MCC to consider fast-tracking female memberships to improve gender imbalance

Any change to the club’s membership policy would require the approval of two-thirds of existing members to be implemented and the notion of ‘queue jumping’ on a 30-year waiting list is likely to have detractors.

Though an exact target for female membership has not yet been agreed, last year’s AGM proposed a goal for 20% of full members to be women in 10 years’ time.

At the current rate of progression, it would take another 35 years for that target to be reached.

The other potential strategies alongside accelerating female memberships include increasing the overall membership numbers, reforming the pipeline of potential members and expanding the women’s playing programme.

Mark Nicholas, the MCC chair, said in covering notes in the document that it will be “more difficult” for the club to “maintain our relevance in cricket” if the membership remains “unrepresentative of the gender make-up of the wider cricketing community”.

The MCC has already stepped up efforts to increase the number of women among its playing members – essentially a way for candidates to fast-track themselves to membership by representing the club in fixtures.

In 2024 there was a 77% increase in women applying to qualify as player members while the number of women’s out-matches played by the MCC increased by 34%.

A dedicated recruitment officer for women’s playing members – Emma Marsh – was appointed in 2024.

Lord’s is hosting three group-stage matches during the Women’s T20 World Cup this summer as well as the final, and is also staging its first women’s Test match in the ground’s history between England and India in July.