MCC, the most famous of all cricket clubs and for many years the governing body of the sport, is discussing merging with Middlesex, who since 1877 have played at Lord’s as its tenants. Talks are at an informal stage, but the intention is to form a team that would reduce the gap in standard between Test and county cricket.

MCC, which owns Lord’s and has a missionary role in Britain and overseas – and does not play in any established competition – would become the dominant partner in the pooling of resources and assets. This newly created side, bolstered by MCC’s wealth and marketing expertise, would become, in the description of Keith Bradshaw, the secretary of MCC, “the Manchester United of cricket”. By that he means in terms of its success and professionalism “and being world-class in everything”.

It would tie in with the planned £100 million development of Lord’s, which may incorporate an academy for promising cricketers. “Keith and I will be looking at all options over the next year,” Vinny Codrington, the Middlesex secretary, said. “We have to have an open and honest debate.”

Bradshaw, who arrived at Lord’s in October 2006, has brought the perspective of an outsider to MCC. In recent years there has appeared to be less difference in standard between domestic and international cricket in his native Australia than in England.

“A merger would lift the bar in England,” he said. “One of the best recipes for the England team is to have the narrowest of gaps between county cricket and Test cricket so that the players can step up a level, as they do in Australia. The idea of creating a club akin to Manchester United is worthy of consideration but is not being considered formally at the moment.”

Bradshaw has also held discussions with Ian Lovett, the new chairman of Middlesex, whose predecessor, Phil Edmonds, was in favour of a merger. “This idea arose from the basis that I wanted to make them feel at home,” Bradshaw said.

Middlesex, the county of Denis Compton, Bill Edrich, Mike Brearley and Mike Gatting, to name but a few stellar cricketers, first played at Lord’s in 1877, keeping the takings and paying all match expenses. In 1885 they began to make donations to MCC and have been the poor relations ever since, playing in front of small crowds in recent times with scant control over the preparation of pitches. When the ground has been required for traditional fixtures such as Test matches, the Varsity match and Eton versus Harrow, they have moved to venues such as Uxbridge and Southgate.

Although Edmonds, the former Middlesex all-rounder, saw the attraction of linking up with MCC, his former captain, Brearley, who is president of MCC, will have more influence in the decision-making. “How would the constitution of MCC and Middlesex marry up with the ECB?” Codrington said. “Would Middlesex have a share of the annual distribution of income from the ECB if we merged? But the positives of being at Lord’s far outweigh the negatives.”

The ECB would not comment on how this would affect the composition of the county championship, but it would be in favour of attracting more players from inner-city areas. An academy could also have provision for young cricketers who might otherwise be lost to the game, as well as providing a centre of excellence.