MCC told to ‘stop being silly’ after resistance to Rachel Heyhoe Flint memorial

Marylebone Cricket Club has faced criticism from leading cricketers, including Heather Knight, the current England women’s team captain, and Michael Vaughan, a former England men’s team captain, after reports of resistance from sections of the male-dominated club against a proposal to erect a memorial to Rachael Heyhoe Flint, a luminary of women’s cricket, at Lord’s.

Baroness Heyhoe Flint, who died in 2017 at the age of 77, played 22 Tests for England between 1960 and 1979. In 1973, she devised and established the first Cricket World Cup – a women’s event that preceded the first men’s tournament by two years.

“I think it would be misguided to erect a statue,” MCC member and author Mark Peel was quoted as saying in The Times. “It would put everything out of proportion. To compare like with like – men’s and women’s cricket – is plain wrong,” he said.

“Come on MCC move with the times,” Heather Knight wrote on Twitter. “Women’s cricket in England owes everything to Rachael and she invented the World Cup, without even mentioning her playing career #GetRachaelAStatue.”

Come on MCC move with the times. Women’s cricket in England owes everything to Rachael and she invented the World Cup, without even mentioning her playing career #GetRachaelAStatue https://t.co/riQrCzmJ8t

— Heather Knight (@Heatherknight55) May 6, 2021

I am not anyone to decide who gets a statue or not .. beyond my pay grade .. but I do know when people are trailblazers & Rachel Heyhoe Flint is certainly one of those .. Stop being silly MCC members and let the statue happen .. 👍👍 #OnOn

— Michael Vaughan (@MichaelVaughan) May 6, 2021

Rachel Heyhoe-Flint should have a statue at Lord’s. She was women’s cricket. The best player, the best promoter and the inventor of the cricket World Cup. WG Grace played the game. RHF built and grew it. Both legends in different ways. https://t.co/d5cYBwKwVB

— Jarrod Kimber (@ajarrodkimber) May 6, 2021