15 May
15May

Players and staff at Yorkshire County Cricket Club have taken a wage cut of up to 20% to help the county recover from the financial implications of coronavirus.

Despite posting record annual profits in 2019, the club began the year £18.34m in debt. Chief executive Mark Arthur told BBC Radio Leeds that losses for 2020 could be a "significant seven-figure sum".

The proportionate wage reduction across the board at Headingley, with the highest earners taking a larger cut, will take effect from 1 June.

"We do not take decisions such as these lightly, but now is the time to take drastic steps. The staff and players were consulted earlier this week and their reaction to the news has been magnificent, " said Arthur. A large number of Yorkshire's staff have been on furlough since 6 April.

Yorkshire, who have won a record 32 County Championship titles, remain one of the best supported sides in the country, but most of their profits are made by being one of England's most famous homes of international cricket.

In 2019, Headingley hosted four World Cup fixtures, a one-day international against Pakistan and a sensational Ashes Test match during a busy international summer.

Although the club are open to it being used as an England and Wales Cricket Board training venue, Headingley will not be used to stage international cricket this summer.

The start of the English season has been delayed until at least 1 July, but Arthur still has "hope" of playing all three forms of domestic cricket, especially the profitable T20 Blast.

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