The MCC is a cricket club that owns the Lord’s ground. Middlesex is a first class county club that plays many of its home games at Lords.
MCC
In principle, the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) is simply a cricket club like those found in most towns and villages in England. It doesn’t usually take part in formal competitions but instead puts together teams to play exhibition/friendly matches, often against schools and universities.
One of two things that makes the MCC significant is that historically it was the main governing body for cricket and developed the rules, known as the Laws of cricket. Many of the governing responsibilities and powers are now covered by the International Cricket Council and national bodies such as the England and Wales Cricket Board.
Officially, only the MCC can change the Laws of Cricket, though it usually does so on the advice of bodies such as the ICC. Tournament organisers also have some leeway to use or set variations on the rules known as playing conditions. These can include points such as fielding restrictions including PowerPlays, penalties for no balls, and how many bouncers are allowed.
Lords
The other significant element of the MCC is that it owns the Lord’s ground in London. This is often called the home of cricket and has a similar status to Wembley Stadium in that it hosts many England home games (including a test match in almost every home series) and the finals of many domestic tournaments and international tournaments hosted in England.
MCC members have the right to sit in, and use the facilities of, the historic pavilion and to obtain guest passes for seating in the Members’ Friends’ Enclosures. While membership is available to some MCC players and important cricket and public figures, most members must join via a waiting list that can take nearly 30 years.
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the 18 first class counties in English cricket. Unlike most county sides, it does not own or lease its own ground. Instead, it plays at Lord’s through a longstanding agreement with the MCC. Historically Middlesex paid a “rental fee” to the MCC to use Lords and took the money from ticket sales to its games. Today that set-up is reversed: the MCC pays a flat fee to Middlesex but gets the money from ticket sales plus revenue from bar and catering sales.
Middlesex members can use the historic pavilion during Middlesex games. During other games such as internationals, they must buy an entry ticket but can sit in the Members’ Friends’ Enclosures.