Dunnington-BASED Costcutter boss Colin Graves is tipped to become part of a new management structure aimed at getting Yorkshire out of their financial mess.

If the club's general committee give approval to the plan at today's meeting at Headingley, president Robin Smith will head a group of four people who will be chiefly responsible for running Yorkshire.

Geoff Cope is expected to be given sweeping new powers if he takes over from Keith Moss as Yorkshire chairman.

Moss has already reluctantly agreed to stand down from office and if Cope replaces him as chairman his responsibilities will include liaising closely with director of coaching, Wayne Clark, and other members of the cricket staff.

Cope, 55, the former Yorkshire and England off-spinner, lives at Tranmere Park, near Guiseley, and earlier this year he was appointed commercial director of Bradford Park Avenue FC.

He took 630 first class wickets in a Yorkshire career which was cut short because of TCCB suspicions about his bowling action.

Graves is well-known for his love of cricket and Costcutter have advertising boards on cricket grounds around the world. Only last week Costcutter sponsored the floodlights at Yorkshire Phoenix's day-night match with Durham Dynamos at Headingley.

Graves is chairman of Dunnington CC, the York and District Senior League champions, who are on course to retain their title, and used to sponsor the league.

He also chaired Yorkshire and England star Darren Gough's 2001 benefit committee.

The new management structure will lead to additional borrowing from Yorkshire's bankers - if members give their approval at a special general meeting which has been called for August 29, two days before Yorkshire appear in the C&G Trophy final at Lord's.

Updated: 14:46 Monday, August 12, 2002