FROM the small village of Moruga to the renowned Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), former West Indies women’s cricketer Merissa Aguilleira is the first women’s cricketer from the Caribbean to become an honorary life member of the London-based club.

Aguilleira is one of 17 new life members, but the only West Indian. Aguilleira, who retired from international cricket in 2019, is the 29th West Indies cricketer to become a life member. The other former TT and West Indies cricketers inducted previously are Deryck Murray (1990), Larry Gomes (1998), Brian Lara (2013) and Ian Bishop (2019).

Aguilleira, 37, played in over 100 One Day Internationals (ODIs) and captained the West Indies Women from 2009 to 2015, a period during which she led the team to the final of the International Cricket Council Women’s World Cup in India in 2013, and the semi-finals of the ICC Women’s World T20 in 2010, 2012 and 2014. She was part of the 2016 ICC Women’s World T20 winning team in India.

In her primary role as a wicket-keeper, she has over 100 dismissals in ODI cricket and has more than 70 dismissals in T20 internationals (T20Is) in 95 matches.

Having made her ODI debut against the Netherlands women in July of 2008 and her T20I debut against South Africa in June of 2009, she played 112 ODI matches, amassing 1,752 runs at an average of 20.61 and played 95 T20Is, scoring 768 runs at an average of 14.49.

Some of the other players named MCC members in 2023 are former India captain MS Dhoni, Kevin Pieterson (England), Suresh Raina (India), Ross Taylor (New Zealand), Mithali Raj (India), Rachael Haynes (Australia), Laura Marsh (England) and Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand).

NEW MCC LIFE MEMBERS:

Merissa Aguilleira (West Indies); MS Dhoni (India 2004–2019); Jhulan Goswami (India); Jenny Gunn (England); Muhammad Hafeez (Pakistan); Rachael Haynes (Australia); Laura Marsh (England); Eoin Morgan (England); Mashrafe Mortaza (Bangladesh); Kevin Pietersen (England); Suresh Raina (India); Mithali Raj (India); Amy Satterthwaite (New Zealand); Yuvraj Singh (India); Anya Shrubsole (England); Dale Steyn (South Africa); Ross Taylor (New Zealand).