Colin Graves’ controversial return to Yorkshire is edging closer, with the club’s board meeting on Tuesday to discuss a consortium offer that would see him reinstated as chair.
Yorkshire’s long search for fresh investment has brought them back to the man who served as executive chair between 2012 and 2015 before performing the same role at the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).
His money saved the county from financial oblivion once before, when he first became involved in 2002, and he is now eager for a second act at Headingley, where debts to the Graves family trust are close to £15million.
With time running out to keep the business viable, and other investors no longer at the table, it appears the board will recommend the Graves plan to members and pave the way for the 75-year-old’s comeback. It has been reported that an immediate loan of £1million would be forthcoming, followed quickly by new investment worth a further £4m.
Graves’ group had a period of exclusivity with the club which had been due to expire on Friday, but has now been extended to Tuesday as a conclusion nears.
He told talkSPORT: “The ball is in the Yorkshire board’s court to make a decision, but my interest is real, it’s absolute, and that’s for one reason and one reason only, and it’s to save Yorkshire County Cricket Club. None of us wants to see that institution disappear.
“It’s not in a good place so from my point of view that’s the reason I’m doing this. I’m passionate about the place and I want to make sure that Yorkshire County Cricket Club survives and prospers.”
It would still prove a divisive move given the racism scandal which has engulfed Yorkshire in recent years, an episode which partially took place during Graves’ first stint in charge, and has already drawn criticism.
Sporting Equals, a charity which promotes ethnic diversity in UK Sport, issued an open letter to sports minister Stuart Andrew and the England and Wales Cricket Board warning it would “undermine the progress” the game has made against racism and “make a mockery” of those who have suffered in the past.
The most high-profile of those, former Yorkshire spinner turned whistleblower Azeem Rafiq, says he is unsurprised but dismayed by the prospect of Graves’ re-emergence.
He told the PA news agency: “I’m aware that it is pretty much a done deal. It’s inevitable now but it is going to be a sad day for all those that have suffered racism.
“Unfortunately I think the members’ vote (to ratify Graves’ return) is probably the most inevitable part. From my social media interactions it seems clear where the membership will go. It’s not for me to sit here and try to change their mind but I would say be careful what you wish for in terms of his plans for the club.
“Whether it’s members, sponsors or people who work at the club, history will remember which side you were on.”
Rafiq wrote a newspaper article at the weekend calling on sponsors to oppose Graves by withdrawing their backing.
One current sponsor says the words and actions of Graves will have a “strong bearing” on whether it continues to engage with the club, should he return.
A spokesperson for tiling company Al Murad, who came on board as a community partner in 2022 following the appointment of Lord Kamlesh Patel as chair, told PA: “We are reviewing the situation at Yorkshire Cricket very carefully.
“We are in communication – and we expect to be communicated to – as the process of securing long-term funding is brought to a conclusion that will trigger constitutional and governance arrangements to deliver financial stability going forward.
“On the strength of that information and communication, we will review how intrinsic is equity, equality, representation and inclusiveness at Yorkshire Cricket if Mr Graves does take the helm.
“The deep changes required that Lord Kamlesh Patel subsequently brought about, and future commitment to go above and beyond, will have a strong bearing on how we view any future engagement. Of course the ECB and possibly other actors will have a bearing on the final outcome.”
The ECB and representatives of Colin Graves have declined to comment.
Dottin among nominees for ICC Women’s Player of the Month for October
West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin has been named among the three nominees for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month award for the month of October.
Dottin made her comeback for the national side at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE, and was a driving force as the islanders reached their first semi-final at the event since 2018.
She was instrumental in victories over Scotland and Bangladesh, but saved her most valuable contributions for the latter stages, where she shone with the bat, ball and in the field in their group stage win over England, before producing a memorable individual display with 33 runs and four wickets in the thrilling semi-final defeat to eventual champions New Zealand.
Dottin will be going up against New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr and South Africa’s Laura Wolvaardt for the award.
The nominees for the Men’s award are New Zealand’s Mitchell Santner, Pakistan’s Noman Ali and South Africa’s Kagiso Rabada.
Kevin Sinclair replaced by Junior Sinclair in Harpy Eagles Super50 squad after internal report to GCB
All-rounder Kevin Sinclair will take no further part in the Guyana Harpy Eagles CG United Super50 Cup campaign in Trinidad and Tobago. The decision made by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) followed the submission of an internal report by the Harpy Eagles' management team that it was necessary to replace the player.
The GCB, in making the revelation, also announced that Kevin Sinclair will be replaced by Junior Sinclair in the squad at the tournament.
Though the GCB’s statement did not clarify if sub-standard performance is the reason behind Kevin Sinclair’s ejection from the squad, it pointed out that it was a “necessary squad adjustment.”
“Following an internal report from the Guyana Harpy Eagles management, it has been decided that Kevin Sinclair will no longer be participating in this year’s competition,” the statement read.
In the three matches played in the Super50 Cup, Kevin Sinclair tallied 14 runs and snared three wickets.
He made 14 from 16 balls against Windward Volcanoes and took 2-66 from 10 overs in the same match.
However, he did not bat in the rained-out contest against Combined Campuses and Colleges Marooners and was dismissed without a score against Barbados Pride and only took 1-26 from 10 overs in that same match.
The Guyana Harpy Eagles are winless after three matches.
A similar situation arose last year during the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) T20 tournament when organisers announced Kevin left the Guyana Amazon Warriors squad for “personal reasons.”
Kevin Sinclair’s departure opens the door for Junior Sinclair to take up a spot in the Harpy Eagles squad ahead of Tuesday’s contest against Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy.
Guyana Harpy Eagles Squad: Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Matthew Nandu, Tevin Imlach (captain), Kevlon Anderson, Kemol Savory, Junior Sinclair, Keemo Paul (vice-captain), Ronaldo Aimohamed, Veerasammy Permaul, Isai Thorne, Ashmead Nedd, Nial Smith, Sylus Tyndall, Rampertab Ramnauth.
Salt confirmed as England wicketkeeper despite Buttler return for West Indies T20Is
Phil Salt will be wicketkeeper in England’s upcoming T20I series against West Indies as white-ball captain Jos Buttler looks to improve his captaincy.
Buttler has been ruled out with a calf strain but will return to England's squad for the five-match T20I series that begins on Saturday.
Until now, Salt has kept in just 13 of his 59 England appearances across all formats but has taken up the mantle for the ongoing ODI series against West Indies.
Buttler, on the other hand, has donned the gloves in 106 of his 108 T20Is.
Salt, though, is enjoying his new role.
"It's not something I've done a lot for England recently, but I enjoy keeping. I feel like that's where I offer most to the side," Salt said, as reported by ESPN.
"We've not had a chat about anything going forward. I'm just glad to be doing it at the moment."
While Salt is not guaranteed the gloves after this series, he will find comfort in Buttler's intent to optimise his captaincy by experimenting with a role in the field.
"I was going to give up the gloves and commit to being at mid-off and see how that felt. If it will help me with my captaincy it is something I am open to," Buttler told Sky Sports in September after being ruled out of the T20 series against Australia.
England are tied 1-1 in their ODI series against the West Indies with the decider to be played on Wednesday.
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