ECB ‘withheld racism evidence for months’

The eCB refused to disclose crucial evidence for nine months to the former Yorkshire players accused of racism. Sportsmail has learned that lawyers acting for the seven defendants, who include former england stars Michael Vaughan, Matthew hoggard and Tim Bresnan, repeatedly asked the eCB to pass on key documents from the start of last year but they were not released until

October, weeks before the twice-postponed disciplinary hearing was due to take place. The documents include a bombshell interview from former england and Yorkshire bowler Ajmal Shahzad, who, as the Telegraph reported yesterday, told eCB investigators in

December 2021 that former team-mate Adil Rashid may have been ‘pressurised’ by Azeem Rafiq into supporting his allegations of racism against Vaughan. Shahzad’s testimony echoes a statement given to the eCB by a former member of staff at Yorkshire, who, as Sportsmail reported last month, also suggested Rashid had been pressured by Rafiq. The seven defendants are understood to be frustrated that such evidence was withheld and are considering following the lead of former Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale, who has already withdrawn from the process.

The much-delayed hearing has been rescheduled for March. Shahzad has not been called as a witness by the eCB, but told investigators: ‘I question whether he (Rafiq) is accurate in what he’s saying. I spoke to Rashid when I was at Yorkshire coaching and he was very uncomfortable with where this was going, he wanted to nip it in the bud sooner rather than later because quite frankly he was uncomfortable with how much Rafiq knew (about him). I think Adil is being pressurised.’ Rashid has denied being put under any pressure to support Rafiq.