LONDON: Former England cricket captain Michael Vaughan told a hearing into accusations of racism at Yorkshire on Friday it was “inconceivable” he would make the comment attributed to him by Azeem Rafiq as his former county team-mate was accused of being ready to play the “race card.”
Vaughan and a number of other former players at the county cricket club face charges related to the use of racially discriminatory language.
Pakistan-born Rafiq, 32, first went public with allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020, related to his two spells at Yorkshire.
Rafiq alleged Vaughan told him and three other Yorkshire players of Asian origin “there’s too many of you lot, we need to do something about it,” before a 2009 Twenty20 match between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) lawyer Jane Mulcahy asked Vaughan at the ongoing Cricket Discipline Commission hearing in London whether the words “there’s too many of you lot” were “totally unacceptable” as well as “racist and discriminatory.”
“Absolutely,” said Vaughan, 48, who in his witness statement said: “I consider it to be inconceivable that I would use the words contained in the allegation.”
Rafiq’s conduct, however, was also called into question later Friday when Matthew Wood, a former personal development manager at the Professional Cricketers’ Association and an ex-Yorkshire cricketer, said in a witness statement: “In my dealings with Azeem, I was aware of two occasions in which he (directly or indirectly) acknowledged that he would be prepared to use the ‘race card’.
“By that, I understood Azeem to mean that he would make, or allude to, an allegation of racism in bad faith in order to gain an advantage.”
Wood’s statement also referenced a 2018 conversation with Rafiq in which he recalled: “I asked Azeem, ‘And what will you do if Yorkshire don’t offer you a new contract?’ Azeem replied with words to the effect of, ‘I’ll just hit them with the race card’.”
Mulcahy told the hearing Wood had not made reference to Rafiq “using the race card” when speaking to Yorkshire investigators or an employment tribunal involving Rafiq.
Wood replied: “At the time it wasn’t asked and I wasn’t sure where it was going. My superiors at the PCA knew about Rafiq’s comments and I later added it to my statement.”
Earlier, 2005 Ashes-winning skipper Vaughan insisted: “If you go through the history of me as a player I don’t know any time I’d have gone onto a pitch and said something to my team-mates that would have put them in a bad state of mind to play cricket.”
He added: “You’ve got three or four Asian players in the (Yorkshire) team at the same time, I couldn’t have been more proud.”
Mulcahy asked Vaughan why, if nothing untoward had happened, he had arranged a meeting with Rafiq in November 2021.
Vaughan answered: “I felt it was getting too big, hurting too many people. It’s not been easy for anybody, this.
“I don’t think this is the right process to deal with a word-versus-word process from 14 years ago. Whatever happens, this has a terrible look on the game, a real bad look on how cricket has dealt with this situation.”
The ECB brought charges against seven individuals, and Yorkshire, in June last year, with the club admitting four charges.
Vaughan is the only former player to contest the charges in person.
“Being named and implicated in this matter has had a profound effect on me,” said the former Test batsman.
“My health and personal wellbeing have suffered badly.”
Vaughan denies racism as Rafiq accused of being ready to play ‘race card’
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Vaughan denies racism as Rafiq accused of being ready to play ‘race card’
- Vaughan and a number of other former players at the county cricket club face charges related to the use of racially discriminatory language
- Pakistan-born Rafiq, 32, first went public with allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020, related to his two spells at Yorkshire
Arya ton powers Punjab to IPL win over Chennai
- Spotted by Punjab after hitting six sixes in an over in Delhi Premier League T20 match last year, 24-year-old bought by franchise for $440,000 in November auction
CHANDIGARH: Up and coming Indian batter Priyansh Arya struck his first century in the IPL to lead Punjab Kings to an 18-run win over Chennai Super Kings on Tuesday.
Arya, a left-hand batter known for his six-hitting in domestic cricket, smashed 103 off 42 balls to steer Punjab to 219-6 at Mullanpur, near Chandigarh, where Chennai managed 201-5.
Spotted by Punjab after hitting six sixes in an over in a Delhi Premier League T20 match last year, the 24-year-old Arya was bought by the franchise for $440,000 in the November auction.
The big-hitter did not disappoint as he smashed the second ton of this season in his fourth match in the T20 tournament. He raced to his hundred in 39 balls as he pummelled the opposition attack with seven fours and nine sixes.
The ton was the fastest against five-time champions Chennai and the joint fourth-fastest ever in the IPL. Chris Gayle holds the record with a century in 30 balls.
Opener Arya found little support at the start as Punjab slipped to 83-5. After Shashank Singh joined the rising star and the two put together 71 runs in 34 balls.
Arya finally fell to Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmad, but Shashank, with his 52, and South African Marco Jansen, who smashed 34, finished with a flourish in an unbeaten stand of 65.
Chennai attempted to make a fist of the chase as New Zealand left-handers Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway put on 61 runs for the opening wicket.
Australia spinner Glenn Maxwell got Ravindra stumped on 36. Skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad fell for one off fast bowler Lockie Ferguson.
Conway powered on with impact substitute Shivam Dube as the two put on 89 runs but Ferguson broke through to get the left-handed Dube bowled for 42.
Veteran M.S. Dhoni walked out to loud cheers but even though Conway retired out, Chennai’s batters failed to keep up to the ever-increasing run-rate.
Dhoni, 43, raised faint hopes of getting the target in his 12-ball 27 but departed at the start of the last over and Chennai went down to their fourth loss in five matches.
Bengaluru edge Mumbai to spoil Bumrah’s return in IPL
- Virat Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar hit 67 and 64 to steer Bengaluru to 221-5
- Hardik Pandya smashed a 15-ball 42 and Tilak Varma struck 56 as Mumbai finished on 209-9
MUMBAI: Royal Challengers Bengaluru survived a batting blitz from Mumbai Indians skipper Hardik Pandya to win a thriller by 12 runs on Monday in the IPL and spoil Jasprit Bumrah’s return from an injury.
Mumbai named Bumrah in the XI as the India bowler returned three months after he missed the final day of the fifth Test against Australia in Sydney due to a back injury.
Bengaluru’s Virat Kohli and skipper Rajat Patidar hit 67 and 64 to steer Bengaluru to 221-5 after being invited to bat first at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium.
In reply, Pandya smashed a 15-ball 42 and Tilak Varma struck 56, but five-time champions Mumbai finished on 209-9 for their fourth defeat in five matches this season.
Hardik’s elder brother and Bengaluru spinner Krunal Pandya held his nerve to bowl the final over when Mumbai needed 19 runs but lost three wickets including two on the first two balls.
Krunal, a left-arm spinner, returned figures of 4-45 in Bengaluru’s third win in four matches.
Patidar was named player of the match, but said, “This award goes to the bowling unit. It is not easy to stop any team, especially at this ground, and the way they have done it, was incredible.”
“The way the fast bowlers executed their plans was amazing. The way KP (Krunal Pandya) bowled that last over, it was not easy and the way he bowled was amazing. The way he has shown the courage was fantastic.”
Mumbai slipped to 99-4 including former captain Rohit Sharma out for 17, but Hardik and the left-handed Varma put on 89 runs to turn on the heat with fours and sixes.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar dismissed Varma and then Australia fast bowler Josh Hazlewood took down Pandya for his second wicket in the 19th over to derail the chase.
Left-arm medium-pace bowler Yash Dayal also took two key wickets including Rohit, bowled for 17 after he came in as an impact substitute, and Suryakumar Yadav for 28.
Earlier, Hardik took two wickets and Bumrah registered figures of 0-29 in Bengaluru’s mammoth total as Kohli and Patidar bossed the opposition bowling.
“Having him (Bumrah) makes any team in the world very special,” Hardik said of his pace ace. “He came in and did his job, very happy to have him.”
Kohli lost opening partner Phil Salt on the second ball of the match off New Zealand left-arm quick Trent Boult, but soon took on the bowlers with regular boundaries.
He put on 91 runs for the second wicket with left-hander Devdutt Padikkal, who hit 37 off 22 balls, and reached his fifty off 29 balls with a six.
Padikkal fell but Kohli put together 48 runs with Patidar until Hardik hit back.
Hardik sent back Kohli and then England’s Liam Livingstone, out for a duck, in the space of four deliveries.
The runs kept coming as Patidar was joined by Jitesh Sharma, who hit an unbeaten 40, and the two hammered 69 runs off 27 balls.
Jitesh finished with a flourish in his 19-ball knock laced with two fours and four sixes despite a disciplined last over from Bumrah.
Siraj’s 4-17 helps Gujarat to hat-trick of IPL wins
- Hyderabad-born Siraj kept up his bowling form in the T20 tournament this season with nine wickets in four matches and kept down hosts Hyderabad to 152-8
HYDERABAD, India: Pace bowler Mohammed Siraj returned figures of 4-17 to set up a third straight IPL win for Gujarat Titans as they hammered Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets on Sunday.
Hyderabad-born Siraj kept up his bowling form in the T20 tournament this season with nine wickets in four matches and kept down hosts Hyderabad to 152-8.
Skipper Shubman Gill hit an unbeaten 61 as Gujarat, champions in their debut season in 2022, overhauled the total with 20 balls to spare for their third victory in four matches.
Hyderabad, who lost the IPL final to Kolkata Knight Riders last year, remain at the bottom of the 10-team table with four successive defeats from five outings.
Hyderabad skipper Pat Cummins struck early to dent Gujarat’s chase when he had Jos Buttler out for a duck after fellow quick Mohammed Shami had removed opener Sai Sudharsan.
Gill and number four Washington Sundar, a left-hand batter who smashed 49 off 29 balls, put the chase on track in their stand of 90 after Gujarat slipped to 16-2.
Shami denied Sundar his fifty with Aniket Verma taking a good catch in the deep, a decision that left the batsman and the Gujarat camp disappointed.
Impact substitute Sherfane Rutherford, a West Indian left-hander, kept up the charge with a flurry of boundaries including four in a row off Abhishek’s left-arm spin to ease into the chase.
Rutherford smashed 35 off 16 balls laced with six fours and one six. Gill anchored the chase in his 43-ball knock and hit the winning run.
Siraj remained hero as he removed openers Travis Head, for eight in the first over, and then another left-hander Abhishek Sharma, for 18, to hurt Hyderabad.
Prasidh Krishna took down left-hander Ishan Kishan for 17 before Sai Kishore took charge with his left-arm spin to rattle the opposition middle-order.
Kishore sent back Heinrich Klaasen, for 27, and Nitish Reddy, for 31, as Hyderabad wobbled and Siraj came back with two wickets with the old ball in his final over.
Cummins smashed 22 off nine balls in a late blitz that got his team 17 runs from the 20th over off veteran pace bowler Ishant Sharma, who leaked 53 of his four.
Comeback man Siraj’s 4-17 helps Gujarat to hat-trick of IPL wins
- Hyderabad-born Siraj kept up his bowling form in the T20 tournament this season with nine wickets in four matches
HYDERABAD: Pace bowler Mohammed Siraj on Sunday said his omission from the Indian team made him ready for IPL as his 4-17 helped Gujarat Titans hammer Sunrisers Hyderabad for a third straight win.
Hyderabad-born Siraj kept up his bowling form in the T20 tournament this season with nine wickets in four matches and kept down hosts Hyderabad to 152-8.
Skipper Shubman Gill hit an unbeaten 61 as Gujarat, champions in their debut season in 2022, overhauled the total with 20 balls and seven wickets to spare for their third victory in four matches.
It was Siraj’s second successive match-winning show after he returned 3-19 against his former team Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Siraj, who was dropped from the ODI Champions Trophy that India won last month, said the break made him work on his bowling.
“At the start (of the break), I could not digest,” Siraj said after being named player of the match.
“But then I explained to myself that I have so many things planned. It (selection for Champions Trophy) was not to be, but I concentrated on my mindset, my fitness. Enjoying my bowling now.”
The 31-year-old Siraj added: “When you are not selected (for India), doubts do creep in, but I wanted to be ready for the IPL.”
Gill praised his champion bowler, saying, “The energy he brings is tremendous. When playing against him, you want him in your team. His energy is infectious.”
Bengaluru released Siraj after last season and the India fast bowler was bought by Gujarat for $1.4 million in the November auction.
Hyderabad, who lost the IPL final to Kolkata Knight Riders last year, remain at the bottom of the 10-team table with four successive defeats from five outings.
Hyderabad skipper Pat Cummins struck early to dent Gujarat’s chase when he had Jos Buttler out for a duck after fellow quick Mohammed Shami had removed opener Sai Sudharsan.
Gill and number four Washington Sundar, a left-hand batter who smashed 49 off 29 balls, put the chase on track in their stand of 90 after Gujarat slipped to 16-2.
Shami denied Sundar his fifty with Aniket Verma taking a good catch in the deep, a decision that left the batsman and the Gujarat camp disappointed.
Impact substitute Sherfane Rutherford, a West Indian left-hander, kept up the charge with a flurry of boundaries including four in a row off Abhishek’s left-arm spin to ease into the chase.
Rutherford smashed 35 off 16 balls laced with six fours and one six. Gill anchored the chase in his 43-ball knock and hit the winning run.
Siraj remained hero as he removed openers Travis Head, for eight in the first over, and then another left-hander Abhishek Sharma, for 18, to hurt Hyderabad.
Prasidh Krishna took down left-hander Ishan Kishan for 17 before Sai Kishore took charge with his left-arm spin to rattle the opposition middle-order.
Kishore sent back Heinrich Klaasen, for 27, and Nitish Reddy, for 31, as Hyderabad wobbled and Siraj came back with two wickets with the old ball in his final over.
Cummins smashed 22 off nine balls in a late blitz that got his team 17 runs from the 20th over off veteran pace bowler Ishant Sharma, who leaked 53 of his four.
Chennai coach Fleming struggles to find the balance after third straight loss
- Chennai’s top order collapsed as they lost three wickets in the first six overs after Delhi Capitals had posted 183-6 on Saturday
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming said they have yet to get the balance right at the top of the order after they slipped to a third straight loss in the Indian Premier League while chasing after poor starts in the powerplay.
Chennai’s top order collapsed as they lost three wickets in the first six overs after Delhi Capitals had posted 183-6 on Saturday.
An unbeaten 84-run partnership between Vijay Shankar (69 off 54) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (30 off 26) for the sixth wicket was not enough to get the hosts over the line as Delhi won by 25 runs.
The defeat mirrored Chennai’s previous two matches, where they also scored less than eight runs per over in the powerplay.
Fleming told reporters that finding the balance was a “conundrum.”
“To get more solidity at the top we have to remove, obviously, an overseas player, so we’re grappling just with the combination that we need,” Fleming said.
IPL rules allow only four overseas players in the playing 11.
Chennai openers Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway are both overseas players, while overseas bowlers Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana are among their top-three wicket-takers this season, leaving Fleming with a difficult choice.
Fleming also said Chennai had to improve during powerplays.
“We felt that our batting in the powerplays has been below par and going too hard was probably not the way, particularly on our wicket, which is a little bit tricky,” he said.
“So we’re looking just to settle that with guys that have been in good form and have done it before, so that’s the theory behind that and that’s what we’ll possibly continue with.”
