British company to build residential complexes in India with touches of the historic cricket ground and the blessings of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)
British company to build residential complexes in India with touches of the historic cricket ground and the blessings of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC)
India lost the hyped historic Test at Lord's in London, but a British company believes historic and revered Lord's still holds a unique allure for India. 
An artist's impression of the property
A British property company called Anglo Indian is planning to bring a touch of Lord's, with some of its formality and timeless elegance to residential complexes that will be built in Mumbai and 11 other locations in India.
The idea of building such residential complexes in India is that of Simon Reid, who is the founder and chairman of Anglo Indian, a real estate development and investment company, registered in Mauritius to ease flow of funds in and out of India.
Reid's proposals, which have received the blessings and active support of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), were launched recently in the Long Room at Lord's, hailed the world over as, 'the home of cricket'.
In partnership with developers in India, which have not been named as yet, Anglo Indian will build 12 residential complexes in or near the edge of big cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore and Pune, it was announced. Exact locations have not been specified.
The complexes will be built around a cricket ground, but there will be indoor nets for when the monsoon lashes the country. Coaches will either be flown in from the United Kingdom (UK) or locals trained in England up to the standards of the MCC which will be involved in the training of ground staff.
There will also be a clubhouse (perhaps with a poster or two of the legendary Dr W G Grace), a tavern rather like the one that nestles by Lord's to serve a pint of best bitter.
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The Lord's Taverners, a charitable group comprising cricketers and cricket-lovers, take their name from the old Tavern pub at Lord's, where the organisation's founders used to congregate. The pub no longer exists, and the Tavern Stand now stands on its former site.
There are schools, banks, libraries, medical facilities, retail and other essential amenities being planned.
Anglo Indian is currently involved with talks with developers in India, as well as "very well known Test cricketers" who will act as brand ambassadors for the apartments, bungalows and houses. Depending on location, the cost will range from Rs 3,000 per sq ft to Rs 15,000 per sq ft.
Brands
"It's my baby," said Reid, who has been travelling to India almost on a monthly basis from the UK since 2005 but now intends relocating to the country. "I'm on my second passport," he quipped.
"Our ambition is to establish and develop iconic residential communities, anchored by the MCC and Lord's brands which will provide first class residential accommodation and all of the associated amenities," said Reid.u00a0
"Over time, both through these and the Anglo Indian brand, we will set up integrated communities that will be incredibly attractive places for Indians as their principal residences to be or indeed, depending on location, a really attractive second or weekend home.
We are also talking to hospitality and educational brands." In what has been called an "historic first", a brand licence agreement has been signed between MCC Overseas Ltd (MCCO), a newly incorporated subsidiary of the MCC, and Anglo Indian.
"MCCO has licensed Anglo Indian the right to use some of MCC's marks in India in connection with a range of high quality cricket facilities each branded and inspired by the MCC and Lord's to be built in up to 12 new residential communities," the declaration said.
Keith Bradshaw, the top official at the MCC as its secretary and chief executive, confirmed, "The MCC has not lightly embarked on the creation of the MCCO, the entity responsible for this new agreement with Anglo Indian.
The opportunity to license the exploitation of MCC's marks in India has been under consideration for some time."
Bradshaw said, "Anglo Indian's vision for new cricket themed communities in India is an attractive proposition because it is a thorough, innovative proposal that offers a platform to showcase everything that the MCC and the Lord's brands stand for. This is an exciting project for MCCO in a cricket loving nation."
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket.
It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of cricket both in England and Wales as well as worldwide.
Simon Reid, chairman of Anglo Indian
In 1993, many of its global functions were transferred to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its English governance passed to the Test and County Cricket Board (TCCB) at the same time, leaving the MCC to act as guardian of the rules and mentor of the spirit of the game.
Laws
MCC revised the Laws of Cricket in 1788 and continues to reissue them (from time to time), and remains the copyright holder.u00a0
It raises its own teams, some of which are rated first-class depending on the status of the opposition: for example, to mark the beginning of each English season (in April), MCC traditionally plays the reigning County Champions at Lord's.
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MCC sides regularly tour overseas, e.g. Afghanistan in 2006, and the club has an extensive fixture list every season throughout Britain, particularly with schools.
MCC has always been heavily involved in coaching.
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Bible
MCC is famous for its coaching manual the, 'MCC Cricket Coaching Book' which is often regarded as the bible of cricket coaching.
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MCC has 18,000 full members and 4,000 associate members. As would be expected with a private members' club, members have special rights to use the pavilion and other stands at Lord's for all matches played.
Hallowed Turf
Lord's Cricket Ground (generally known as Lord's) is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London.
Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the European Cricket Council (ECC) and, until August 2005, the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Lord's is widely referred to as the 'home of cricket' and is home to the world's oldest sporting museum. Lord's today is not on its original site, being the third of three grounds that Lord established between 1787 and 1814.
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His first ground, now referred to as Lord's Old Ground, was where Dorset Square now stands. His second ground, Lord's Middle Ground, was used from 1811 to 1813 before being abandoned to make way for the construction through its outfield of the Regent's Canal.
The present Lord's ground is about 250 yards (230 m) north-west of the site of the Middle Ground. A major redevelopment has been proposed for Lord's which would increase capacity by another 10,000 as well as adding apartments and an ice rink.
The earliest known match played on the current Lord's Cricket Ground was Marylebone Cricket Club v Hertfordshire on 22 June 1814.
The oldest cricket fixture at Lord's (i.e., one that continues to this day) is the annual Eton v Harrow match, which was first played on the Old Ground in 1805, and on the present Lord's Cricket Ground in July 1818
Much of Lord's Cricket Ground was rebuilt in the late 20th century.
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In 1987 the new Mound Stand, designed by Sir Michael Hopkins, was opened, followed by the Grandstand (by Nicholas Grimshaw) in 1996.
Most notably, the Media Centre (by Future Systems) was added in 1998-9 which won The Royal Institute of British Architects Stirling Prize for 1999. The ground can currently hold up to 32,000 spectators.
Highlights
1: Cricket facilities part of the residential complexes to be built in India
2: Houses can be sold as principal or holiday homes to Indians
3: Rates range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 15,000 per sq foot
4: Residences will be built around a cricket ground
5: Company in touch with Indian developers for project
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