Jim Cumbes insists Old Trafford will be ready to host an Ashes Test in 2013 despite Lancashire’s redevelopment plans suffering another legal blow.

The £32m scheme to transform the world famous ground into a state-of-the-art international venue is again in doubt after rival developers Derwent Holdings were told they could continue their legal fight against the club and Trafford Council.

And although chief executive Cumbes is confident Lancashire will overcome this latest set-back, he has warned it could spell the end of the club if the court rules against them.

Red Rose fans have now launched a Facebook campaign urging Derwent owner Albert Gubay to drop the case, while Lancashire’s Ashes hero Andrew Flintoff has condemned the businessman for “squeezing the life out of the club”.

Trafford Council passed a joint planning application by Lancashire and Tesco, who are subsidising the redevelopment to the tune of £21m as well as building a 100,000 sq ft store on Chester Road, in March 2010 while Derwent had an application to build a supermarket on their White City Retail Park refused at the same meeting.

Since then, the decision has been investigated and passed three times by the government, while Derwent have had a judicial review into the scheme thrown out by the High Court.

However, they have now been given permission to appeal that decision, meaning Lancashire face a fight to complete the work in time for host an Ashes Test in 2013. With so much at stake, they have asked the court to act quickly, hoping a ruling will be made in six weeks.

Although they have to submit their Ashes bid to the England and Wales Cricket Board by the start of June, a decision on who hosts the showpiece Tests won’t be made until the end of August.

“We are frustrated but I am more positive than ever now that we will win this,” said Cumbes. “But the more delays we face, the more crippling it is to us financially.

“Our bank is worried but is sticking by us. Now it is unlikely we will be able to bring in a second overseas player for the Twenty20 competition unless we get a cheap deal.

“So it is hitting the cricket side of the club, which is what we are all about.

“All three contractors who have been short-listed to do the work for us are confident that even if they don’t start work until July they will be finished by April 2013 in time for us to host an Ashes Test.

“But if it goes against us, it will be the end of international cricket at Old Trafford and in the north west and I am not sure if the club would be able to survive. But we cannot afford to think about that.”

The battle has already cost the financially-strapped club £2m in legal and admin fees, as well as £3m in lost grants, and this delay could put at risk a promised funding of £5.2m from the North West Development Agency.

“The redevelopment of Old Trafford is crucial to the future of the club, and for Test match and international cricket in the north west,” said former Lancashire player Flintoff.

“Albert Gubay said he was worth £1bn. I’d like to ask him if he is intent on squeezing the life out of Lancashire? Is he trying to break the hearts of countless cricket fans in the north west and sport lovers all over the world?”