the man who saved Yorkshire Colin Graves

Cricket managers rarely win many compliments. Wicket and as the cars when they fail, are usually noticed.

Supporters of Yorkshire from 1968 to 2001 and only their second since celebrated their first County Championship title, but they are well the club's chairman, Colin Graves may have to raise a glass.

Graves was involved in the club in 2002, the lowest point in its history, is beyond doubt. While the competition side of the pitch, the club's finances are in such a mess that its very future in jeopardy.

Any assets of the club, has huge debts and have very low income. Cricket, no doubt, would have continued to exist in the county, but the bank, and on the verge of taking possession of Headingley, has led to much international cricket and the 2014 championship title that had no facilities or structures.

He reckons somewhere approaching £ 10 million - - Costcutter Graves, who made his fortune as founder of the supermarket chain, not only plowed his own money into the club, but the purchase of land and the need to invest in the assets and liabilities side of its redevelopment. Without him, it is a significant form of Yorkshire cricket is no exaggeration to state that it does not have anything like that does not exist. They continued to be a first-class county is unclear how much.

County Championship trophy, which is presented at Trent Bridge, was delighted when he looked like someone was understandable. Graves, put his money where his mouth is a cricket lover and earned as much as any player or any coach.

He looked at the players in the Yorkshire drenching each other in champagne, "There are a lot of low points," Graves said. "But today, it makes it all worthwhile.

"What would have happened if they would have gone bust, I got involved in the :. not easy, the bank has already written off the debt at Headingley next-door cross-kept and it was going to go to 48 hours ..

They are not there to play cricket, "for some of that. Owned by Paul Caddick. Rugby team payalunnayi all income, they have everything. Yorkshire County Cricket Club is not owned by a blade of grass.

I took "the £ 8 million in loans and assets. They had no ECB staging agreement. They had to be in that position, but I will never know how different it is today banking., I thought we got a bit of a problem here. '

"We turned around economically, yes, we have debts -.'s All about the £ 20 million - but the people we bought the land and paid £ 13 million for the land alone to realize that there is a £ 15 million property now ..

"Why am I? Many people asked me to do it and I have to be nuts., But, purely and simply, I sit there and go back to the fall of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, said he could not see.

"I have played league cricket in Yorkshire, and I enjoyed every minute. Yorkshire I have made a lot of friends and my passion of cricket, it is my passion. Cricket nut all my life and when I knew I was in Yorkshire, I sit there and watch the show there is no way to it is in the state. "

He started to well up into the dire situation of the club is still in the works for Graves did not dawn on him really.

"I was taking at that time., I digged, I turned and I found problems with more stones., I thought, what's not, 'Christ almighty, what I have now?'

"When he got relegated to the second division, I just put everything in place and then we got in the team, it would not have happened. Could not believe what happened to us. Was the low point for me.

"But I think it is a huge challenge. Did not think of walking away, but it's great to be where we are now.

Graves was the key to a lot of money, so as first-team coach Jason Gillespie was shrewd appointment in the coaching set-up and restructuring, especially behind the scenes. However, as soon as people buy and Graves, Martin Moxon concluded on the need to force it not to change.

"Until four years ago - before it was Jason Gillespie -. Creaking that we have a system of coaching, coaching is a flat structure that Martin did not work, he got sucked into a lot of things would not have got sucked into.

"As soon as we changed it and straightaway put to work on the construction of the Pyramid of the coaching staff. Main thing is, we got the right people involved and they are taken forward by leaps and bounds., That is what we need.

"Martin is now appreciates it. Him two years before I sent it, but Martin is loyal to the people around him., But when it does not start changing decision.'m Right, Martin, and that's it, 'said my call, and it is now time to change.' And that's what happened ., it was the best thing we've ever done.

"We have the Ashes Test match in 2019, and our sponsorship and hopefully we can kick on from here. Increased dramatically."