YORKSHIRE are seeking advice from five of their greatest players as the club consider their response to proposals contained in the England and Wales Cricket Board's Domestic Structure Review aimed at moving the game forward.

Bob Appleyard, Fred Trueman and Brian Close have already been consulted and Ray Illingworth and Geoff Boycott will have their views sought when they are available shortly.

One of the most controversial issues in the review is a suggestion that the championship programme should be cut from 16 games to 12 and the blunt views of the 'Famous Five' will add to Yorkshire's resolve not to lend support to any such plan.

All of the quintet are passionate believers in championship cricket and the opinion of most of them, if not all, is that more of it should be played and not less.

Geoff Cope, Yorkshire's director of operations, said: "We sought the views of Appleyard, Trueman and Close over lunch and there was some very constructive criticism but no support for a reduced championship."

In addition to the ex-players, Yorkshire have spoken to the club's director of cricket, David Byas, as well as the playing staff, coaches and financial advisers.

"The ECB have come up with various suggestions on a whole range of cricket issues and now the counties are discussing them and putting forward their views," said Cope.

"There are proposals not only for championship cricket but also the structure of the one-day game and we have to give them serious consideration.

"There is a lot of consultation going on and as well as talking about it within the club we will also be holding discussions with counties on a regional basis and then nationally."

Yorkshire got into a tangle over their championship policy last August when chief executive Colin Graves said that he believed the competition should be reduced to between eight and ten matches.

Many supporters were up in arms at his remarks and club chairman Robin Smith later confirmed Yorkshire's commitment to a 16-match programme.

Smith told the club's annual meeting last week: "We don't want any reduction in four-day cricket. We want to retain 16 games in the Championship and go on playing as much cricket at Headingley and Scarborough as we do now. I don't think there will be any reduction."

Yorkshire have also no intention of signing any players under the "Kolpak ruling" which allows sportsmen from countries with an Associate Agreement with the EU - like South Africa and several Caribbean islands - to play in England on a work permit.

"We cannot have a policy which says that we will not sign them because that would be in breach of the law but we have no plans to do so," said Smith.

Updated: 11:10 Wednesday, March 31, 2004