Not cricket! MCC berates fans sloshed in the stands

Wimbledon is not the only event to fall victim to booze culture. mCC has warned members about drinking at lord’s cricket ground following a ‘regrettable’ incident at an england v South Africa match this summer. The latest marylebone Cricket Club newsletter reads members the riot act about the importation of alcohol to the hallowed turf and informs them that ‘any alcohol in excess of 18 per cent alcohol by volume will be confiscated’.

it has long been a tradition at lord’s for spectators to idle away the afternoon in the stands on a constant dripfeed of alcohol, but following the mysterious ‘incident’ members have been cautioned that they may only take up to two pints of beer into the grounds if it is under six per cent alcohol by volume; or a single 75cl bottle of wine if it is between six and 18 per

cent. ‘Amounts of alcohol in excess of these limits . . . will be confiscated,’ says the newsletter.

‘Under no circumstances will any spectator be readmitted to Lord’s Ground at any time during the day if in possession of any alcohol.

‘MCC reserves the right to confiscate any quantity of alcohol from any spectator, leaving or entering Lord’s Ground.’ However, the club declines to elaborate on the ‘regrettable’ incident that encouraged the crackdown and plays a straight bat.

‘The incident in question involved a member who had either forgotten or was not familiar with [the] regulation,’ says a spokesman.

The decree follows last year’s ban on champagne in the stands. The popping of corks at Lord’s — with the aim of landing them on the outfield — had long been enjoyed by spectators but was deemed potentially hazardous to the fielders.

Officials from the MCC issued the edict, after visiting teams complained that their boundary fielders were being distracted by the sound of corks landing nearby.