Not seen Gary Ballance handle something this badly since he last faced some test match quality bowling
Quite. What happened between Gary Ballance and him is a sideshow. If it was consented behaviour between them then Ballance has no case to answer even if the language used was regrettable.
I don't know anything about the other issues excepting that some were upheld.
I tire of the media coverage here though. Even the BBC didn't report the Gary Ballance statement in full.
This is the problem. Yorkshire took no action. So it's important to first here from them the full reasoning behind this.
Is there to be an MP select committee thingy ? I'd rather it be an independent hearing than MPs trying to elevate their moral stature. It's not like some of them don't have form...
If Yorkshire have allowed a culture of racism to fester then it should be addressed. But given that Rafiq was made captain, it does seem at odds. They need to explain themselves fully and all the facts need to be considered for a proper judgement. Being a cricket devotee and one that thinks that the game is a great opportunity for different groups in society to come together I find myself keenly following what is happening here.
But I'm not starting at a default anti-Yorkshire position. I just want to hear the facts.
OK then. So my stance on Ballance is that if Rafiq doesn't come out and contradict his statement, then they way mates choose to address each other is their business and should not be conflated with the wider issues at YCCC
If Rafiq does contradict it, then Ballance is a racist and a liar.
I tend to agree, and just as I am Yorkie doesn’t mean I have white rose coloured specs. I think there is a bigger picture here and with the current climate, quite rightly, all aspects of racism and perceived racism are scrutinised to death. The fact that thenBBC has rolled out Dan Roan,who is the harbinger of doom for sport ( a bit like Witchell and the Royals) means this will run and run.
I can see every club being made to provide evidence that they are not racist and have never had cause to bury this as obviously Yorkshire CC tried to do.
I agree with what your saying.
What we see here is a snapshot of my wider frustrations. The media wanting blood for the masses and few saying 'Let's step back and try and be sensible about this. Let's make things right and not judge until we have we have the full picture'.
We know that there should be no negotiation with racism. We don't want it. But also it is important to give folk a chance to explain themselves.
it's the whole herd thing and absolutist attitudes. I was even nervous about offering a counter view for consideration about Ballance because the herd were already leading him to the stake. But, given that folk know I am no PPF, I wanted to offer the stand back and breath scenario.
I wouldn't normally be that bothered, but being so devoted to cricket and knowing that racism is certainly not institutional in the way it once was, it really irks me to see folk trying to make moral capital out of situation they know little of. And if Ballance is telling the truth I actually feel sorry for him that this has blown up.
Of course, if Yorkshire have chosen to ignore an issue that is in full context then they have done wrong.
Rafiq was an obnoxious **** when playing for Yorkshire at Hove. Choosing to deliberately provoke spectators in a really unpleasant way that I haven't witnessed more than once or twice in 50 years watching county cricket.
I'm not sure if this is relevant.
Can’t stand Yorkshire CC , their original policy of only picking players who were born in the county was a thinly veiled attempt to ensure those of an ethnic background didn’t play for them, nasty horrible club, hope they suffer for this!!!
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Ok then, great and self righteous ones on here, is this a racist statement as by inference being born and raised in Zimbabwe automatically makes you a racist?
Does NSC tolerate racist overtones?
Just asking
Unlikely as the unwritten policy of only selecting Yorkshire born cricketers dated back to 1863
Unlikely as the unwritten policy of only selecting Yorkshire born cricketers dated back to 1863
You're absolutely right - it's a massive issue, but I feel for the counties in this. With virtually no cricket played in English State Schools, the entire home-grown catchment for the counties comes from private schools and the club system (although these are pretty synonymous).
You only need to look at the kids coming into the Sussex team to see that they are all white, private-school educated. The schools compete for ex-Pros to come and teach the kids (eg Sussex coaches Kirtley and Salisbury were at Bede's and Trinity), and the vast majority of the kids are from white, well-off families.
It's desperately sad that asian communities who love cricket aren't finding a pathway through to the professional game - it should be something the ECB is all over, funding grass-roots development, but the budget gets swallowed in central contracts and baubles...
Having worked at Eastbourne college and seen the facilities available compared with the school I attended I can totally understand why a significant number of pro cricketers emerge from a public school educated back ground .
https://www.eastbourne-college.co.uk/college-continues-cricket/
I genuinely believe that most cricket clubs, like other sporting institutions will employ or play anyone who will help them to win matches (OK YCCC have their thing about people from inside Yorkshire playing for them, but that's not exclusive, I mean, they have overseas players).
I don't see the lack of representation of black or asian players in cricket as overt racism by the clubs involved. More to do the narrow field of selection from which prospective players are drawn, in particular with the public school class, from which cricketers come from. I can't think of a single what you would call "working class" cricketer. Who is the cricketing Wayne Rooney for example? I really don't think there is one. Cricket either hasn't tried hard enough or hasn't succeeding in reaching beyond it's well off support base
Many sports are equally non diverse. Rugby, swimming, cycling etc etc