You said it, Vaughan
Rashid insists Ashes legend called Asian stars ‘you lot’
ADIL RASHID has told the Azeem Rafiq hearing that he remembers Michael Vaughan making a racist comment before a Yorkshire Twenty20 match in 2009.
Former England captain Vaughan, 48, is on an ECB disrepute charge for allegedly telling Asian team-mates Rafiq, Rashid, Ajmal shahzad and Rana Naveed- Ul- hasan: ‘There’s too many of you lot.’
And on day two of the Cricket discipline Commission hearing into allegations of racism at Yorkshire, Rashid — appearing via video link from Bangladesh, where England are playing a one-day series — said: ‘Michael made an ill-judged comment. i heard it. i do not believe that he is racist or this was said with any bad intention, but it was said.
‘he (Vaughan) said, “There’s too many of you lot”, followed by words to the effect of, “We need to have a word”. i am certain he used the phrase, “Too many of you lot”.’
Vaughan, who is set to appear at the hearing today, denies the charge.
ENGLAND bowler Adil Rashid said yesterday he clearly remembers Michael Vaughan saying ‘there’s too many of you lot’ to Yorkshire’s Asian players before they faced Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 2009.
Rashid — on videolink from Bangladesh, where England are playing a one- day international series — was cross-examined for almost two hours during the Cricket Discipline Commission hearing into allegations of racism at Yorkshire. And the 35-year-old said: ‘He (Vaughan) said, “There’s too many of you lot”, followed by words to the effect of, “We need to have a word”. I am certain he used the phrase, “There’s too many of you lot”.’
Rashid’s witness statement added: ‘ Michael made an ill-judged comment. I heard it. I do not believe that he is racist or that this was said with any bad intention, but it was said.’
Rashid described the comment as ‘bad humour’.
Vaughan categorically denies the allegation and the ECB charge that he caused prejudice or disrepute to cricket.
Rashid was one of four players of Asian heritage playing that day, alongside Azeem Rafiq, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naveed-Ul-Hasan, and repeatedly confirmed to Christopher Stoner KC — Vaughan’s lawyer — that the 2005 Ashes-winning captain made the comment. Rashid was also shown a statement from former Yorkshire bowler Shahzad which said: ‘I think Adil is being pressurised. I think there are a lot of things that you guys (the ECB) may not be aware of that are happening and it’s quite murky.’
Rashid, who co- owned a fish and chip shop with Rafiq between 2020 and 2021, denied Shahzad’s claim, saying: ‘I did feel pressured by the situation generally. Ajmal speculates that I may have felt under pressure to support Azeem because of a shared interest we had in a fish and chip shop. I am not supporting Azeem because he is a friend or because of any shared business interest.’
He added: ‘I am giving evidence based on what I heard.’
Rashid was asked about the witness statement of Liz Neto — Yorkshire’s former head of HR — who stated that Rashid telephoned her on more than one occasion, appearing distressed and indicating that he felt pressured. She quoted Rashid as saying: ‘No matter how many times you tell me I heard it Azeem, I cannot remember hearing it.’
Rashid denied making those comments.
He was also asked about the specific words Vaughan allegedly used in 2009, responding: ‘There’s too many of you lot, we need to do something about it.’
‘Just so you are aware, that is not what is alleged,’ Stoner replied, pointing out the alleged phrase was actually: ‘There is too many of you lot, we need to have a word about it.’
‘This is the reality isn’t it, Mr Rashid?’ Stoner continued. ‘You have no clear recollection of what was said on June 22, 2009.’
In the afternoon session, Rafiq stood by his account of events. ‘It made me angry at the time, it has throughout the years and it does today,’ he said. ‘This man (Vaughan) was a hero of mine. It did cause me upset and anger.
‘I was a young cricketer, wanting to make my way. When you do speak up, your life and career can be destroyed. The fear of that never allowed me to speak up.
‘You’ve got two choices — try and be a professional cricketer and progress or pay the consequences of speaking out against an Ashes- winning England captain.’
The hearing continues today.