YORKSHIRE cricket was today grappling with a major crisis following the shock announcement by Headingley's owners that negotiations for the intended purchase of the Test venue by the county club had been scrapped.

Leeds Cricket, Football and Athletic Company dropped their bombshell at a hastily arranged press conference with Yorkshire unaware it was taking place.

Club chairman Robin Smith has denied that the 14-month negotiations had been closed by the two parties.

Cash-strapped Yorkshire have already borrowed £6million to pay for the recent redevelopment of the ground and its purchase was expected to cost a further £15m.

Now, however, it seems that Yorkshire will not get their hands on the various income streams at Headingley which are so vital for the club's future well-being.

Leeds CFAC chairman Paul Caddick said Yorkshire had indicated at a joint meeting on Wednesday that they were no longer able to proceed with the purchase of the ground due to the changes brought about by the new Sky television deal with the England and Wales Cricket Board.

But Yorkshire later countered that many of the points raised at the press conference would be covered at a management board meeting early next week and that a formal response would then be made.

It went on: "The understanding by Yorkshire is that any statements relating to the ground purchase were to be of a joint nature, agreed and presented by both parties. It is clear that this has not been adhered to.

"As far as Yorkshire are concerned, dialogue to a possible ground purchase is still ongoing."

Smith today told the Evening Press that his initial response to Leeds CFAC's statement was one of shock and that the company had decided unilaterally to make it.

"At Wednesday's meeting we talked about many aspects of the negotiations, including the impact of the Sky deal on perimeter advertising," he said.

"We left it that Yorkshire would come back in seven days to Paul Caddick with their definitive position over whether a deal could be done or not and that there would be no publicity in the meantime. We are, therefore, very surprised that all this seems to have been ignored and as far as we are concerned negotiations are not at an end.

"Mr Caddick's suggestion of a rift within the Yorkshire club is nonsense. Relations between all four members of the Management Board have been cordial throughout the discussions and remain so. Only last month, chief executive Colin Graves, finance director Brian Bouttell and myself all agreed to serve in our respective positions for a further year without remuneration."

Leeds CFAC said Wednesday's meeting had been called due to various letters being received by themselves from Yorkshire indicating that they were no longer able to proceed because of changes resulting from the new Sky deal.

Caddick confirmed that if necessary the deal could be re-arranged in order to facilitate this reduction in income by reducing the initial purchase price until such times as income streams were reinstated to their current level.

The statement concluded: "We are saddened not only at Yorkshire's withdrawal from the transaction but also by the fact that they have offered no apology for their late withdrawal from the transaction and furthermore tried to blame either the Sky deal or their bankers for this withdrawal when it has become evident that neither of these factors was entirely responsible."

Caddick said that he remained committed to re-developing Headingley into one of the finest Test match stadiums in the world but that would inevitably take longer now that the negotiations had broken down.

He said that documentation of the proposed purchase had cost around £500,000 and Yorkshire would have to meet this cost. With the talks at an end, Yorkshire would continue as tenants at Headingley under their 999-year lease.

Updated: 11:31 Friday, January 14, 2005