Michael Vaughan to learn verdict from cricket racism hearing on Friday

Michael Vaughan is set to discover on Friday whether an allegation that he used racist or discriminatory language during a match for Yorkshire in 2009 has been found proven or not.

Decisions on liability in the cases of Vaughan and five other individuals with former connections to Yorkshire are expected to be published on the England and Wales Cricket Board website at 10.30am on Friday, the PA news agency understands.

Vaughan is alleged to have told a group of Yorkshire teammates of Asian ethnicity there were “too many of you lot” before a T20 match almost 14 years ago, a charge he categorically denies.

An independent investigation commissioned by Yorkshire found Azeem Rafiq had been the victim of racial harassment and bullying during his time as a player with the county
An independent investigation commissioned by Yorkshire found Azeem Rafiq had been the victim of racial harassment and bullying during his time as a player with the county (James Manning/PA)

Vaughan was the only individual charged who appeared in person at a Cricket Discipline Commission hearing held in public across four days earlier this month.

Five other individuals charged – John Blain, Tim Bresnan, Andrew Gale, Matthew Hoggard and Richard Pyrah – had indicated prior to the hearing that they would not participate, with the charges against them heard in their absence.

The charges, brought in June last year, stemmed primarily from allegations made by former Yorkshire bowler Azeem Rafiq. Yorkshire accepted in September 2021 that Rafiq had been the victim of racial harassment and bullying, but a month later said no individuals would face disciplinary action as a consequence.

Yorkshire have admitted four charges, including a failure to address systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language at the club over a prolonged period.

A seventh individual, former Yorkshire player Gary Ballance, has also admitted using racist and/or discriminatory language.

Latest