Victoria State Governor Lina Dessau suggested that the Marylebone Cricket Club sell Lord's and "build a new multi-sport stadium with the proceeds," according to Charles Sale of the London DAILY MAIL. Recent plans showed that Lord's is worth a "conservative" £2.5B ($3.4B) for residential housing "if sold in 25 parcels of land." The listed pavilion and main pitch would remain, "allowing low-key and ceremonial matches to be played there." With the "massive proceeds," the MCC could spend £500M ($680M) purchasing land elsewhere "for what would be the fourth Lord's cricket ground." Around £1B ($1.3B) could then be spent on building an all-purpose, 45,000-seat ground with a retractable roof, with £1B left to distribute among the MCC's 18,000 members, who would each receive around £50,000 ($67,986). Some members of the Lord's establishment have been in favor of "examining such a blueprint," including former Chair Michael Jenkins, who died in '13, and West Indies 1975 World Cup-winning captain Clive Lloyd (DAILY MAIL, 1/1).
MCG GETS 'POOR' RATING: In Sydney, Peter Lalor reported the Melbourne Cricket Ground "copped a public shaming" over its highly-criticized pitch and has been instructed to fix it after being officially rated as "poor" by the Int'l Cricket Council. It is "very rare for a wicket to receive a poor rating" and it is understood to be the "first time it has happened in Australia." The venue is facing penalties which include a warning and a fine of up to A$20,000 ($15,663) "given together with a directive for appropriate corrective action." A repeat of the poor rating would result in the country's largest stadium being banned from hosting test cricket for 12 months (THE AUSTRALIAN, 1/2).
