MCC’s committee members have received a paper advocating that the most renowned cricket club in the world should establish a branch in the United States that would replicate Lord’s in as many ways as possible. The expatriate community in Florida is expanding rapidly and it is envisaged that North America and Europe could attain Test status.

The idea is that MCC would cede responsibility for the running of the game in the States to Americans themselves, appreciating they would be more interested in Twenty20 cricket, with its evocation of home runs, than five-day matches.

The United States and Canada are both associate members of the ICC. The paper advocates combining both countries as MCC North America without attempting to sever their ties to the ICC. One reason for this is that the United States Cricket Association is considered a part of the West Indies zone and as such is regarded as receiving less attention than should be its due.

One possibility for a headquarters site would be Hollywood CC in Los Angeles, the very city where David Beckham is attempting to revitalise professional football. Other possible areas are New York, Philadelphia, Washington and Florida.

Sir John Major, who sits on MCC’s general committee, is chairing a working party looking into how to mark the 150th anniversary of the first overseas tour by an England XI, to the States, which falls in 2009. In Los Angeles the game became particularly popular when the film industry attracted actors from overseas. Sir C. Aubrey Smith, an England captain, founded the Hollywood Cricket Club and P. G. Wodehouse, Errol Flynn and David Niven were all members.