Ed Smith has today become President of Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) with 1 October marking the start of his year in office. He was announced as successor to Lord King of Lothbury at the Club’s Annual General Meeting in May.

Smith played for Kent, Middlesex and England in a career which spanned 13 seasons, scoring nearly 13,000 first-class runs, including 34 centuries. He also played for Cambridge University, graduating with a double first in History.

Retiring from the game in 2008, he has published five books as well as writing for The Times and, most recently, the New Statesman. He has also worked as a presenter on both radio and television, including BBC Test Match Special.

In 2018, he became Chief Selector for the England men’s team. During his three-year tenure, England won the ICC Men’s World Cup for the first time and enjoyed a period of success across all formats.

Smith is also involved in academia, as co-founder of the Institute of Sports Humanities (ISH), which has a mission to nurture and inspire sport’s current and future leaders. ISH teaches the MA Leadership in Sport in partnership with Loughborough University London.

Ed Smith said of his appointment: “It is a huge honour to succeed Lord King as President of MCC. Lord’s has been a special part of my life – as a cricket fan, a player and then as a selector – and this is a fascinating moment in the club’s history. I’m looking forward to serving the Club – and the wider game – to the best of my ability.”

Further changes to the MCC Committee are also taking place, with former England captain Eoin Morgan now in office as Chair of Cricket, succeeding Claire Taylor who comes to the end of her six-year tenure in the role.

MCC Members approved the appointment of Morgan for a three-year term at the AGM in May. Morgan scored almost 7,000 runs in One-Day International cricket for England, captaining the team in both ODI and T20 cricket with distinction and becoming one of the most respected and successful international skippers in the modern era.

He possesses a special link with Lord’s, having represented Middlesex for 17 years, and also lifted the ICC Men’s World Cup trophy at the end of an unforgettable final against New Zealand in 2019. He is an Honorary Life Member of MCC and also captained London Spirit in The Hundred.

Richard Baldwin is the new Chair of Estates, succeeding Jim Johnston after six years in the role. A Member of the Club since 2002, he has served on the Estates committee since 2018. He is a Chartered Quantity Surveyor by background and has over 40 years’ experience in the London construction market, where he has been responsible for the successful delivery of numerous high-profile projects. 

Julian Metherell has also joined the MCC Committee. A Member since 1986 and a former Chair of the PCA, Metherell was approved by the committee as the Chair of London Spirit earlier this year. He successfully led the Club’s negotiating team throughout the ECB sales process to identify an investment partner for a 49% stake in the franchise.

Tim O’Gorman has become a Trustee of MCC. The former Derbyshire batter has served on the MCC Committee, the Cricket committee, the Players and Fixtures committee and the Young Cricketers sub-committee. Additionally, he was formerly Group Chair of the PCA and Chair of ECB’s Cricket Discipline Commission and replaces Matthew Fleming as a Trustee.