Martin-Jenkins steps up as MCC president

Christopher Martin-Jenkins, the former Times cricket correspondent and veteran commentator on the BBC's Test Match Special, will begin his one-year tenure as President of Marylebone Cricket Club on Friday, October 1, as the successor to John Barclay.

"I feel excited to find myself, for one privileged year, president of the great club that I joined as a playing member in 1967," said Martin-Jenkins. "Playing the game - in both senses - is still MCC's greatest priority and it will be fascinating, having written and talked about cricket since that same summer, to have some small input from the inside. I am grateful to my predecessor John Barclay, who has been a conscientious, ebullient and diplomatic leader, for offering me this honour."

Having previously played 67 times for MCC in matches against schools and clubs, Martin-Jenkins was elected to the MCC Committee in 2009; he also sits on the Arts & Library sub-committee. In 2007 he became the first career journalist and broadcaster to be invited to speak at the annual MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture - previous lecturers had all been former international cricketers.

"The game always has issues and I shall try to help to resolve current ones, including the need to market Test matches better in some countries and to find a proper balance of fixtures that will ensure all international matches are special occasions," he said. "Those at Lord's surely always will be: it is the ground on which every young cricketer of any nationality hopes to play one day. Doing so in a Test match is the stuff of dreams and becoming MCC president feels a bit like that too!"

Joining the new President on the MCC Committee, for a three-year period, will be Simon Dyson (for his first term), Mike Gatting (for his third term), Tim O'Gorman (for his fourth term) and David Faber (for his fourth term). All were elected by MCC's membership. Stepping down from the Committee are Russell Cake, Dr Chinmay Gupte, Julian Vallance, Alec Stewart and Jonathan Wileman.

Completing a day of change at MCC, Garri Jones will become Chairman of the newly-created Youth committee, which is responsible for encouraging participation, high standards and excellence in youth cricket. Members of the Youth Cricket committee include Clare Connor, David Graveney, Phillip Hodson and Andy Whittall.