WORK on Yorkshire's new West Stand at Headingley has now entered its final phase and the smart construction will be officially opened on Wednesday, August 15 - the eve of the Fourth Ashes Test - by former Prime Minister John Major.

Major, first as MP and then as PM, has always been a dedicated follower of first class cricket and he's been a regular VIP visitor to Headingley Tests.

His love of the game cannot be faulted, yet would it not have been more appropriate for a Yorkshireman to have been invited to cut the ribbon on this auspicious occasion?

After all, Major is president of Surrey and that is reason enough in the eyes of many Yorkshire die-hards - including some past and present players - to have chosen someone else!

Fred Trueman, Brian Close, Ray Illingworth and Bob Appleyard are four names that spring to mind from Yorkshire's glorious past who would have been well suited for the job - and I had better not leave out Geoff Boycott.

Of course, none would have wanted any of the others to have done it, so the simple solution would have been to make it a team effort and let them share the honour.

Nevertheless, the official opening of the stand is a red-letter day for Yorkshire and one of double celebration because at the same time Lady Dorothy Hutton will dedicate the new Sir Leonard Hutton gates which have been erected on the ground.

Unfortunately, neither the Yorkshire team nor some of their most loyal supporters will be present at Headingley for the big event because Yorkshire will just have started their Championship match with Leicestershire at Grace Road.

By then, Yorkshire will have met Lancashire twice in the Championship and Surrey once and, who knows, they may be enjoying an earlier than expected celebration of their own.

Updated: 12:08 Saturday, July 28, 2001