Lara to help Lord’s celebrations

TWO LEGENDS

Brian Lara will play for MCC on Sunday in a match to mark 200 years since the first game was played at Lord’s.

MCC will take on Hertfordshire, who were the opposition for that inaugural game on June 22, 1814.

The Lord’s pavilion, usually reserved for members on match days, will be opened up to allow 500 people to visit the famous building which houses the Long Room. And, for the first since 1987, visitors will be able to watch the match by sitting on the outfield between the perimeter and the boundary.

MCC will be captained by John Stephenson, their head of cricket, and also includes Dale Benkenstein, Daryl Mitchell, and Trent Johnston.

Next month, on July 5, MCC will take on a Rest of the World side in a televised 50-over match as part of the bicentenary celebrations. Lara is again set to feature for MCC, who will be captained by Sachin Tendulkar, while Rest of the World will be led by Shane Warne and feature Kevin Pietersen.