Vaughan: It simply never happened
⮞Rashid backs Rafiq over ‘too many of you lot’ allegation ⮞Ex-captain: Players, footage and book prove I did not say it
Michael Vaughan claims seven Yorkshire team-mates have no recollection of the “you lot” remark he has been alleged to have made by Azeem Rafiq, Rana Naved-ul-hasan and now Adil Rashid.
Underlining his strenuous denials, the former England captain quoted his autobiography, which references his delight at the Asian trio’s involvement in the 2009 match in question. Vaughan also evidenced Sky footage showing him greeting a smiling Rafiq during the pre-match huddle in which he is alleged to have made the racially insensitive comment.
The 47-year-old, who first revealed in his Daily Telegraph column how he had been accused, issued a fresh rebuttal after England bowler Rashid came forward to support Rafiq’s version of events.
“I categorically deny saying the words attributed to me by Azeem Rafiq and want to restate this publicly because the ‘you lot’ comment simply never happened,” Vaughan said.
Another day of bitter fallout for the crisis-torn sport came as Rafiq declared it was “time for truths” ahead of today’s parliamentary hearing, in which MPS are expecting “bombshells”.
With the racism scandal having
now spread beyond Yorkshire, the England and Wales Cricket Board faces the most hostile grilling of all.
The Vaughan furore is also to be raised by MPS after a row reignited yesterday over the allegation that he said “too many of you lot, we need to do something about it” within earshot of Rafiq, Rashid, Naved-ulhasan and Ajmal Shahzad.
Conflicting recollections from former team-mates had surfaced since Vaughan voluntarily revealed he was accused by Rafiq.
Naved-ul-hasan has supported Rafiq’s story, but Shahzad has previously said he has no recollection of the comment. Rashid rallied behind Rafiq’s version of events yesterday.
“I can confirm Azeem Rafiq’s recollection of Michael Vaughan’s comment to a group of us Asian players,” the England leg-spinner said in a statement issued to The Cricketer.
Hours later, Vaughan issued a statement claiming that every other player in the pre-match huddle at
Trent Bridge was unable to corroborate the Rafiq claim.
“I have been in contact with the six other players from that team and not one of them has any recollection of the remark being made,” he said.
In underlining his denial, the 2005 Ashes winner pointed out how he wrote “enthusiastically” in his book of being “proud” that the match against Nottinghamshire on June 22, 2009, was “quietly significant because it was the first time that we had four players of Asian heritage”.
He wrote that their presence “is going to be the shape of things to come for Yorkshire as many of our most promising players come from
the Asian community, and it ought to be a good thing for our cricket”.
Video has also surfaced of the prematch period in which he is alleged to have made the comment.
Vaughan said: “Anyone who has viewed the Sky footage... and the interaction between the players, would find it hard to reconcile those scenes with the version of events that has been presented.
“I remember the match clearly because it was the first time in Yorkshire’s history that four players of Asian heritage had been selected in the same team. It was an important milestone for the county and it was also a moment of pride for me personally.
“At the time, I was a senior professional nearing the end of my career, but, having been the first non-yorkshire-born player signed by the county, it was also a sign of the progress that had been made during my
time. I made a point of shaking all four players’ hands because I recognised that it was a significant moment.”
Vaughan went on to add his view was that the “inclusion of Asian players in the Yorkshire team was a very positive and welcome development” and it is “inconceivable I would have made the derogatory comment attributed to me”.
“I have been lucky enough to enjoy a 30-year career in cricket, both as a player and a commentator, and I have never been accused of anything remotely similar,” he said. “To be confronted with this allegation 11 years after it has supposed to have happened is the worst thing I have ever experienced.”
Rashid’s comments were perceived as the most significant show of support for Rafiq, given he is the only player to still play at an elite level for England. He has been on duty at the T20 World Cup, where England reached the semi-final.
“Racism is a cancer in all walks of life and unfortunately in professional sports, too, and is something which, of course, has to be stamped out,” he said in his statement.
“I wanted to concentrate as much as possible on my cricket and to avoid distractions to the detriment of the team, but I can confirm Azeem Rafiq’s recollection of Michael Vaughan’s comment to a group of us Asian players.”
Vaughan, meanwhile, added: “I fully accept that perspectives differ, and I have great sympathy for what Azeem Rafiq has gone through, but I hope everyone understands why I cannot allow this to go unchallenged or my reputation to be trashed unfairly.”
Vaughan was temporarily stood down from his BBC duties 10 days ago. Charles Tyrwhitt, the clothing chain which has an advertising deal with him, said yesterday that it “will be monitoring the situation closely over the coming days”.
Northamptonshire joined Essex and Yorkshire on the list of accused clubs yesterday, when former England Lions seamer Maurice Chambers came forward to describe how he was abused.