Kent and England bowling legend Derek Underwood has been installed as the president of Marylebone Cricket Club, some 40 years after becoming an MCC member.

In taking over the reins from Mike Brearley, Underwood will preside over the busiest year in the club’s 221-year history and a fixture list that includes hosting an Ashes Test match, two Anglo-Australian one-day internationals, much of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament and 500 other MCC out-matches throughout the British Isles and overseas.

Looking ahead to his busy year, Underwood said: “It is indeed a great honour to become president of MCC, especially to have been invited by Mike Brearley, for whom I have always had the utmost respect and admiration. I look forward immensely to the year ahead.

“It is an exciting era for the sport with Twenty20 cricket opening up so many possibilities for the game worldwide. It is important for all those who work in cricket to embrace that change while protecting the game’s rich heritage.

“MCC is ideally placed to be at the heart of much of this change. With its development of the Masterplan project at Lord’s, its independent voice of the MCC World Cricket committee and its playing remit to develop the game worldwide, the club has the passion, stature and desire to ensure the best for our wonderful game in the years ahead.”