricket season begins, perhaps remind you of the many beautiful moments that occur, every so often, on the cricket pitch. 

 

To start, Justin Rose explained to me the process in which one becomes an MCC member: “Cricket, especially in its longer forms, has always been a game requiring patience. And sometimes this applies to spectators as well as to players of the game. But there can be few aspects of the game requiring a greater degree of patience than taking your place on the waiting list for the prestigious Membership of Marylebone Cricket Club (owner of Lord’s Cricket ground and author of the game’s laws).

 

For a start, no aspiring member can take their place on the waiting list until they have reached the age of sixteen. After several administrative processes, one has a wait of around 25 years (unless they are talented cricketers who can qualify by appearing in a minimum number of matches for MCC across two consecutive years) before you can become one of only 18,000 people with a cherished full membership.” Despite this long process, throughout my conversation with Justin Rose, it was evident how fortunate and happy he feels to be an MCC member - some things are worth the wait.

 

Benefits of being a member of the MCC include the honour of sitting in the best seats in the entire ground; dinners and lectures in the pavilion (Justin Rose detailed with excitement the time he had the opportunity to listen to Shane Warne); and of course, the ability to go around flaunting the wearing of the gaudy ‘egg and bacon’ coloured MCC tie. As well as the cricket, the MCC has countless activities for its members to enjoy, for example: golf, squash, bridge and chess.

 

Justin Rose explained “I play backgammon and after many years of trying, recently managed to win the MCC league. The best thing about being an MCC member is the social element of it. I’ve made so many friends, enjoyed countless conversations, and expounded numerous madcap theories about what England needs to do to start winning again, with people from all kinds of backgrounds with one thing in common – a love for cricket. Nothing makes me feel more at home than talking about Root’s latest failure as captain, over a game of backgammon with my friends in the MCC.”

 

Upon asking Justin Rose what his most memorable experiences at Lord’s cricket ground were, he smiled. “I witnessed Graham Gooch scoring a triple hundred and Kapil Dev’s four sixes in an over. More recently, I saw England’s ‘narrowest of margins’ win, in the 2019 World Cup final, from the comfort of the pavilion. One of the things I love most about Lord’s is the thrill and excitement of having been in the queue for hours when the big iron ‘Grace Gates’ swing open and the 80-metre dash to the pavilion or Warner Stand begins…. At the sprightly age of 64, I am one of the younger and fitter ones and so manage to get to the desired seat most times. Becoming a member of the MCC truly is worth the wait, so if you’re able to, and like me, you’re an avid cricket enthusiast, join the waiting list. The best things in life don’t come easily, and being a member of arguably, the greatest cricket club in the world, is no exception.”

 

As we emerge out of worries about the coronavirus, we can go back to enjoying sports. Be it watching or playing, few sports are as rewarding as cricket. Whether or not attempting to become an MCC member is feasible for you, I hope this article succeeds in convincing you that listening to the buzz of the crowd on the first day of the Ashes, is an experience like few others. The joy of being one of many, roaring in celebration of an outstanding six, is an experience like few others. Cricket truly is an experience like no other. Therefore, as Justin Rose does, find every opportunity to immerse yourself in it!