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Two leading county cricket bosses have warned that one of the 18 clubs could easily go bust.

Leicestershire chief executive Mike Siddall told the BBC any repeat of last year's financial losses would see his club "struggle to stay in business".

And Lancashire counterpart Jim Cumbes describes that county's latest figures, due out in April, as "frightening".

Cumbes indicated they would top those of Yorkshire, which last week announced a loss of almost £2m for 2010.

Siddall and Cumbes said changes to the domestic game, together with the effects of the economic downturn, mean counties are struggling harder than ever before to stay afloat.

Looking ahead to Lancashire's figures, Cumbes said: "I think I'm safe in saying that the loss will be the biggest in county cricket, no doubt about it. Over the 23 years that I've been at this club, I think we've only ever made two losses.

"OK, the profits weren't massive but they were decent and, this time, we've suddenly switched the whole thing around and we're going to be making a massive loss."

Lancashire has a specific problem with plans to develop its Old Trafford ground. The club is currently bogged down in a legal dispute which has cost it £1.5m so far.


Cumbes believes the clubs are being asked to host too many games, particularly in the Twenty20 competition.

He added: "Last year, we increased the number of games from 10 to 16 for each county. The result was that overall, other than for two or three counties, the attendances were stagnating or they fell – in our case they fell.

"But, of course, your costs go up because you're staging more games, particularly in the big grounds. I think, quite frankly, a lot of people got quite weary of the games towards the end."

That view is shared by Siddall, Leicestershire having made a loss of £400,000 in 2010.

He said: "We tried hard to market them [Twenty20s]. There was a lot of support from the England and Wales Cricket Board. But I think the cost of coming to eight home games was more than our supporters were willing to bear."