SEVERAL members of Yorkshire's 12-strong committee are angry that the county's commercial director, Tony Panaro, has talked openly about his belief that it would be in the club's interest to convert from the committee system into a plc.

Panaro attended a meeting of the Leeds-based Northern Cricket Society last week at the invitation of Society official and Yorkshire committee member Tony Vann.

After Panaro had said he thought Yorkshire would be financially stronger as a plc rather than under the present system, Vann conducted a straw poll which was heavily in favour of change.

But some committee members, including Sid Fielden, Jack Sokell and Paul Ablett, feel that Panaro, as an employee of the club, should not have promoted his views in public.

Panaro commented: "I just answered questions from the floor. I think a lot of clubs may have to consider becoming plcs and we may be one of them."

At a recent committee meeting, a proposal to change the committee structure to the first 12 past the post from the present system of three representatives from each of four districts, was defeated 6-4.

Updated: 11:33 Tuesday, December 11, 2001