BSP-10 Sri Lankan legend Sangakkara to lead MCC against Essex

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CRICKET-ENG-SRI-MCC

Sri Lankan legend Sangakkara to lead MCC against Essex

LONDON, Oct 31, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Sri Lankan cricket legend Kumar
Sangakkara, the first overseas president of the Marylebone Cricket Club, will
captain the MCC against English county champions Essex in Sri Lanka next
March, it was announced on Thursday.

The 42-year-old batting great — whose 15 year international career
encompassed 134 Test appearances and over 400 one day internationals — will
lead out his side in the English domestic season’s traditional curtain-raiser
at the Galle International Stadium from March 24-27.

The clash between the MCC and the champions dates back to 1970 and has
been played abroad since 2011 — the last edition in Dubai suffered from that
most English of interruptions… rain.

Sri Lanka has been selected for several reasons: the MCC’s World Cricket
committee will meet there in March, and the match is timed to coincide with
England’s World Test Championship matches in the country.

Sangakkara, who became MCC President on October 1r, said the game would be
of huge benefit to the sport in Sri Lanka.

“It is hugely important to support cricket in countries such as Sri Lanka
and taking the Champion County match to Galle is a fantastic way for the Club
to provide its backing for the game on a global level,” he said in a
statement.

“I am looking forward to playing for and indeed captaining the MCC team,
which will be full of exciting young talent ready to challenge the county
champions.”

Shammi Silva, president of Sri Lanka Cricket, said it was an honour and
privilege to have been chosen as the hosts.

“We are happy to be the host of this historic encounter, which marks the
curtain-raiser to the new English domestic season,” he said.”

BSS/AFP/SSS/1802 hrs