The local MP for Headingley has called on those with the financial means to provide Yorkshire with an alternative option to approving the return of Colin Graves as chair.
The board of the financially stricken club are understood to be considering an offer of investment from a consortium led by former chairman Graves, with other options – including a mooted deal with former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley – having failed to materialise.
It has been reported that if the Graves consortium’s offer was approved, an immediate loan of £1million would be forthcoming, followed quickly by new investment worth a further £4m.
Graves’ return would be controversial, given the racism scandal which has engulfed Yorkshire in recent years, an episode which partially took place during Graves’ first stint in charge between 2012 and 2015.
Alex Sobel, the Labour MP for Leeds North West constituency which includes the club’s Headingley home, warned the Graves consortium he would oppose any move to make the club a private limited company which would remove members’ voting rights, and called on those with the means to assist him in achieving the goal of keeping Yorkshire as a members’ club.
“Yorkshire Cricket belonging to the members of the club and their ownership of the historic Yorkshire Cricket Club is at the heart of our county,” he told the PA news agency.
“I will oppose any attempt to take Yorkshire away from members and make it a private entity as it will be done for profit and weaken accountability and long-term viability.
“I call on anyone who wants to see the club stay with the members and safeguard the progress it has made who has means to help safeguard the club to come forward. I will work with anyone who has the same goals as me to save Yorkshire Cricket.”
West Indies on the brink of series win over Bangladesh
West Indies are on the brink of a 2-0 win in their Test series at home to Bangladesh, needing just three wickets on day five with the tourists requiring 225 runs.
Having reached 269-9 by stumps on Sunday, Bangladesh surprisingly declared overnight while 181 runs behind, leaving Taskin Ahmed to start the day with the ball in hand, rather than the bat.
That decision gave West Indies the chance to rack up another commanding total after they declared at 450 in their first innings, but they could only tag on another 152.
Taskin scalped six in the best bowling display of his red-ball career, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz trapped the hosts' top scorer Alick Athanaze (42) lbw as the Bangladesh bowlers gave their batters a chance.
However, they were not repaid as Miraz's declaration soon started to look ill-advised. Just five balls of Bangladesh's second innings were required for Kemar Roach – who ended the day with figures of 3-20 – to make the breakthrough for West Indies, getting an inside edge off Zakir Hasan (1).
Bangladesh struggled to build any momentum and Roach got two more wickets to leave the tourists 23-4, and while Miraz tried to get things going with 45 off 46 deliveries, he saw a thick edge snapped up by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva for another crucial wicket.
Jayden Seales joined Roach in scalping three, and though Bangladesh made it to stumps with three wickets intact, they have an almighty task awaiting them on the final day.
Data Debrief: Taskin's efforts in vain?
When Taskin produced his brilliant six-wicket haul, it seemed for a fleeting moment as though Bangladesh's overnight declaration may have been a stroke of inspiration.
Taskin's figures of 6-64 surpassed his previous best red-ball inning figures of 4-37 versus Afghanistan last year, while he has now taken eight wickets altogether in the Antigua Test.
However, when Bangladesh slumped to 23-4 within 13 overs, Miraz was surely regretting his decision not to attempt to bat out Monday's morning session and bring the possibility of a draw into play.
Greaves hits unbeaten ton as West Indies dominate Bangladesh
Justin Greaves hit an unbeaten century – his first red-ball ton – as West Indies ended day two of their first Test against Bangladesh with a commanding 410-run lead.
Greaves resumed alongside Joshua Da Silva with West Indies 250-5 after day one in Antigua, eventually slamming 115 runs off 206 balls faced as the hosts established a dominant position.
His steady knock ensured the Windies recovered nicely after slipping to 261-7 early on, while Kemar Roach hit a career-best 47 through four defiant hours at the crease.
Hasan Mahmud took three day-two wickets for Bangladesh, including that of Roach, as his short delivery angled in to clip the top of middle stump.
Windies skipper Kraigg Brathwaite declared to put Bangladesh at the crease late on, and there was no respite for the tourists against the hosts' four-man pace attack.
Zakir Hasan fell to Jayden Seales for 15, while Mahmudul Hasan Joy edged Alzarri Joseph for five shortly after being dropped, leaving Bangladesh 40-2 at stumps.
Data Debrief: Career-best for Greaves
Greaves' unbeaten 115 marked his first century in Test cricket, surpassing his previous best knock – a score of 33 versus Australia in January – by some distance.
His strike rate of 55.83 on Saturday, while steady, also bettered his effort of 55.00 during that match in Brisbane. Thanks to his efforts, Bangladesh have a real mountain to climb on day three.
Inglis hails 'hard to stop' Stoinis after ruthless knock
Josh Inglis lauded "hard to stop" Marcus Stoinis as Australia signed off their T20I series against Pakistan in style, claiming a whitewash.
The hosts raced to a seven-wicket victory with almost nine overs remaining in Monday's third match.
After Australia's bowlers had limited Pakistan to just 117 runs, Stoinis ensured they signed off their final white-ball assignment in style, with his unbeaten 61 doing the damage.
Only twice has he bettered that knock in T20Is – versus New Zealand in 2021 (78) and against Oman at the World Cup earlier this year (67*).
"It's been a great week. We've had a lot of fun as a group," Inglis said. "It's been really nice.
"When Stoinis is going like that, he is really hard to stop. One of those sixes was probably the biggest I've ever seen!"
Stoinis, who was named player of the match, added: "Nice to score some runs on a beautiful wicket but credit to the bowlers who kept the total down.
"Yeah, I actually told [Haris] Rauf that this is the first time any of us got the better of him! No, he's a brilliant bowler, bowled well this series."
During their white-ball tour, Pakistan won the ODI series, their first time doing so in Australia in 22 years, but got whitewashed in the T20Is.
Despite the heavy loss, captain Agha Salman chose to focus on the positive effect the experience will have on their young players.
"I think in the middle overs, we didn't capitalise on the start," he said. "But lots of positives.
"The way Usman [Khan] batted, the way Jahandad [Khan] bowled. These youngsters will come good.
"It's obviously a big achievement winning the ODI series, but we could have done much better in the T20Is."
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