yorkshire opt not to bid for ashes test in 2013 or 2015

[stephen cartwright]

Yorkshire chairman and chief executive Colin Graves says the county will not bid to host an Ashes Test in 2013 or 2015 because it would represent too great a financial risk.

The White Rose county revealed a £2million loss for 2010 on Thursday, a figure which was contributed to by the poor attendance for the Pakistan v Australia Test at Headingley last summer.

Yorkshire have a staging agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board that guarantees them one Test and a one-day international each year between 2012 and 2019, but counties have to bid for the right to host Ashes matches.

And Graves, who succeeded Stewart Regan as chief executive, says the cost of bidding for a Test against England's traditional foes would be a major risk.

He told the Yorkshire Post: "There's no chance at all of us hosting an Ashes Test.

"For 2013 and 2015 we are not allocated an Ashes Test, we won't be allocated one, and we are not going to bid for one to put ourselves at risk again.

"The figure is not fixed but it could cost anything between £1million and £2million to make a bid.

"I'm not putting between £1million and £2million at risk because it's not worth it. I'd rather stick with what we've got."

[Willincity]

I think thats a poor decision by the Yorkshire board especially after the development of the new stand - you can hardly compare Aus v Pak to an Ashes test.

Hosting Pakistan's home game last year was a stupid decision in the first place.

[Aleem Dar]

Originally Posted by Willincity

I think thats a poor decision by the Yorkshire board especially after the development of the new stand - you can hardly compare Aus v Pak to an Ashes test.

Hosting Pakistan's home game last year was a stupid decision in the first place.

But spending upwards of a million quid on a bid, for which you aren't guaranteed a test could lead to the decline further of Yorkshire. Sound business move.

[Willincity]

OK but what happens if Lancs and Wariwckshire decide likewise re bidding for the Ashes tests based on their numbers revealed recently?
Will this mean there is no need for a bidding war and Lords, Oval, Trent Bridge, Durham and Cardiff can all assume they have a match guaranteed and just put in a token bid?

Whilst there was ample evidence that YCCC was being moved increasingly into a business organisation I feel they have declared their intentions far too early in the name of business.

[Steak Pie]

Originally Posted by Willincity

OK but what happens if Lancs and Wariwckshire decide likewise re bidding for the Ashes tests based on their numbers revealed recently?
Will this mean there is no need for a bidding war and Lords, Oval, Trent Bridge, Durham and Cardiff can all assume they have a match guaranteed and just put in a token bid?

Whilst there was ample evidence that YCCC was being moved increasingly into a business organisation I feel they have declared their intentions far too early in the name of business.

Not a chance with Lancs, the development of the ground is based around future Ashes Tests. I have to say I'm over the moon with Yorks decision as it more or less guarantees a match at OT.

[NorthCountryBoy]

Can't blame Yorkshire. The only way to get your money back is to bleed the fans dry like Warwickshire do (£75 min for last Ashes iirc and £25 for domestic T20!).

It will be interesting to see what Durham charge for Ashes 2013.

[Wise Man Says]

They aim to be debt free by 2019 apparently.

[Andy.SAFC]

Originally Posted by Wise Man Says

They aim to be debt free by 2019 apparently.

And they aim to do that by spending millions on the ground then not wanting to host an Ashes game?

[Wise Man Says]

Originally Posted by Andy.SAFC

And they aim to do that by spending millions on the ground then not wanting to host an Ashes game?

However, the return of a full schedule of one England test match and one England one day international each year from 2012 to 2019 will bring the club back into "sustained profitability" from 2012 onwards, Yorkshire said.

What the story I read said.

[Andy Reids Love Chil]

Hasn't Durham already been confirmed as a definite Test venue for 2013? Sure they announced before the start of the 2009 series that The Riverside and The Oval will host Ashes Test Cricket.