Yorkshire set to stay beside the seaside for long spell

The ground is undergoing a major £3m refurbishment to improve facilities for players and spectators.

Scarborough CC has a 10-year deal with Yorkshire to stage 10 days’ county cricket each summer.

The deal expires in 2020, but Scarborough chiefs believe the renovation will guarantee first-class cricket at the ground well beyond that date.

The refurbishment, which will be completed by the end of the month, is being funded by Tesco, its partners and suppliers.

The supermarket giant has chosen Scarborough as its community project for 2011.

The link-up came about through a friendship between Scarborough vice-chairman Tony Gibson and Kevin Grace, Tesco’s national property director.

The work, which will transform the ground in the 125th year of the Scarborough Festival, includes:

New wooden seats, a new toilet block and a new club shop on the popular bank.

An overhaul of the pavilion, including a refurbishment of the players’ dining room and the installation of a disabled lift.

A new bar at the back of the West Stand.

A new viewing balcony in front of the Tea Room at the Trafalgar Square End.

A refurbishment of the main scoreboard.

Scarborough CC chairman Bill Mustoe told the Yorkshire Post: “Under our current deal with Yorkshire, we have to make improvements to the ground during the next 10 years, and this work more than satisfies that requirement.

“It wasn’t a case of Yorkshire saying to us that we had to do X by Y otherwise we wouldn’t be allowed to stage any more Yorkshire games.

“It was basically them saying we had to keep developing the ground during the next decade, which we are doing.

“In our opinion, this work will guarantee the future of first-class cricket at Scarborough beyond 2020 and for many years to come, which is our main objective.”

Scarborough is already the jewel in Yorkshire’s cricketing crown.

Although millions has been spent on the county’s Headingley headquarters, including the £21m Carnegie Pavilion, the ground does not possess the same beguiling charm.

Scarborough has staged first-class cricket since 1874 and is widely regarded as one of the finest – if not the finest – county outgrounds.

The very soul of Yorkshire cricket would be ripped out if the team stopped playing at the seaside venue, while the county’s supporters would probably revolt.

“We are building on what is already a great arena,” added Mustoe. “We are extremely proud of our history and heritage.

“The new work blends in perfectly with the rest of the ground in an appropriate amalgamation of old and modern. The whole quality of the spectator experience is being significantly enhanced and will, I’m sure, be warmly welcomed.”

In 2009, Scarborough was heavily criticised by the Guardian newspaper, which described it as being in “terminal decline”. The comments led to a general tidy-up before the start of last season.

“The criticism hurt,” admitted Mustoe. “Nobody likes to be criticised and you can only take it on board and do your best. But we also accepted there was a kernel of truth in what was written.

“We gave the ground a lick of paint and a general clean-up last year, but this latest work goes much, much further.”

Mustoe paid tribute to Tesco, saying: “It basically started with them saying, ‘We’d like to help you by putting a new roof on the toilet block’.

“Everything pretty much snowballed from there.

“They then chose us as their community project for the year, getting various partners and suppliers involved, and we’re extremely grateful for their help and support. It’s by far the biggest development at the ground for over 100 years.”

Scarborough will host four county games this year.

It stages its first Yorkshire Twenty20 match on July 10, when Durham are the visitors.

The following day, Yorkshire take on Worcestershire in the County Championship.

Sussex provide the Festival opposition, Yorkshire facing them in the Championship from Wednesday, August 17-20 and in the CB 40 League on Sunday, August 21.

Indian cricket chiefs have written to the International Cricket Council to complain about the “inadequacy” of the decision review system.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India also hit out at ICC general manager Dave Richardson for criticising captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni after he called the system into question following India’s World Cup match with England which ended in a thrilling tie on Sunday.