SOMERSET County Cricket Club Chief Executive Guy Lavender is to leave the club at the end of the season.

Mr Lavender will be leaving the Cooper Associates County Ground to take over as the next chief executive and secretary of the MCC.

And he said he would be 'sad to be leaving' the Taunton club.

“Being the CEO at Somerset has been an immense privilege and enormously enjoyable," he said.

"I would like to thank the chairman, committee, players, staff and members for all their support and good humour over the last six years.

"We have a very busy season ahead and I am determined to make sure that this is a great one for the club in all respects.

"I am sure the club will appoint a very able successor to build on the strong foundations which have been established over many years.

"While sad to be leaving Somerset, I am absolutely delighted to have been selected as the next chief executive and secretary of MCC.

"It is an enormous honour and I am very much looking forward to playing my part in leading the club forward.”

Somerset CCC chairman, Andy Nash, said: “Guy has been a huge success as our CEO and leaves the club a rich legacy of ODI and IT20 status, vastly-improved facilities, a strong united culture and a business model which has become an acknowledged financial powerhouse and exemplar in the game.

"At a personal level he’s been a loyal and supportive colleague and friend.

"While we shall be extremely sorry to see him go there’s nothing greater we can do for our people than see them develop and progress into bigger roles.

"The CEO and secretary of MCC is one of the most prestigious and influential roles in global cricket and it is a considerable honour for Somerset County Cricket Club to see its CEO assume this position.

"On behalf of everyone at Somerset County Cricket Club I extend my immense gratitude for all that Guy has done for us and extend to him our warmest wishes for his success in his new role.”