The changing of the guard at Lord’s will continue when Guy Lavender leaves his post as MCC chief executive this year.

Lavender has landed a job in charge at Cheltenham racecourse, and will leave MCC at the turn of the year.

He joined MCC in October 2017 from Somerset, where he was also chief executive. Before moving into sports administration, he had an 18-year career in the Parachute Regiment, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in 2006.

The 57-year-old’s departure continues the churn at the top of MCC. In October, Mark Nicholas will move from the role of president to chairman, replacing Bruce Carnegie-Brown, who did not seek re-election for a second term. Mervyn King, the former governor of the Bank of England, will take over as president for 12 months.

In addition, Jamie Cox left to become Somerset chief executive, with Rob Lynch, the former chief executive of the Professional Cricketers’ Association, joining to replace him in the role of director of cricket and operations.

Lavender has been a steady hand during a tumultuous period in the club’s history in which relations with pockets of the membership have, at times, been tense. 

The club attempted to move “historic fixtures” such as Eton v Harrow and Oxford v Cambridge away from Lord’s, but was met with resistance from members. The fixtures are still played at the ground, despite a recommendation from last year’s Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket report stating that they should be moved.