MCC members want answers on Sky deal

AN MCC member is on course to force Lord’s into holding the first special general meeting called by the club membership since the furore over David G o w e r n o t b e i n g selected by England to tour India in 1992.

Dr Nigel Knott has gathered 50 signatures in just 10 days towards the 180 supporters he needs to call an SGM over the ongoing controversy surrounding the England and Wales Cricket Board selling exclusive Test TV rights to Sky for the next four years.

Dentist Knott said: ‘It won’t be long before I’ve got enough names to demand an SGM, which I will unless the MCC set up a working party to investigate.

‘There is huge unease among the members over the TV deal and the amount of secrecy surrounding it. We want to know details.’

The ECB will continue their defence of the deal when chief executive David Collier faces a House of Lords select committee next week looking into the BBC charter review.

Collier will call for the BBC to launch a dedicated sports channel to ensure scheduling of cricket doesn’t prove such a problem for them in the future.

Collier meets officials from Five next week to discuss their so far secretive plans for terrestrial highlights of the Tests, which have extra importance with the mass opposition to the Sky contract.

And he has also been chosen to speak for the whole sports lobby at a meeting with Secretary of State Tessa Jowell tomorrow.

The Government will be put under pressure to bring in similar legislation against ticket touts to that which is currently enjoyed by football.