New Zealand cricket captain Brendon McCullum, who is set to retire from international cricket next month, will give the annual MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture at Lord's in June.
Brendon McCullum receives Sir Richard Hadlee Award 2015. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
McCullum has been widely praised for the way his side have played the game since he took charge at the start of 2013.
An emphasis on team spirit, enjoyment and fairness coincided with one of the most successful periods in New Zealand's history which last year included making the World Cup final.
The MCC Spirit of Cricket lecture was first delivered by Richie Benaud in 2001, with notable speakers including Desmond Tutu, Imran Khan, Kumar Sangakkara and Ian Botham.
McCullum will become second New Zealander to deliver the address, after Martin Crowe in 2006.
The MCC has also announced that McCullum will join its World Cricket Committee - a think tank that examines issues affecting the game, from the development of pink balls to Olympic participation - from October.
After McCullum's speech, a question and answer session with him and a selected panel of cricketers will discuss topics arising from the Lecture and other issues prevalent in cricket.
McCullum has played 99 Test matches to date, scoring 6273 runs at an average of 38.48. He has scored 11 centuries and in 2014 became the first New Zealander to post a Test triple century when he amassed 302 against India in Wellington.
He has played seven international matches at Lord's, including four Tests. He narrowly missed out on a place on the famous Lord's Honours Boards on two occasions having scored 96 in 2004 and 97 in 2008, both in Test matches against England.
McCullum will return to Lord's this summer having agreed to play for Middlesex from the end of his stint in the Indian Premier League until 25th June.
McCullum said: "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. 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."
