Yorkshire had a policy of not offering contracts to its players, but in return they would tell cricketers by the end of July if they did not require their services the next summer. When July 1970 came and went, Close must have thought he was safe. However, Close offended the Lancashire president, the Honourable Lionel Lister, when Lister entered the away captain's changing room to speak to Close after Lancashire, Yorkshire's archrivals, had beaten them at Old Trafford to retain the one-day John Player League trophy. Close, who may not have known who Lister was, offered Lister some choice words. Lister immediately told Brian Sellers, the chairman of the Yorkshire cricket committee, of the insult.