By Sam Brooksbank
Yorkshire County Cricket Club has been told it must redevelop the rugby stand end of their stadium in Headingley if the venue is to continue to host international cricket.
The opposing Carnegie Pavillion at Headingley has been recently redeveloped. Pic: RobertG/Wikipedia
The club has also been told that they will not be allowed to apply for international cricket from 2020 until the stand has been built, and their four World Cup matches in 2019 will be moved elsewhere.
But the Headingley Ashes test in 2019 will still go ahead.
Leeds City Council has withdrawn its £4million grant to aid in the £28.5 million redevelopment of the rugby stand, as the council is struggling with budget problems of their own and facing huge cuts.
A spokesperson for Leeds City Council said: “Leeds City Council recognises the importance of Headingley Carnegie Stadium maintaining full international sporting status and is in on-going and advanced discussions with Yorkshire County Cricket Club and Leeds Rhinos to try and find a solution which will ensure that continues into the future.”
The stadium is shared on one side between the Leeds Rhinos and Yorkshire Carnegie rugby teams and the other side by Yorkshire Cricket club, and the clubs are working together to make the redevelopment to happen.
YCCC chairman, Steve Denison said at the club’s AGM: “We have been papering over cracks for a long time with the rugby stand but now we must rebuild.”
YCCC have also said it will have at least two weeks to get a funding formula so that the work can go ahead. This means the club will have fund an extra £4 million on top of £17 million to fund half of the work shared with the Leeds Rhinos.