YORKSHIRE County Cricket Club will buy Headingley cricket ground before the start of the new season or pull out of the negotiations and continue as lease-holders.
That was the pledge Yorkshire chairman Robin Smith gave to the 450 members who were at the club's annual meeting at Headingley on Saturday.
Smith said that the negotiations, which broke down in January, have resumed and Yorkshire chief executive Colin Graves has agreed to meet liability in relation to costs if they withdrew from the Heads of Terms agreement.
Smith said that Yorkshire had looked at various options for buying the ground but they had still been left with a substantial funding gap. Now they are planning to bring negotiations to an end because the uncertainty can't go on for ever.
He added that Yorkshire are looking for a straight deal to acquire the Leeds City Football and Athletic Club, but if this did not happen they would continue to run the club on its present basis until the day when things would change.
"Hopefully, Headingley will be in the hands of the club by the start of the season and, if so, the Board plans to appoint a full-time chief executive," said Smith, who promised that no deal would be completed without the members' approval.
In reply to a question, Smith said that if Yorkshire acquired the freehold of Headingley all sorts of restrictions and constrains would fall away and they would control advertising, catering and drink which was where the real money was.
Members accepted director of cricket David Byas's explanation for signing a Kolpak player in South African Deon Kruis, despite the club saying a year ago that were opposed to these players flooding into county cricket.
Byas said it was no secret that the bowling department needed strengthening and they had tried to get a proven English fast bowler, but this had not been possible.
Stephen Mann (800 votes), from Ilkley, and David Tunbridge (690), from South Yorkshire, were elected to the members' committee, beating off challenges from Rob Lolley (632) from Leeds and Robert Hilliam (440) from Scarborough.
Updated: 09:57 Monday, March 14, 2005
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article