Brian Lara in MCC squad to play Hertfordshire....
Hertfordshire will face one of the true legends of cricket when they help launch the bicentenary of Lord's by playing MCC in a recreation of the very first match on the great ground on Sunday.
Brian Lara, the great West Indian batsman who holds the world record for both the highest Test score of 400 and first-class score of 501, will be the star attraction on what will be a special day.
Lara, who scored an astonishing 11,953 Test runs at an average of 52.88 in a 131-Test career, is the fifth highest run scorer in the history of the game, and all those above him (Sachin Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Rahul Dravid) have played at least 30 more Tests.
But more than the remarkable statistics, the thrilling way he scored his runs made him one of the most exciting sights in the game and the chance to see him again should not be missed.
He is joined in a strong MCC side by former South Africa batsman Dale Benkenstein and former England left-arm spinner Min Patel, who coaches Hertfordshire's young spinners as well as Welwyn Garden City and former Hertfordshire all-rounder Aaron Laraman.
Herts have selected a squad of 13 for the big day, led by North Mymms batsman Nesan Jeyaratnam, with in-form Welwyn Garden City all-rounder Jamie Southgate as his No2.
"Selection has been difficult, but we stated at the beginning we would pick the best squad for the day and treat the match like a Unicorns Trophy match," said Iain Fletcher, the Hertfordshire director of cricket.
This is a recreation of the very first game at Lord's on June 22, 1814 and launches a Sumer of celebrations at the ground. Lara will play in a big game at the ground on Saturday July 5 when two star-studded teams led by Shane Warne and Sachin Tendulkar will play a 50-over MCC v Rest of the World game.
Sunday's game starts at 2pm, with the gates opening at noon. There are a host of festivities and activities to enjoy. Entry is £10 for adults and £5 for under 16s, and 500 tickets for the hallowed an historic pavilion will be available on the day.
There is also a rare chance to picnic and watch the game on the outfield in front of the grand stand.
Herts squad
Herts Umpire: Ian Breeze
Herts Scorer: Tony Gibbs