Yorkshire will buy Headingley cricket ground and its income streams from Leeds CFAC before the start of the season in a month's time or pull out of the negotiations and continue as lease-holders.

That was the pledge which chairman Robin Smith gave to the 450 members who attended the club's annual meeting at Headingley on Saturday.

Smith said the negotiations, which broke down in January, had resumed and Yorkshire chief executive, Colin Graves, had agreed to meet the costs if they withdrew.

"Talks have been going on for more than a year and we have found them frustrating," said Smith.

"Negotiations got off to a flying start and there was a good rapport but a funding gap arose between the income we would be buying from Leeds CFAC and the price we would have to pay."

Smith said they had looked at various options for purchasing the ground but they had still been left with a substantial funding gap. Now they were planning to close negotiations because the uncertainty could not go on for ever.

"Hopefully, Headingley will be in the hands of the club by the start of the season and, if so, the board plans to appoint a full-time chief executive," said Smith, who promised that no deal would be completed without the members' approval."

In reply to a question, Smith said that if Yorkshire acquired the freehold of Headingley all sorts of restrictions would fall away and they would control advertising, catering and drink.

Yorkshire were stunned a few weeks ago when they were forced to deny their landlords' accusations that they had pulled out of talks.

Members for once were in a tolerant mood and they readily accepted Director of Cricket David Byas's explanation for signing a Kolpak player in South African, Deon Kruis, despite the club saying a year ago that were opposed to these players flooding into county cricket.

Byas said it was no secret that the bowling department wanted strengthening and they had tried to secure the services of a proven English fast bowler but this had not been possible.

Hnd he had gained the approval of the board for the short-term appointment of Kruis, who had been recommended to them by Matthew Hoggard and Allan Donald.

"It would be very frustrating if our batsmen gave us the chance of victory and we could not press it home on the back of a fast bowler," said Byas, who revealed that former Yorkshire players John Hampshire, Barrie Leadbeater and Peter Hartley, now all first-class umpires, had been standing in at their recent indoor practice sessions.

Director of operations, Geoff Cope, said that action was being taken to prevent the disgraceful behaviour of some spectators near the bars at Scarborough last season for the final one-day match with Durham.

There had been complaints of foul language and Cope said that Scarborough Cricket Club were responsible for the stewarding and monitoring of one-day cricket at North Marine ground and they were looking into the problem.