YORKSHIRE are close to concluding a 15-year staging agreement with the England and Wales Cricket Board for Test matches at Headingley, chief executive Colin Graves told members at the club's annual meeting over the weekend.

And there was more good news with the revelation from chairman and retiring president, Robin Smith, that talks between Yorkshire and Headingley's owners, Leeds, Cricket, Football and Athletic Company, had now been completed and agreement reached for Yorkshire to buy the various income strands at Headingley and also the freehold of the ground.

Yorkshire should take control by the end of June.

Smith said that the relationship between Yorkshire and Leeds CFAC was solid and particularly so between Graves and Leeds CFAC chairman, Paul Caddick, who respected each other.

Members were told by Smith that a special general meeting of the club would be necessary to approve the deal and as soon as that stage was reached notices would be sent out and the meeting convened. There were cries of 'hear, hear' when Smith said: "No doubt you will wish to support the proposal whole-heartedly."

One of Yorkshire's most affable annual meetings for many years was attended by almost 430 members who were quick to voice their approval of the way the Management Board was moving the club forward.

"We each attend meetings of the ECB and I believe our influence at Lord's is increasing," said Smith. "If you talk sense they begin to listen and they are listening more to Yorkshire now than hitherto. Cricket can be the only winner from that development."

Smith said that a new pavilion at Headingley was very much in their minds although not part of the current redevelopment plan. "Don't expect it next year or possibly the year after that but it is achievable and we want it to be one of the most brilliant pieces of architecture in the country," he said.

There was applause from around the hall for Yorkshire's new director of cricket, David Byas, who said that his number one priority in the short term were to gain promotion to Division One of both the Championship and the National League.

He added: "I have a vision of standards of performance not achieved in modern times and by 2006 I want the team to be sitting proudly at the top of the national game."

Byas said a wide and varied programme had helped players prepare very well for the new season and the young wicketkeepers had been assisted by sessions with Jack Russell.

He wished new captain Craig White every success and said that the international expertise he would bring to the role should prove of great benefit.

In reply to questions about the availability this season of Australians Darren Lehmann and Ian Harvey, Byas said the pair were due to arrive on April 14 and he remained confident they would do so. Yorkshire were still awaiting the selection of Australia's squad for the tour of Zimbabwe from May 17 to June 12 and the situation for the summer was being monitored.

"We are keeping abreast of the situation and will not be caught cold," said Byas who indicated that other overseas players would come under consideration if necessary.

David Jones, chairman of Next, was overwhelmingly voted in as Yorkshire's president for the coming year.

Leeds-based Tony Vann was re-elected to the members' committee. He received 569 votes and beat off the challenge from Rob Lolley (353) and David Tunbridge (446).

Updated: 10:36 Monday, March 29, 2004