Hundred sale puts Yorkshire County Cricket Club in a strong place - Yorkshire Post Letters

The astonishing sums raised by the sale of the ‘Hundred’ franchises should ensure the future of English Cricket and the County structure. Supporters and Members rarely have a good word to say about the ECB and Yorkshire Chairman Colin Graves but we should be grateful to them for their role in making this possible.

The obvious inevitable downside is that there will be no more First Class Test or County Cricket played in August – a price we are forced to accept.

In the longer term there is a danger that a new generation of boys and girls will never know that there is far more to Cricket than just smashing every ball for six. Hopefully the Counties and local leagues will continue to coach and develop young Cricketers so that the First Class game can survive.

Meanwhile…Yorkshire CCC have been trying to persuade Members that ‘demutualisation’ is a necessary step to ensure the Club’s long term financial survival.

I think, in these changed circumstances, it would be prudent to wait until the Franchise sales are complete. Members can then make a considered decision on the best way forward – safe in the knowledge that the Club is not in imminent danger of financial collapse.