Proposal was ‘about opening cricket up’

S t e p h e n Fr y h a s d e f e n d e d a n ow - s h e l ve d p r o p o s a l t o scrap the annual Eton-harr o w L o r d ’s c r i c k e t f i x t u r e , saying that it was an attempt to make the sport more inclusive rather than an example of “woke-ism”.

The actor and writer, who b e c a m e p r e s i d e n t o f M a r - ylebone Cricket Club (MCC) this month, was forced into a U-turn when the policy drew outrage from members.

Fry suggested that a competition drawing in other schools would allow students to earn their place in a final.

“I t s a d d e n s m e i f p e o p l e think that there’s an element of woke-ism about that, because i t ’s o n l y a b o u t o p e n i n g t h e game up as much as p ossible,” he said.

“Imagine if there was a Road To Lords inter-school competition, which meant that your son or daughter was playing in the final because they had earned the right by b eating other schools – one would be so much prouder.

“It’s not about banning Eton and Harrow, it’s about opening it up to more schools.”

Despite receiving Fry’s backing to axe the annual EtonH a r r o w a n d O x f o r d - C a m - bridge matches at Lord’s, the MCC recently shelved the proposal amid a members’ revolt.

According to The Telegraph, it feared losing an advisor y vote and that its reputation could b e damaged with the fallout from a fractious club meeting.

Fr y h a d a rg u e d t h e move would allow cricket to lose its “turgid image of snobbery and e l i t i s m”, whi l e s o me members said the games – which date back to the 19th century – should be preserved as Lord’s traditions.