MCC Media Release: Live Netcast of Diana Memorial Match (16 Jul 1998)

16 July 1998

LIVE BROADCAST OF DIANA MEMORIAL MATCH ONLY ON LORD'S WEBSITE

MCC Media Release

The MCC's website www.lords.org will be carrying live video and audio commentary from the Diana Memorial Match at Lord's on Saturday 18 July - with the game featuring cricket's biggest stars from around the world.

Sachin Tendulkar, Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Sanath Jayasuriya, Glenn McGrath, Mike Atherton, Chris Cairns, Andy Flower and Shivnarine Chanderpaul are just some of the Test players involved in what promises to be one of the most spectacular matches ever staged.

MCC v Rest of the World also promises one of the biggest feasts for cricket fans on the Internet - and the Lord's website has joined forces with Virgin Net and Broadcast.com to produce an exclusive audio commentary for the Net fronted by Test Match Special's Jonathan Agnew and Peter Baxter, and TWI to provide a frame-grabbed video feed of their television coverage worldwide.

Atherton and Tendulkar will captain the star-studded sides, with every Test-playing country represented on the day - which is also the 150th anniversary of the birth of the great WG Grace.

The match will be played under ICC one-day international rules, with 50 overs per side. Play will commence at 11am (BST) - with the Lord's website broadcast due to go on air at 10.45am (BST).

The match is being played in aid of The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. The MCC hope to raise in excess of £1 million - and visitors to the Lord's website will be able to find details of how they can make donations to the fund.

Lord's website editor Julian Goode said: "The array of talent on show is staggering - and the match should provide great entertainment for cricket lovers worldwide on the Internet.

"We're also inviting fans to send questions in to our commentary team as we hope to have many of the players, and some special guests, on air during the day."

Rick Glanvill, Senior Producer at Virgin Net (www.virgin.net) added: "Virgin Net is delighted to be involved with the MCC on a valuable project that UK terrestrial TV and radio have chosen to overlook. "The cooperation between MCC, Lord's staff and Virgin Net on this live coverage of a star-studded match is another example of this new medium at its best."

For further information please contact Julian Goode on 0171 432 1055 or email editor@lords.org

Notes to editors:

The two teams are as follows:

MCC: Mike Atherton (England), Aamir Sohail (Pakistan), Shivnarine Chanderpaul (West Indies), Mohammed Azharuddin (India), Saurav Ganguly (India), Brian McMillan (South Africa), Ian Healy (Australia), Anil Kumble (India), Javagal Srinath (India), Allan Donald (South Africa), Glen McGrath (Australia).

Rest of the World: Saeed Anwar (Pakistan), Sanath Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Aravinda de Silva (Sri Lanka), Graeme Hick (England), Tom Moody (Australia), Andy Flower (Zimbabwe), Chris Cairns (New Zealand), Wasim Akram (Pakistan), Mushtaq Ahmed (Pakistan), Ian Bishop (West Indies).

www.lords.org 'Lord's - The Home of Cricket' is the official website of the Marylebone Cricket Club and the England & Wales Cricket Board.

Direct access to the broadcast page is at https://www.lords.org/studio/index.html