McCullum to deliver 2016 MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum will deliver this year's MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture on June 6 at the Lord's.
The 34-year-old McCullum will become the second New Zealander to give the speech, following Martin Crowe in 2006.
McCullum, who will retire from international cricket after New Zealand's Test series against Australia in February, was selected for the event both in recognition of the way his team has played and conducted itself under his captaincy, and his continued support for the MCC Spirit of Cricket.
"It was an honour to be asked to deliver the MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture - especially given the stature of some previous speakers - so I was very pleased to accept the invitation. There are a number of important issues in world cricket at the moment that I am looking forward to addressing, and I hope it is an interesting evening for everyone watching," McCullum, who has played seven international matches at the Lord's including four Tests, said.

The explosive batsman, who has scored 6,273 runs in 99 Tests at an average of 38.48, will also join the MCC World Cricket committee on October 1, having been selected by chairman Mike Brearley and MCC Head of Cricket John Stephenson.
McCullum will engage in the committee's work on issues such as the potential inclusion of cricket in the Olympics and regulations on bat sizes.

The committee was influential in the development of pink ball cricket and McCullum's experience of the inaugural day-night Test in November against Australia will help in the continued development of the concept.
"I'm also very pleased to be joining the World Cricket committee in October and being given the chance to discuss and have an impact on world cricket," said the New Zealander.

McCullum had narrowly missed out on a place in the famous Lord's Honours Boards on two occasions, having scored 96 in 2004 and 97 in 2008, both in Tests against England.