“Going to the Cricket” - with perforations

18/06/2008

 If you're cricket barmy - and especially if you combine that sport with stamp collecting - here's some news to put you in a spin.

 

To coincide with a new exhibition called "Going to the Cricket" at Lord’s Cricket Ground, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is releasing its first ever sheet of customised postage stamps in association with Bletchley Park Post Office. The design spans 300 years of English cricket, with ten stamps each depicting a different period in the history of cricket.

 

“Going to the Cricket” looks at the spectator’s view of cricket - from the 18th century scorer notching runs on a stick, the stately glamour of the Edwardian period and the lively and musical enthusiasm of West Indian fans in the 60’s, to the chants and clamour of today’s “Barmy Army”. So the the ten stamp collection provides a fascinating insight into the social changes of “Going to the Cricket”.

 

In addition to the new stamps a series of limited edition match day covers is being issued for major matches at Lord’s. Using original art from the MCC collection these special envelopes will each carry a unique stamp and postmark.

 

Both sets of stamps will be released at Lord’s for the England v South Africa Test on 10th July. Only 200 sheets will be released at an issue price of £50. They can both be viewed and ordered from the MCC section of the web gallery at the site below.