HALES: DOG NAME NOT RACIST ISSUE

ALEX HALES has denied naming his dog Kevin after an alleged racial slur, following explosive claims made by Azeem Rafiq. Providing evidence to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee on Tuesday, Rafiq said that the name had been used by England players as a term for people from black and Asian backgrounds. He claimed it had emanated from former Yorkshire teammate Gary Ballance and became more widely used in England’s dressing room, where he alleged it eventually led to Nottinghamshire’s Hales giving the name to his black dog. But Hales, who landed in

Australia yesterday ahead of his Big Bash stint with Sydney Thunder, issued a statement which read: ‘Having heard the allegations made against me, I categorically and absolutely deny there was any racial connotation in the naming of my dog. I entirely respect and have huge sympathy for the stance Azeem Rafiq has taken and what he has had to endure. His evidence was harrowing. ‘There is no place for racism or discrimination of any kind in cricket and I will co-operate with any investigation the game’s authorities choose to hold.’ Also in Rafiq’s evidence about his experiences at Yorkshire was the claim that Cheteshwar Pujara of India was called Steve by coaches, players and the Yorkshire website at the instigation of Jack Brooks because he could not pronounce his first name. Somerset, where Brooks now plays, are understood to be investigating. DERBYSHIRE yesterday confirmed the appointment of Mickey Arthur as their new head of cricket, as exclusively revealed by Sportsmail. He will begin his role after Sri Lanka’s two-Test series against West Indies ends next month.