Yorkshire's joy at major new signing

From the archive, first published Tuesday 21st Feb 2006.

Bradford & Bingley have

literally put their shirt on Yorkshire with the half-a-million-pound sponsorship deal which was reported in yesterday's Telegraph & Argus.

Yorkshire's contracted players report back to Headingley next Wednesday when they step up their preparations for the new season and all of them will be sporting the Bradford & Bingley logo on their shirts, sweaters and training kit from now on.

The deal, spread over three years, is believed to be the biggest of its kind in county cricket.

Ian Bishop, Yorkshire's marketing director, said: "We are delighted to have formed a greater working partnership with a local company who enjoy significant national exposure.

"The new agreement will enable us to continue with our plans to make Headingley

one of the finest sports complexes in the country, providing cricket and educational facilities to world-class standards."

Roger Hattam, Bradford & Bingley group managing director, products and marketing, said: "We believe it is vital for our business to maintain close links with its local community.

"Our already successful relationship with Yorkshire CCC through the Bradford & Bingley Indoor Cricket Centre has played an important part in our community affairs programme of supporting grass roots sport. We are delighted now to have extended our partnership to include the first team and the Headingley Test ground."

Bradford & Bingley's close involvement with Yorkshire will not see county cricket return to the historic Bradford Park Avenue ground but Yorkshire's president-elect, Bob Appleyard, is working hard to get cricket back into a greater number of Bradford schools and for them to use Park Avenue as their headquarters.

Appleyard is a member of a small sub-committee comprised of some of the trustees of Park Avenue who are looking at ways of getting maximum use out of the ground.

Yorkshire moved their Academy away from Park Avenue last year when no cricket at all was played on the ground but Wibsey Park Chapel have agree to play there again this summer after a short spell away.

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