Yorkshire CEO Mark Arthur resigns

Arthur is the latest high profile figure to depart the club after former chairman Roger Hutton and directors Hanif Malik and Stephen Willis left their positions last week

Yorkshire chief executive officer Mark Arthur has resigned from the club with immediate effect as the fallout from the Azeem Rafiq inquiry continues.

Arthur announced his resignation on Thursday and is the latest high profile figure to depart the club after former chairman Roger Hutton and directors Hanif Malik and Stephen Willis left their positions last week.

Paul Hudson, the club’s finance director, has been appointed as acting CEO and a recruitment process to fill the position will begin in due course.

Commenting on Arthur’s departure, Lord Kamlesh Patel, said: "Today [November 11] the board at Yorkshire County Cricket Club has accepted the resignation of Mark Arthur as CEO. We thank him for his tenure.

"This is an important moment for the club, which is ready to move forward with new leadership, which will be vital in driving the change we urgently need. We know there is still much work to be done and more difficult decisions to be made. We need to rebuild the trust of the fans, the cricketing world and the public."

^{Lord Patel and Azeem Rafiq}

Arthur added: "I’ve had eight fantastic years at the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, working alongside an outstanding group of people, and together achieving many highlights, including: the financing and construction of the new South Stand, a new contract giving YCCC a 50 per cent share of catering at Headingley Stadium, the acquisition of the Carnegie pavilion, the amazing progress of the Yorkshire Cricket Foundation, the six-year south Asian engagement programme, the introduction of professional women’s cricket to Headingley, introduction of first-class cricket to York, redevelopment of Bradfield Park Avenue, a £7m reduction in the club’s long-term debt and back-to-back County Championship wins.

"I would like to thank the members for their support over this period and wish the club all the very best in the years to come."

Earlier in the week following Lord Patel’s first press conference as chairman, Rafiq had called on Arthur to resign, commenting: "This is a good start, but I want to reiterate my call for the change that must come next – and one that must happen quickly. Mark Arthur, Martyn Moxon and many of those in the coaching staff have been part of the problem.

"They have consistently failed to take responsibility for what happened on their watch and must go. I urge them to do the right thing and resign to make way for those who will do what is needed for the club’s future."

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