Michael Vaughan’s lawyer stated allegations of racism made in opposition to the previous England captain by Azeem Rafiq are “word against word” at a listening to in London on Thursday.
Pakistan-born Rafiq, 32, first raised allegations of racism and bullying in September 2020, associated to his two spells at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
He informed British lawmakers in December 2022 that the abuse he and his household had confronted had pressured him to go away the UK.
Vaughan and fellow former Yorkshire gamers Matthew Hoggard, Tim Bresnan, John Blain, Andrew Gale and Richard Pyrah all face prices associated to the usage of racially discriminatory language.
The case in opposition to Vaughan was heard by the Cricket Discipline Commission panel on day two of the listening to on Thursday.
ECB lawyer Jane Mulcahy repeated the allegation that Vaughan, on the outfield previous to a Twenty20 match between Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on June 22, 2009, remarked about 4 Asian gamers that “there’s too many of you lot”.
The gamers have been his Yorkshire team-mates Rafiq, Adil Rashid, Rana Naved ul-Hasan and Ajmal Shahzad.
Mulcahy stated the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board) contends that Vaughan made the alleged remark and due to this fact “caused prejudice or disrepute to cricket”.
Vaughan’s lawyer confirmed the 48-year-old denies the cost and stated the burden of proof was on the ECB.
“Mr Vaughan cannot recall precisely what he said but is clear the words used and in the context used are unacceptable,” stated Christopher Stoner.
“Mr Vaughan is adamant he did not use them.”
Stoner stated Sky TV footage was “inconsistent with anything untoward being said”.
He added that Vaughan’s autobiography “makes reference to that game and that the four Asian players who played is the start of things to come and good for Yorkshire cricket”.
“The alleged comment was not said at the time and including at the end of the game where it would quite obviously have been discussed even between friends, even if it did not become formally reported,” he stated.
“It was not in fact mentioned by anyone for a period of 11 years. Now 14 years after the event, it is word against word.”
Rashid video hyperlink
Rashid was then referred to as as a witness through a video hyperlink from Bangladesh, the place he’s at present taking part in in a at some point worldwide sequence for England.
The spin bowler stated he couldn’t keep in mind the consequence at Trent Bridge however stated he took “zero” wickets. He stated he couldn’t keep in mind what the climate was like.
Stoner requested Rashid: “You say what Mr Vaughan said on that day was a poor attempt at humour?” to which Rashid replied: “Yes, that is correct.”
“I can take you through your witness statement and say that as far as you are concerned, Mr Vaughan is not racist,” added Stoner.
“Yep, that’s correct,” stated Rashid.
Vaughan is the one one of many cricketers charged by the ECB over bringing the sport into disrepute set to attend the CDC listening to over the subsequent week.
The ECB introduced prices in opposition to seven people, and Yorkshire, in June final 12 months.
Another participant, Gary Ballance, has already admitted a cost associated to the usage of racially discriminatory language.
Ballance, a former England Test participant, is now taking part in for the nation of his delivery, Zimbabwe.
Yorkshire have additionally admitted 4 prices.
Source web site: sportstar.thehindu.com
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