MCC World Cricket Committee recruit Kumble & Tissera

Date released: 14 August 2007

The MCC World Cricket Committee has announced their two latest recruits: former Sri Lanka World Cup player, Michael Tissera and India spinner Anil Kumble.

Chaired by Tony Lewis, the committee includes members whose views are both international and current, who enhance MCC's independent position in the world game and, without direct political or commercial interest, can attach their debates to any subject.

The committee's work is backed by MCC's increasing ability to research and develop. The next meeting, in Cape Town on 25th September, centres on technology in cricket, its possibilities and what might be good for the game or unhelpful.

Anil Kumble: Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1996 Kumble's name will be only too familiar to England cricket fans. During the recent npower Test match series, the India spin bowler was a constant thorn in England's side.

He took three wickets at Lord's and seven more at Trent Bridge. His five wickets at The Brit Oval as well as an unbeaten 110 with the bat secured him the man of the match award in the final Test.

He made his Test debut in England in 1990 and has also played county cricket in England for Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Surrey.

From an international career spanning over two decades Kumble has a wealth of cricketing experience and brings a top class international spinner on to the committee for the first time.

Kumble becomes the second currently active player on the Committee, joining his countryman and captain Rahul Dravid.

Speaking about his selection onto the MCC World Cricket Committee Kumble said: “Cricket is constantly evolving. The demands on players, teams and our supporters are always changing. It is essential that the sport is proactive in addressing and assessing those changes to ensure the cricket ‘product’ is of the highest quality possible.

“The work of the MCC World Cricket Committee is hugely important and I am honoured to have been asked to share my views on the future of this great game.”

Michael Tissera’s international playing experience was limited to the 1975 World Cup, hosted in England. Playing for Ceylon he appeared at Old Trafford, The Brit Oval and Trent Bridge.

Thereafter, over many years, he has earned the respect of the international cricket world by his contribution to the game in Sri Lanka, having worked with talented players like Mahela Jayawardene, Muttiah Muralitharan, and current county stars Chaminda Vaas (Middlesex) and Sanath Jayasuriya (Lancashire) - helping them to the runners-up spot in the 2007 World Cup.

The Committee and their aims

Current members of the MCC World Cricket Council are:

Tony Lewis, MCC World Cricket Committee Chairman Mike Atherton
Mike Brearley
Geoffrey Boycott
Martin Crowe
Tony Dodemaide
Rahul Dravid
Andy Flower
Mike Gatting
Majid Khan
Anil Kumble
Tony Lewis (Chairman)
Barry Richards
David Shepherd
Alec Stewart
Michael Tissera
Courtney Walsh
Steve Waugh

The aims of the MCC World Cricket Committee are:

• to debate all matters in the interests of cricket and cricketers
• to consider at all times the balance of the contest between bat and ball and to assist MCC's custodianship of the Laws of the Game
• to protect the spirit of cricket
• to be sure that governing body decisions never put cash or country interests before the good of the game

The last meeting of the Committee was on 14th May 2007. On 21st May the Committee released statements concerning:

• The monitoring of unfair deliveries
• The international playing programme and the problem of player burnout
• The format of the ICC Cricket World Cup
• The shortening of boundaries in international cricket
• Glued pitches

They also issued a separate statement on the future of Zimbabwe in world cricket.