Cricket: Afghanistan to play MCC at Lord's

LONDON (Reuters) - Afghanistan's cricketers will play at Lord's for the first time in July after being granted a fixture against the MCC.

The 50-over match at the fabled home of world cricket was confirmed by the Marylebone Cricket Club on Friday.

"I am thrilled that we will be welcoming Afghanistan to Lord's this summer," MCC president Matthew Fleming said.

"I have seen first-hand the talent and passion for cricket the nation has, and this fixture can only be a good thing for the ongoing development of Afghan cricket."

New Zealander Brendon McCullum will captain the MCC for the match on July 11 - the day after the conclusion of England's test match against South Africa.

Afghanistan made their debut at the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015, famously beating Scotland and pushing Sri Lanka hard.

(Reporting by Martyn Herman; editing by Andrew Roche)