Close stands aside: Cricket

Brian Close has resigned from Yorkshire's Cricket Committee and will serve instead on their Public Relations sub-committee this year.

The 66-year-old former county and England captain feels that his new role will give him the chance to promote Yorkshire cricket.

"I will be able to express myself more freely and in any case I am also interested in helping to publicise all that Yorkshire cricket has to offer," he said.

Close, who was replaced as cricket chairman last year, has disagreed with the club's policy of recruiting a number of overseas batsmen, the latest being Australia's Michael Slater.

"I strongly believe that we should be giving opportunities to our own batsmen and would like to see younger players coming through," he added.

"There are some other things with which I am unhappy but as a member of the Cricket Committee I have felt unable to raise them in general committee."

Yorkshire's cricket affairs have recently been run largely by the cricket chairman, Bob Platt, and the captain, David Byas.