The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is touring the Cayman Islands this week and is captained by Roland Horridge that will include former Test player Gavin Hamilton and several former first-class players, including Stephen Henderson and Richard Young.

Experienced umpire John Holder will also be here.

Horridge said he had never been to the Cayman Islands before and the MCC hadn’t toured here since 2003. He had no idea why they have not been back saying it was unusual for such a time gap between visits.

Theo Cuffy, technical director of the Cayman Islands Cricket Association said  it was “a fantastic opportunity for us.”

Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. It is the world’s biggest cricket brand. It owns, and is based at, Lord’s Cricket Ground in St John’s Wood, London NW8.

MCC was formerly the governing body of cricket both in England and Wales as well as worldwide. In 1993 many of its global functions were transferred to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its English governance passed to the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB) at the same time.

MCC revised the Laws of Cricket in 1788 and continues to reissue them (from time to time), and remains the copyright holder. It raises its own teams, some of which are rated first-class depending on the status of the opposition: for example, to mark the beginning of each English season (in April), MCC plays the reigning County Champions.

MCC sides regularly tour overseas to all cricket-playing nations and to developing ones as well, e.g. Afghanistan in 2006, and the club has an extensive fixture list every season throughout Britain, particularly with schools.

Related story from Lords

MCC head for Cayman Islands

Ex-England and Scotland international Gavin Hamilton is one of five players with first-class experience representing MCC on a six-match tour of the Cayman Islands.

Former Glamorgan and Worcestershire batsman Stephen Henderson will manage an experienced touring party during a ten-day visit to the Cayman Islands.

The fifteen-man squad, which also includes veteran Surrey left-arm spinner Keith Medlycott and young Leicestershire all-rounder Will Jones, departed from Lord’s on 15 April.

First up on a busy tour itinerary will be the delivery of a training session for local youngsters tomorrow, while the competitive action will get underway on Thursday 18 April, with a 30-over match against a Governor’s XI at the famous Smith Road Oval.

This is the first of six limited overs fixtures due to be played, which includes a 50-over match and Twenty20 clash against the Cayman Islands national side.

Taking charge of officiating duties for MCC throughout the tour matches will be the vastly experienced former first-class player and Test umpire, John Holder.

Speaking about the tour, MCC Head of Cricket, John Stephenson, said:

“The destination of MCC overseas tours is constantly under discussion, with criteria ultimately focussing on where the Club can assist with the development of the game and spread the MCC Spirit of Cricket message to a new audience.

“The Cayman Islands has therefore been carefully identified as an area which will currently benefit from an MCC tour.

MCC last visited the Cayman Islands in 2003 during a combined tour to Belize, recording four wins out of four during a short five day stay on the islands.

Stephenson added: “The Cayman Islands Cricket Association has done a good job at developing the game since the Club last toured there ten years ago, and there now appears to be a real passion for cricket across the nation, so I am hopeful that MCC’s visit will provide a further positive contribution to this ongoing work.

“The tour schedule incorporates a good mix of competitive limited overs cricket alongside several coaching sessions for local youngsters, which I am sure will help with the overall progression of the game on the islands.

Similar to other nations across the Americas, cricket was first introduced to the Cayman Islands in the early 1800s by British soldiers.

It was not however until 1970 that the game became more organised, with a structured league being formed and initially involving five teams.

Since then, development has been steady: twenty clubs now compete within three domestic divisions and in 1997 the Cayman Islands was awarded Affiliate Membership of the ICC, progressing to Associate Membership in 2002.

The national side is currently placed 32nd in the ICC world rankings.

MCC will also be touring France, Cyprus, and Uganda and Rwanda in 2013.

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