NEWS
OTHER SPORTS
DIARY
PEOPLE
MATCH REPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
ARCHIVES

MCC votes to admit women

After 211 years of keeping them out, the world's oldest cricket club voted yesterday to admit women.

The Marylebone Cricket Club, whose membership includes former British Prime Minister John Major and the Rolling Stone's Mick Jagger, voted 69.8 per cent in favour of the move, meeting the required two-thirds majority.

Earlier this year, a majority 55.7 per cent voted to admit women, falling short of the required two-thirds.

The vote was 9,394 in favor and 4,072 against.

"I am absolutely delighted,'' said MCC president Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie. "It is great news for cricket and the club.

"From a personal point of view it gives my presidency a lift two days before I stand down from office.''

The moves also opens the way for the club at Lord's in West London to receive funds from Britain's national lottery, which some observers suggested was a reason for the historic change in a highly tradition-bound sport.

Of the 17,250 members, 13,482 voted with 16 ballots declared void.

"I'm highly delighted,'' said Barbara Daniels, vice-captain of the England women's team. "I am very pleased that the MCC has taken this step, and we all now carry on, now that this is over, and get on with promoting the game.''

There was, however, hard-core opposition. One member, Robert Titchener-Barratt, said the proposition was shoved down the club's throat.

"The committee have acted with arrogance and self-importance saying we're going to push this through whether you members like it or not,'' he said. "The president has set his heart on making this the crowning glory of his time in office.''

Other speakers at yesterday's meeting, where the vote was announced, said the move was pushed through "like propagandists in a communist state.''