SCOTTISH CRICKET BRACED FOR COMPLAINTS

CRICKET Scotland are to bring in an independent expert to conduct a review into alleged racism and bullying within the sport north of the Border. The governing body are also looking at setting up an online facility to help report such incidents as part of their Equality Action Plan. Sue Strachan, president of Cricket Scotland, said: ‘I expect we will hear of others that we haven’t previously heard from before because people haven’t perhaps felt safe to do so. ‘We are absolutely prepared to hear them. We are absolutely prepared to hear things that have happened that might be very difficult to listen to, but only by hearing that and by listening and learning can we be better.’ In the wake of the Yorkshire racism scandal involving Azeem Rafiq, former Scottish cricketers Majid Haq and Quasim Sheikh told the BBC they have also suffered racist abuse and discrimination during their careers. In a statement issued to Sportsmail, Cricket Scotland said: ‘One of the main strands of Cricket Scotland’s Equality Action Plan, which has been in development for several months and launched this week, is to reach out to ethnically diverse communities to hear about their experiences — positive and negative — of playing cricket in Scotland. ‘We don’t have the expertise in-house to conduct this so we are seeking an independent expert to work with us in gathering those experiences. ‘We won’t comment on individual cases at this stage but those will all form part of this ongoing work. ‘Cricket Scotland believes that all sport should be a safe and welcoming environment for anyone wishing to take part.’ Haq and Sheikh told BBC Radio

Scotland’s John Beattie they had seen and suffered abuse during their careers. Haq, 38, who played for Scotland on more than 200 occasions before he retired in 2015, said: ‘As an ethnic minority cricketer, you need to perform twice as well as a white counterpart to get the same opportunities. ‘Considering how many Asians play, is there enough representation in the national team? In the age groups it’s pretty good but once you get to the higher level they seem to drop away. ‘I think Cricket Scotland is trying to do something but there’s still a lot to be done. We need an investigation. ‘How many ethnic minorities are on the board at Cricket Scotland? How many are on the coaching staff? How many are at the top level umpiring?’ Former Scotland international, Sheikh, 37, who was born in Glasgow and last played for Scotland in an ODI match in 2010, also voiced his concerns. ‘As someone who has played a lot of cricket in England and all over the world, I can certainly relate to a lot of what has been said by Azeem Rafiq,’ he said. ‘It’s just unfortunate it’s taken until 2021 for these issues to be aired. ‘In relation to the Scotland changing room, it takes me back to around 2010 when myself and a few other fellow team-mates who came from an Asian background were, on quite a few occasions, referred to as “you lot”. ‘I look back at that now and it doesn’t sit very comfortably with me. I wouldn’t want my children referred to that way. I’m born and bred in Glasgow. I have a Scottish mother, a Pakistani father and I am proud to be a Scottish Pakistani. ‘Beyond that there was never any other racial slurs. It needs to get better but I do not by any stretch compare that state of affairs at Cricket Scotland with what has happened at Yorkshire. It’s quite a big difference.’