NEW retractable floodlights costing between £1.5 and £2million are “on the radar” for Worcestershire County Cricket Club.

Worcestershire’s New Road ground will be the only first-class headquarters without permanent floodlights at the end of this season, according to outgoing chief executive David Leatherdale.

And Leatherdale fears Worcestershire might be cut adrift if they were to remain without floodlights and the Twenty20 competition split into two divisions.

The County have met with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and held “preliminary talks” with Worcester City Council over the issue.

Speaking at Worcestershire’s annual general meeting, Leatherdale admitted floodlights were on “the club’s radar” but it would be a “difficult conversation” with the council.

“We had a meeting in January with the head of facilities from the ECB, Ben Green, and we’ve had a full floodlight survey,” said Leatherdale.

“By the end of the season, we will be the only county without floodlights because Leicestershire are in the process of completing theirs and Somerset’s will be in before the end of the season.

“I’ve had preliminary talks with the council about what the options are and they are something sitting above the floodplain that is also retractable.”

The lack of floodlights at New Road was brought into focus when Worcestershire Rapids crashed to a 17-run defeat to Hampshire in the quarter-finals of the Natwest T20 Blast last August.

A capacity crowd of 5,000 was left deflated when Worcestershire lost under the Duckworth Lewis Method after bad light halted the match in gloomy and “dangerous” conditions.

Leatherdale said: “In terms of cost, the estimates are £1.5 to £2million and therefore the balance for us is a risk-and-return scenario.

“I have a concern that if we end up with two divisions in Twenty20 and we are the only team without floodlights, it could be used against us.

“The issue is on the club’s radar and it will be a difficult conversation with the council but if it secures the future here it’s probably something that will need to take place.

“But we’ve now had a survey to look at the overall costs, which we will work with the ECB on.”

A council spokesman said the cricket club had, in the past, liaised with them and erected temporary floodlights for one-off matches.

“But if Worcestershire wanted permanent floodlights at New Road, they would need to apply for planning permission,” he added.