YORKSHIRE’S director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, is confident Colin Graves will not “leave the club in the lurch” when he takes up his new post as chairman of England and Wales Cricket Board in May.

As expected, the current Yorkshire chairman was elected unopposed for a five-year term and approved by the 41 members of the ECB yesterday, but Moxon was quick to allay the fears of the county’s supporters that it may be difficult for the club to progress without the man whose investment and leadership has been instrumental in its recent progress.

“Colin has always said that he will ensure the club will be able to carry on when he leaves,” he said. “Obviously nobody really knew when that was going to be, but he’s always said that.

“How he is going to ensure that happens is unclear at the minute, but I am confident he won’t leave the club in the lurch and we will be able to flourish in the future.”

Moxon was equally optimistic regarding the effect of Graves’s appointment to one of the most high- profile jobs in English cricket.

“Colin’s got vast experience of business, but first and foremost, he’s a cricket fan,” he said.

“I think he’ll be very shrewd, and I’m sure he will cut out wastage.

He’ll be someone who will listen to people and look to work with people in partnership.

“I don’t think he’ll be a particularly despotic leader - that’s not how he’s been at Yorkshire. He’s inclusive and discusses things with people. Ultimately he will then make the final decision. He’s a top man to work with and for.”

The person Graves persuaded to return from Durham to take up his current post at Headingley was also quick to praise his chairman’s impact on Yorkshire cricket.

“When Colin took over, the club was in an extremely difficult financial position and potentially close to bankruptcy,” he said. “He was the white knight if you like. Thankfully we avoided that.

“He has put a lot of financial help into the club over the last ten or 12 years, but he’s got the club very well organised now. The staff we have at the club currently are excellent, and we all work as a team.

“I’d like to think we’re heading in the right direction both on and off the field. Colin’s been a big influence off the field, making the club and the ground welcoming and fit for purpose for international and domestic cricket.”

Graves set himself typically bold goals yesterday.

“My immediate priority will be to work closely with our new chief executive officer Tom Harrison, my fellow Board members and the rest of the ECB’s senior leadership team to develop a comprehensive new strategy to grow cricket’s appeal still further across more diverse communities in England and Wales,” he declared.

“With an Ashes series this summer and ECB hosting ICC global events in 2017 and 2019, we have a fantastic opportunity to inspire more people to play, attend and follow cricket and build on our position as the country’s number one summer sport.”