Denison forced to quit Yorkshire job

Yorkshire are to appoint a new chairman after the resignation of Steve Denison over his role in the auditing of collapsed high-street chain British Home Stores.

In June, Denison removed himself from the register of statutory auditors for 15 years and accepted a £325,000 fine from the industry watchdog after a highly critical report from the Financial Reporting Council on failings by auditors responsible for approving BHS accounts.

Denison was the senior auditor at Pricewaterhousecoopers, the accountancy firm that signed off BHS’S accounts when it was sold for £1 by Sir Philip Green, one year before it collapsed. PWC was hit with a record £6.5million fine.

Denison had hoped to continue in his role as Yorkshire chairman but the England & Wales Cricket Board’s “Fit and Proper Person” test says an individual cannot serve on a board or general committee if he or she is “subject to any form of suspension, disqualification or striking-off by a professional body”.

Yorkshire and the ECB had been waiting on the full publication of the report, which happened last week after Green failed in a High Court bid to have it blocked.

Denison’s position at Yorkshire became untenable and Mark Arthur, the club’s chief executive, said the club “will meet in short order to appoint a successor”.

Denison took over from Colin Graves when the latter became ECB chairman in 2015. “It’s with deep regret that I’m resigning from the board of Yorkshire CCC with immediate effect,” said Denison. “To say I’m heartbroken is a massive understatement at what has already been an incredibly difficult time for me and my family. On the field, backto-back County Championship titles and the continual development and nurturing of fine Yorkshire and England players will forever hold a special place in my heart.”

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