RICHARD CABORN, the Sports Minister, has supported Brighton College’s policy to choose girls to play alongside boys in its first XI. After criticism from Robin Marlar, the incoming president of MCC, who believes that they are in danger of being hurt by fast bowlers, Caborn told The Times that selection at this level should be on the basis of ability and not gender.

“Obviously the decision to play mixed sides is one for governing bodies and schools to make, but in principle teams should be selected on the basis of ability, not by sex, creed or colour,” Caborn said. Marlar, who expanded on his comments yesterday, had cited physical, medical and chivalrous reasons why girls should not play alongside boys at the ages of 17 and 18.

“It is upsetting that a few words of mine, perhaps not well-chosen, have spoken more loudly than MCC’s many actions over recent years,” Marlar said. “I am proud that the club is doing more than ever to promote cricket to as many children as possible, to develop women’s cricket and to help talented young players — male and female — to fulfil their potential. I am committed to encouraging as many boys and girls as possible to start playing cricket.”

Rachael Heyhoe Flint, the former England women’s captain who sits on the MCC committee, said yesterday that she understood Marlar’s viewpoint, as opposed to being supportive of it.

Marlar is now targeting the perennially controversial issue of overseas players. He has written to David Morgan, the chairman of the ECB, saying that there are far too many playing in first-class cricket and asking what its policy is for the next two seasons.

“I have been disturbed to read so often of overseas players joining counties for as little as three weeks,” Marlar said. “Young players of merit are pushed aside and there is wide disquiet in the cricketing world. Although there are financial rewards for producing players qualified for England, I would like to know exactly what the requirements are for 2006 and 2007 and what the ultimate objective of the ECB is in this regard.

“It is chaos at the moment — the nastiest chaos seen in our domestic game. This last season has been appalling and the numbers are out of control. I am not sure tiny incentives will do much to straighten this out. People keep sheltering behind human rights laws.”