Embarrassed,ashamed and furious: ECB show what Yorkshire didn’t... LEADERSHIP

Headingley’s international ban denies county the sport they love

IN the end, what else could they do?

Embarrassed. Ashamed. Disgusted and angry that one of the oldest and most storied clubs in English cricket still didn’t get it.

The ECB finally showed the kind of leadership that has been severely lacking at Yorkshire CCC by taking away the thing they love the most… cricket.

Headingley, the place where Ben Stokes wrote a new Ashes chapter in the hearts of a nation in 2019 ( far right), will no longer be an international venue until YCCC get their house in order.

And even if they manage to make the changes they desperately need to, that may not be enough for them to welcome New Zealand in 2022 or the Aussies back in 2023.

The ECB are not messing around here. Their statement made it clear that Yorkshire’s approach to Azeem

Rafiq (below centre) and his complaints of racism and bullying have been a disgrace.

When you claim that cricket is a game for all, as the ECB do on a regular basis, it means everyone is welcome and no one will be discriminated against on the basis of race, religion, sex or ability. It means that calling someone a “p**i” is inexcusable no matter the context. And it means that Yorkshire will not get any international cricket for the foreseeable future.

They said: “It is clear to the Board that YCCC’s handling of the issues raised by Azeem Rafiq is wholly unacceptable and is causing serious damage to the reputation of the game. The ECB find this matter abhorrent and against the spirit of cricket and its values.

“The ECB Board agreed that sanctions including, but not limited to, financial and future major match allocations may be considered at the conclusion of our investigations.

“In the meantime, YCCC are suspended from hosting international or major matches until they have clearly demonstrated they can meet the standards expected of an international venue, ECB member and First Class County.”

The ECB board met in an emergency meeting yesterday and the Yorkshire board are due to do the same this morning.

They may well act swiftly. The meeting could see chairman Roger Hutton (far left, top) come under pressure to resign, which could pave the way for former Yorkshire chairman and recently departed ECB chairman Colin Graves (far left, bottom) to return to the board.

Graves’ family trust is currently owed more than £20million by Yorkshire, which may persuade the businessman to do what he can to help steer the club through its most serious crisis in a generation.

Chief executive Mark Arthur and Director of Cricket Martyn Moxon could find their jobs under threat for their involvement in a saga that has shone an unflattering light on Yorkshire and its culture.

Right now, anything is possible.