Yorkshire CCC

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...ign-brushing-P-slur-levelled-Azeem-Rafiq.html

Two weeks tomorrow it goes to parliament and Rafiq will name the racist

 

Very interesting and revealing section for half hour or so on Talksport. Things are going to explode big time I reckon for cricket, YCCC and certain individuals.
The names are known of the indivuals involved and will be revealed and rightly so.

 

Only wrote their names.

Never said anything else.

 

Finally Emerald have pulled out, shamed into it.

 

Back to just playing at Headingley.

 

Yorkshire Tea now withdrawn their sponsorship.

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/ar...d-Azeem-Rafiq-P-understood-Gary-Ballance.html

Hopefully the start of the rest being named and shamed.

 

Bleed em dry, maybe then we'll see proper change at the top.
The old boys network needs dismantling, membership needs to be cheaper to swell numbers going forward. Membership needs to be offered free for 3 years to anyone who isn't white and Christian.
The scouting networks need a complete overhaul, those of us who've played around Yorkshire know how many good Asian and black players there are.
I also believe that some local teams need looking at. Many of the bad practices we see at Yorkshire are replicated in some village and town/Club teams. Old boys networks which don't want to change anything. There are many well run clubs who are literally crying out for players to play for them. However some clubs are a closed shop.
Most kids get identified at paid for training sessions, where under privileged kids of all races can't afford to go. The game is expensive to play, though costs have come down in recent years. For all the initiatives the ECB promote on Sky I'm still to see any real results.
The fact that Darren Stevens is still playing all forms of the game at nearly 50 is a joke. He's a cracking player and has looked after himself. But where's the talent coming through to knock an old lad down to the 2nd elevens?
Just look at the England team, for decades we've relied on lads born to English parents but brought up in South Africa, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Australia. We've also took on players who managed to rapidly obtain citizenship.
English cricket unfortunately needs to see that Yorkshire is just a reflection of decades of mismanagement and missed opportunities.

 

All roads unfortunately / fortunately will lead to Barnsley.
If this is the case get ready for the faux anger aimed at Barnsley folk by certain parts of the 24/7 media. The Nazi publications will be sending their finest propagandists to the town centre. Media outlets will be swarming the market asking if we're all racists and if we all have whippets and kestrels.

 

Gary Ballance. Didn't he also play at Barnsley CC? Doesn't even apologise...
This is going to get real ugly for Yorkshire, sponsors leaving on mass.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59155576

 

Gary Ballance has put a statement out apologising for a racial slur to Azeem Rafiq.

 

I don't think that's much of an apology, he's trying to justify the racist language he used by saying Rafiq said unacceptable things to him but then says he won't repeat those things. If it was that bad he should be saying what Rafiq supposedly said to him.
Also Barnsley CC get a mention in Ballance's statement (said him and Rafiq played together there), probably not a good thing to say as lots of people will assume Barnsley CC are a racist club.

 

Following certain comments on social media earlier this year, people will correctly assume that some people at Barnsley CC are racist.

Especially with Azeem stating he had red wine forced down his throat during his time at the club - its not a good look!

 

Didn't know that bit about Barnsley CC and the red wine. I think a hell of a lot more is going to come out in public over the coming weeks.

 

I didn't read it, I just assumed with the headline saying 'regret', that there was an apology in there somewhere.

 

Full statement here. Basically says he didn't think what he said had caused such distress.

Gary Ballance's statement in full
My family and I are deeply saddened and upset by the allegations recently levelled at me in the press and by the misleading and selective nature of the reporting in the last few days. Azeem was not just a teammate of mine but he was my closest friend and supporter in cricket.

Throughout this process I have cooperated with the independent investigation and I have been completely honest and transparent with the club and the investigators at all times. Information and allegations have been leaked and reported in the press which in my view give a misleading impression of the evidence which was heard in the investigation.

I had not intended to make any public statement but, given the reports which have been published, and with journalists arriving at my house, I feel I have no choice but to provide a public response.

To be clear - I deeply regret some of the language I used in my younger years. The independent enquiry, having heard all of the evidence, accepted that the context of some of the language used was in a "friendly verbal attack" between friends which was not intended to offend or hurt and that no malice was intended.

Given my incredibly close relationship with Rafa over the years I am saddened that it has come to this. Rafa and I started playing for Yorkshire at a similar time and we quickly developed a very close bond.

He encouraged me to play club cricket for his club Barnsley CC, which I did, we went on many tours together, with both Yorkshire and the England Performance Programme, and we always supported each other on and off the pitch. We socialised a lot together away from the game and would also drink and enjoy ourselves together.

On the pitch we supported each other greatly. We both captained Yorkshire at various times and we backed each other when we filled these roles. Rafa has always been a huge supporter of mine and was always there for me in the highs and lows of my career with Yorkshire and England.

When he was first released by Yorkshire I was there for him during that tough time and I was delighted when he earned a new contract and a second spell with the club.

He was very pleased for me when I was selected for England and I was delighted to receive his supportive messages during my time with England. He was also always a big support to me at some difficult times in my career, and I have always been very grateful to him for that.

Because we were such good friends and spent a lot of time together drinking and on nights out we both said things privately to each other which were not acceptable. It has been reported that I used a racial slur and, as I told the independent enquiry, I accept that I did so and I regret doing so.

I do not wish to discredit Rafa by repeating the words and statements that he made about me and others but I have to be clear that this was a situation where best friends said offensive things to each other which, outside of that context, would be considered wholly inappropriate.

I regret that these exchanges took place but at no time did I believe or understand that it had caused Rafa distress. If I had believed that then I would have stopped immediately. He was my best mate in cricket and I cared deeply for him. To my knowledge, it has never been alleged that I reduced Rafa to tears.

That does not mean that what passed between us was right or appropriate. It was not. Rafa said things to me that were not acceptable and I did the same with Rafa. I never said anything with any intended malice or to upset Rafa.

Rafa and I remained closest friends throughout the time we exchanged these inappropriate comments. One winter, I suggested that Rafa and his bowling coach travel to Zimbabwe to stay with my family, which they did. He lived in my family's house in Zimbabwe and spent time with my parents and my brothers while he trained in Zimbabwe.

He would later become very good friends with my brother and the two of them stayed together regularly when my brother was in the UK. Rafa was always very grateful for the support and love which my family gave him and he regularly expressed this to me. I was honoured to be invited to his wedding in Pakistan which I sadly could not attend.

I am aware of how hurtful the racial slur is and I regret that I used this word in immature exchanges in my younger years and I am sure Rafa feels the same about some of the things he said to me as well.

My intention, during this whole process, has been to be honest and cooperate with the independent investigation. In light of recent media reports it is only right, on behalf of me and my family, that I put my position in the public domain.

I will not be making any further statement on this matter.

 

I think Ballance was perfectly entitled to put matters in context given that he and his family have been targetted.
It was very much an apology in my view and it is clear that the 2 were very close friends and had a falling out which involved racial slurs on both sides.

Lynch mob, one eyed, agenda led agitation is no justice. Let the picture unfold under proper scrutiny as is now going to happen and let due process take its course before rushing to judgement.

 

Seems the YCCC board and senior cricket management have found a scapegoat.I’m beyond angry at how they have handled this.

 

They're loosing sponsors, they should be relegated in the county championship, banned from next seaon's T20 blast and have international matches removed for the foreseeable. But more importantly, people at the top need to also be held accountable. I don't just think Gary Ballance will be the only one in big trouble here. A lot more will come out over the coming weeks.

 

I'm ashamed to follow YCCC. Serious change needed.