England spinner Adil bats for Rafiq in racism allegation row

LONDON: England leg-spinner Adil Rashid on Monday became the third player to say he heard Michael Vaughan question the number of players of Asian heritage turning out for Yorkshire in 2009, an allegation the former England captain has previously denied.

The BBC dropped Vaughan from a radio show earlier this month ater he was named in a report looking into allegations of institutional racism at Yorkshire made by former player Azeem Rafiq.

The racism row has stunned English cricket. It has cost Yorkshire the right to host England internationals and has also sucked in Yorkshire player and current England captain Joe Root.

“I can confirm Azeem Rafiq’s recollection of Michael Vaughan’s comments to a group of us Asian players,” Rashid, who has played for Yorkshire since 2006, said in a statement on Monday.

Vaughan has not responded publicly to Rashid’s comment, and his management company did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.

Vaughan earlier this month strenuously denied telling Rafiq and two other Asian players that there were “too many of you lot, we need to do something about it” before a Yorkshire match in 2009.

Yorkshire chairman Kamlesh Patel, who replaced former chairman Roger Huton following his resignation earlier this month over the club’s handling of the mater, said he had been in touch with Rashid.

“I am aware of the recent statement from Adil Rashid, and I welcome his courage in speaking up,” Patel said on Yorkshire’s website.

“I have been in touch with Adil personally today so that we can talk through the issues as soon as he is ready and able.”

Rashid is the second player to back Rafiq’s version of events ater former Pakistan bowler Rana Naved-ul-hasan, who played for Yorkshire in 2008-2009.

Rafiq’s allegations of facing institutional racism while a Yorkshire player between 2008 and 2018 have led to an exodus of sponsors and a series of resignations from top executives at the club.

The governing England and Wales Cricket Board in early November suspended Yorkshire from hosting internationals or major matches over their handling of the allegations.

Rafiq and senior Yorkshire executives are due to give evidence before a parliamentary Digital, Culture, Media and Sport panel on Tuesday.