Boycott to be new Yorkshire president

LONDON: Geoffrey Boycott is to be Yorkshire's new president, the county announced Sunday.

Boycott will replace fellow Yorkshire great and former England captain Raymond Illingworth in the role, having topped a recent members' poll with 91.09 percent of the vote.

His appointment is the latest change in the Headingley hierarchy, with former Australia fast bowler Jason Gillespie drafted in as coach of Yorkshire following their relegation to the second division of the first-class County Championship last season.

Meanwhile Michael Vaughan, like Illingworth and Boycott a former England captain, has joined the county's management board.

For Boycott it is of paramount importance Yorkshire, the most successful county in Championship history with 31 titles, return to the top flight as soon as possible.

"The club will celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2013 and in our anniversary year we should be striving to win the championship," said Boycott, one of Yorkshire and England's best opening batsmen.

"We cannot do that in the second division, we have got to get out of it.

"The young players have to perform and some of them didn't do so last season when they let themselves and the club down. That has to stop and they have to help to get promotion, because championship cricket is part of our heritage.

"The only thing that really matters to the membership is that Yorkshire do well in championship cricket. The team can play well in Twenty20 and 40-over cricket, but if they play badly in the championship, they will let you down."

Boycott, 71, played 108 Tests for England from 1964-1982, scoring over 8,000 runs at an average of nearly 48 and was widely regarded as one of the best defensive batsmen of his generation.

Although often the anchorman for both club and country, his speed of scoring was sometimes called into question and he became a polarising figure within Yorkshire cricket.

Arguably, his career highlight came in 1977 when he scored his 100th first-class century during an Ashes Test against Australia on his Headingley home ground.

Since retiring in 1986, Boycott -- who has overcome cancer -- has enjoyed a successful career as an outspoken cricket broadcaster and newspaper columnist.