Graves rules out 'swingeing cuts' as Yorkshire face Test losses

After hugely disappointing attendances for last week's second Test between 'hosts' Pakistan and Australia at Headingley, Yorkshire have conceded job cuts may be in the offing.

But last night, Graves made it clear that – although a further announcement can be expected after a board meeting tomorrow – he does not anticipate dramatic measures.

"We don't see swingeing cuts at all – there is no alarmism here," he said.

"As far as we are concerned, we can take some cuts out of our business – we have already looked at it.

"We had a board meeting last Thursday while the Test match was going on, anticipating what was going to happen.

"We are a long way down the line – and when we have the board meeting (this week) we will finalise those.

"But there won't be swingeing cuts."

When it was first announced Pakistan – unable to play in their home country because of last year's terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore – would instead 'host' Australia in England, it was hoped the British Asian population might come out in force to support their heroes.

Despite Yorkshire's marketing efforts, however, the anticipated ticket sales never materialised – with the ground barely a third full for most of a match which lasted only into the fourth morning.

"I think we expected them to be using credit cards in January, February, March," added Graves.

"Unfortunately, they didn't. But they also didn't turn up on the day – which was a surprising thing, from our point of view."

The ticket price of 30 was questioned in some quarters. Asked whether that might have been too expensive, Graves conceded: "People say that might have been the case.

"We don't think it was – 30 is way under any other Test match ground in the United kingdom.

"Yes, we could have reduced the prices – that can be levelled at us – but we think 30 was fair value for a good day's cricket."

Whatever the reasons for the poor attendances, it seems there may well be repercussions.

"We are having a board meeting on Wednesday where as a club we'll be looking at cost savings going forward – and I'm sure we'll have some announcement to make after the meeting," said Graves.

"We are going to look at the costs in the business and look at how we can trim them back and keep ahead which we will do."

Whatever the outcome, though, the chairman has made it clear there will be no impact on Yorkshire's playing resources.

"While I have been at Yorkshire, we've never cut the cricketing budget – and we never will.

"It's not all doom and gloom. There are a lot of good things on the horizon."

Bairstow for England:

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