BRITISH Sugar have solved their ground crisis only days before the start of the HPH York Vale Cricket League season.

The club had been hoping for a stay of execution to remain at their ground in Millfield Lane for one more year, but company bosses asked them to leave earlier this month.

However, ground-sharing talks with York RI have been successful and the club with play at New Lane this season, which gets underway tomorrow.

Derek Quinn, Sugar’s chairman and groundsman, said: “We are really pleased to be at RI. There have been some complications because RI have had to reverse one or two fixtures. It’s not been easy, but at least we are playing somewhere.”

Cricket had been played at the British Sugar ground for 55 years, but the demolition of the factory sees York lose another sports ground, following the closure of the Civil Service ground in Boroughbridge Road.

Quinn said the club had hoped to play one final season at Millfield Lane before relocating to the new Manor School site.

The pitch at the new school has been laid, but the wicket needs another year to bed in before it is up to Vale League standards.

In a letter to the club, Andrew Beresford, British Sugar’s head of operations services, ruled out the old ground’s use and asked them to vacate the site. He wrote: “As the demolition of the site nears completion we have reviewed the risk assessment governing the area. The site is still industrial and there are hazards we have to control. With this in mind we will be stopping all access to the site.”

Quinn said: “We are very disappointed. It is an excellent sports field stood doing nothing, something which York can ill-afford to have. It’s a tragedy when you see the ground.”

Quinn added that the club had its own personal liability insurance cover which would have taken care of any safety fears.

Last season British Sugar shared their home with Ben Johnson, who have relocated to Escrick Park for 2009.