CAUGHT BEHIND
Burn racist Yorkshire for backward stance
THE England Cricket Board should be revelling in what could prove to be one of its crowning glories, as we close in on potential World T20 glory.
Instead, the rulers of the English game have to deal with a defining moment of a different kind, following the racism scandal that has engulfed Yorkshire Cricket Club.
The fire is burning around Headingley and with the club’s board continuing to act with ignorance and prejudice towards the case of former star Azeem Rafiq, it has been left to administrators and MPS to douse the flames.
In 2020 Rafiq claimed “institutional racism” at the club had left him close to taking his own life and an independent investigation took place, resulting in seven of the 43 allegations being upheld.
Despite Yorkshire CCC chairman Roger Hutton apologising to Rafiq after admitting he’d been the victim of racial harassment during his first spell at the club, the full findings of the report were not disclosed.
Yorkshire refused to discipline those deemed responsible, who we now know include former England batsman Gary Ballance.
To add insult to injury, the club attempted to pass off the use of such offensive words as “P**i” aimed at Rafiq as “banter between friends”.
You’d struggle to make this up, but sadly it’s all true and as a proud Yorkshireman, the whole narrative makes me feel utterly ashamed.
This has to be one of the most glaring examples of how administrators can get things wrong – and how crucial transparency,
education and accountability are in helping to make things right. Which brings us back to the ECB. The self-inflicted damage this will do to the White Rose county will be huge, not just as sponsors and commercial partners are ditching them in droves, but also because the Bradford Cricket League is one of the biggest pools of potential talent.
Talk about dumping on your own doorstep. It has spawned county legends like Brian Close, Herbert Sutcliffe, Matthew Hoggard and Darren Gough, as well as hosted Asian greats including VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble, Abdul Qadir and Dilip Vengsarkar, to name but a few.
Another one, Adil Rashid, also plied his trade in the same league
and is now starring for England. Representing Yorkshire should feel the ultimate honour, but which Asian player is going to want to do this now the trust has gone?
While Ballance needs educating, finally the ECB have come down like a ton of bricks on the county.
Headingley had been due to host a Test match against New Zealand next June and a ODI versus South Africa a month later, as well as being pencilled in for the Ashes in 2023.
The decison to ban them from international games will cost Yorkshire millions, but it might make those running the club realise how much change is needed to the culture of the place.