Cricket Royalty Descend on the Mardyke for 150th Anniversary Match!

The Mardyke is abuzz with anticipation as Cork County Cricket Club gears up for its commemorative 150th anniversary showpiece fixture against the iconic Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) on Thursday, 6th June.

Adding to the grandeur of the occasion is the presence of renowned broadcaster and current MCC President, Mark Nicholas, as the guest speaker for the pre-match lunch. Cricket supporters from Munster and beyond will have the unique opportunity to rub shoulders with this legendary figure while soaking in the atmosphere of this historic milestone event at the Mardyke.

Club Chairman Peter Dineen is looking forward to the occasion and recognises “the unique opportunity to showcase the wonderful venue that the Mardyke is while also celebrating the 150 years of cricketing heritage in the heart of Cork City.”

“It is a great honour for the club to be able to welcome iconic figures such as Mark Nicholas and Graeme Swann among others to the Mardyke for this special occasion”

The excitement intensifies further with the announcement of both lineups, showcasing some familiar names from the international and county scene.

Graeme Swann played 60 Tests for England taking 255 wickets at a touch under 30 runs apiece. He retired as England's sixth-highest wicket-taker, the leading offspinner, and second among all England slow bowlers only to Derek Underwood.

The MCC side also includes two stalwarts of the English county scene. James Hildreth has been a familiar face in the Somerset side for many seasons and played 286 First Class games for the County amassing 18,000 runs at an average of 41. Jack Brooks, aka the "Headband Warrior", was one of the leading lights in Yorkshire's Championship wins of 2014 and 2015. Jack played 154 First Class games in his career taking 531 wickets at an average of 27.66.

Both sides will line up as follows:

MCC:
Clint McCabe* (Devon)
Garth Davson (Essex)
James Hildreth (Somerset)
Oliver Soames (Hampshire)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)
Tom Ullyott (Derbyshire)
Ehtesham Ahmed (Balbriggan)
Daniel Hogan+ (Pembroke)
Jack Brooks (Somerset)
Jack Grundy (Oxford University)
Alex Evans (Bedfordshire)

Cork County XI:
Ross Durity*
Robert Duggan
Diarmuid Carey
Benji Marris+
Thorne Prophet
Mark Andrianatos
Abubakar Saddique
Nabeel Anjum
Sam Fenn
Abdul Ghaffar
Sid Joshi
Cronan Browne (12th Man)
Sahill Momand (13th Man)

With figures like Mark Nicholas, Graeme Swann, Jack Brooks, and James Hildreth gracing the Mardyke, this promises to be a truly unforgettable encounter and a memorable way to mark the 150th year of the club's existence.