https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/ecbs-investigation-has-conducted-keystone-cops/
ECB's investigation has been conducted by Keystone Cops
Yorkshire racism case being swamped under paperwork during proceedings close to the theatre of the absurd

OLIVER BROWN
CHIEF SPORTS WRITER
3 March 2023 • 8:54pm
Oliver Brown
Azeem Rafiq
Azeem Rafiq arrives at the International Arbitration Centre CREDIT: Kin Cheung/AP Photo
The inquest into whether Michael Vaughan did or did not utter the words “you lot” 14 years ago has been so interminable that Christopher Stoner, the former England captain’s chief lawyer, started the process a Queen’s Counsel and is ending it a King’s Counsel.

And here in a faceless conference room on Fleet Street, there were signs that Stoner’s patience was finally fraying. Tiring of a terse, clipped performance under cross-examination by Meena Botros, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s director of legal and integrity, the lead counsel went for the jugular.

Had Botros spoken to any Yorkshire players, besides Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad, about Azeem Rafiq’s central allegation that, at Trent Bridge on June 22, 2009, Vaughan told the county’s south Asian contingent, “There’s too many of you lot, we need to do something about that?” “No.”

Had he spoken to the two umpires, David Millns and Neil Mallender, who were in a “proximate” location to the playrs’ huddle, where Vaughan is alleged to have made the remark? “No.”

Had he spoken to the Sky cameraman who had filmed the huddle? “No.”

And had he asked to interview Vaughan himself? “No, we wrote to him..”

Read more at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/ecbs-investigation-has-conducted-keystone-cops/

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/yorkshire-cricket-racism-hearing-michael-vaughan-azeem-rafiq/

Michael Vaughan hits back as flaws in ECB racism case exposed
4 March 2023 • 1:48am

Michael Vaughan has the backing of six former Yorkshire team-mates over 'you lot' claim CREDIT: Eddie Mulholland for the Telegraph
PCA's Wood questioned
On 'playing the race card' claim
Vaughan's historical tweets
Are brought up - he again admits they are unacceptable
Vaughan questioning starts
Former England captain agrees the alleged phrase is racist and denies making it
The morning so far
ECB criticised over how it gathered evidence
Scope of enquiry questioned
Botros says he has 'no knowledge' of the ECB telling Lord Patel to sack staff

Michael Vaughan insisted Azeem Rafiq's claims are "not what I'm about" as major flaws were exposed in the racism case brought by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The Ashes-winning former England captain launched his impassioned denial as it emerged he has the backing of six team-mates who say they did not hear the alleged "you lot" slur.

On an explosive third and final day of live evidence at the Yorkshire racism hearing, another witness claimed Rafiq had warned him years ago that he would play the "race card".

Vaughan's legal team had earlier cast major doubt on the credibility of the entire case during tense exchanges with the ECB executive leading the case.. In damaging evidence for the governing body's attempts to secure sanctions against Yorkshire and seven individuals, the disciplinary panel was told:

read more at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/yorkshire-cricket-racism-hearing-michael-vaughan-azeem-rafiq/

RH

On Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 10:57:52 AM UTC, Robert Henderson wrote:
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/ecbs-investigation-has-conducted-keystone-cops/
> ECB's investigation has been conducted by Keystone Cops
> Yorkshire racism case being swamped under paperwork during proceedings close to the theatre of the absurd
>
> OLIVER BROWN
> CHIEF SPORTS WRITER
> 3 March 2023 • 8:54pm
> Oliver Brown
> Azeem Rafiq
> Azeem Rafiq arrives at the International Arbitration Centre CREDIT: Kin Cheung/AP Photo
> The inquest into whether Michael Vaughan did or did not utter the words “you lot” 14 years ago has been so interminable that Christopher Stoner, the former England captain’s chief lawyer, started the process a Queen’s Counsel and is ending it a King’s Counsel.
>
> And here in a faceless conference room on Fleet Street, there were signs that Stoner’s patience was finally fraying. Tiring of a terse, clipped performance under cross-examination by Meena Botros, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s director of legal and integrity, the lead counsel went for the jugular.
>
> Had Botros spoken to any Yorkshire players, besides Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad, about Azeem Rafiq’s central allegation that, at Trent Bridge on June 22, 2009, Vaughan told the county’s south Asian contingent, “There’s too many of you lot, we need to do something about that?” “No.”
>
> Had he spoken to the two umpires, David Millns and Neil Mallender, who were in a “proximate” location to the playrs’ huddle, where Vaughan is alleged to have made the remark? “No.”
>
> Had he spoken to the Sky cameraman who had filmed the huddle? “No..”
>
> And had he asked to interview Vaughan himself? “No, we wrote to him.”
>
> Read more at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/ecbs-investigation-has-conducted-keystone-cops/
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/yorkshire-cricket-racism-hearing-michael-vaughan-azeem-rafiq/
>
>
> Michael Vaughan hits back as flaws in ECB racism case exposed
> 4 March 2023 • 1:48am
>
> Michael Vaughan has the backing of six former Yorkshire team-mates over 'you lot' claim CREDIT: Eddie Mulholland for the Telegraph
> PCA's Wood questioned
> On 'playing the race card' claim
> Vaughan's historical tweets
> Are brought up - he again admits they are unacceptable
> Vaughan questioning starts
> Former England captain agrees the alleged phrase is racist and denies making it
> The morning so far
> ECB criticised over how it gathered evidence
> Scope of enquiry questioned
> Botros says he has 'no knowledge' of the ECB telling Lord Patel to sack staff
>
> Michael Vaughan insisted Azeem Rafiq's claims are "not what I'm about" as major flaws were exposed in the racism case brought by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
>
> The Ashes-winning former England captain launched his impassioned denial as it emerged he has the backing of six team-mates who say they did not hear the alleged "you lot" slur.
>
> On an explosive third and final day of live evidence at the Yorkshire racism hearing, another witness claimed Rafiq had warned him years ago that he would play the "race card".
>
> Vaughan's legal team had earlier cast major doubt on the credibility of the entire case during tense exchanges with the ECB executive leading the case. In damaging evidence for the governing body's attempts to secure sanctions against Yorkshire and seven individuals, the disciplinary panel was told:
>
> read more at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/yorkshire-cricket-racism-hearing-michael-vaughan-azeem-rafiq/
>
> RH

Oh, where have all the liberal bigots gone
Very quiet every one

RH

On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 4:57:02 AM UTC+10, Robert Henderson wrote:
> Oh, where have all the liberal bigots gone

Q: Did you, person accused of something bad, do it?
A: No

Not entirely sure what more I can add at this stage.

In message <c925ac5b-799f-4720-a8c1-34b334e95788n@googlegroups.com>,
Robert Henderson <anywhere156@gmail.com> writes
>Oh, where have all the liberal bigots gone
>Very quiet every one

All right, I'll rise to the bait. Vaughan and Shazad say he didn't say
it, Rafiq and Rashid say that he did, and Naved - perhaps sensibly in
the circumstances - seems to have vanished off the face of the Earth.
It's not surprising that memories of what - if anything - Vaughan said
should vary almost 14 years after the event, and it was never likely
that there would be a clear conclusion. So it was perhaps unwise for the
"prosecution" to "charge" Vaughan, especially as the ECB failed to talk
to the other players or to the umpires and ask if any of them had
overheard the alleged remark.

Personally, I don't believe he said it. I could well be wrong. But
either way, it's clear that he cannot be "convicted", because the
evidence just isn't there.
--
John Hall "Do you have cornflakes in America?"
"Well, actually, they're American."
"So what brings you to Britain then if you have cornflakes already?"
Bill Bryson: "Notes from a Small Island"

On Sunday, March 5, 2023 at 9:07:44 AM UTC, John Hall wrote:
> In message <c925ac5b-799f-4720...@googlegroups.com>,
> Robert Henderson <anywh...@gmail.com> writes
> >Oh, where have all the liberal bigots gone
> >Very quiet every one
> All right, I'll rise to the bait. Vaughan and Shazad say he didn't say
> it, Rafiq and Rashid say that he did, and Naved - perhaps sensibly in
> the circumstances - seems to have vanished off the face of the Earth.
> It's not surprising that memories of what - if anything - Vaughan said
> should vary almost 14 years after the event, and it was never likely
> that there would be a clear conclusion. So it was perhaps unwise for the
> "prosecution" to "charge" Vaughan, especially as the ECB failed to talk
> to the other players or to the umpires and ask if any of them had
> overheard the alleged remark.
>
> Personally, I don't believe he said it. I could well be wrong. But
> either way, it's clear that he cannot be "convicted", because the
> evidence just isn't there.

Quite right. Putting aside the political correctness, the ECB have behaved as if Vaughan was guilty from the start and have made no effort to gather evidence which contradicts Azeem Rafiq.

The mass sacking of Yorkshire support staff was a nonsense and will almost certainly cost Yorkshire a fortune. Utter madness.
RH

On Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 10:57:52 AM UTC, Robert Henderson wrote:
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/ecbs-investigation-has-conducted-keystone-cops/
> ECB's investigation has been conducted by Keystone Cops
> Yorkshire racism case being swamped under paperwork during proceedings close to the theatre of the absurd
>
> OLIVER BROWN
> CHIEF SPORTS WRITER
> 3 March 2023 • 8:54pm
> Oliver Brown
> Azeem Rafiq
> Azeem Rafiq arrives at the International Arbitration Centre CREDIT: Kin Cheung/AP Photo
> The inquest into whether Michael Vaughan did or did not utter the words “you lot” 14 years ago has been so interminable that Christopher Stoner, the former England captain’s chief lawyer, started the process a Queen’s Counsel and is ending it a King’s Counsel.
>
> And here in a faceless conference room on Fleet Street, there were signs that Stoner’s patience was finally fraying. Tiring of a terse, clipped performance under cross-examination by Meena Botros, the England and Wales Cricket Board’s director of legal and integrity, the lead counsel went for the jugular.
>
> Had Botros spoken to any Yorkshire players, besides Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad, about Azeem Rafiq’s central allegation that, at Trent Bridge on June 22, 2009, Vaughan told the county’s south Asian contingent, “There’s too many of you lot, we need to do something about that?” “No.”
>
> Had he spoken to the two umpires, David Millns and Neil Mallender, who were in a “proximate” location to the playrs’ huddle, where Vaughan is alleged to have made the remark? “No.”
>
> Had he spoken to the Sky cameraman who had filmed the huddle? “No..”
>
> And had he asked to interview Vaughan himself? “No, we wrote to him.”
>
> Read more at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/ecbs-investigation-has-conducted-keystone-cops/
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/yorkshire-cricket-racism-hearing-michael-vaughan-azeem-rafiq/
>
>
> Michael Vaughan hits back as flaws in ECB racism case exposed
> 4 March 2023 • 1:48am
>
> Michael Vaughan has the backing of six former Yorkshire team-mates over 'you lot' claim CREDIT: Eddie Mulholland for the Telegraph
> PCA's Wood questioned
> On 'playing the race card' claim
> Vaughan's historical tweets
> Are brought up - he again admits they are unacceptable
> Vaughan questioning starts
> Former England captain agrees the alleged phrase is racist and denies making it
> The morning so far
> ECB criticised over how it gathered evidence
> Scope of enquiry questioned
> Botros says he has 'no knowledge' of the ECB telling Lord Patel to sack staff
>
> Michael Vaughan insisted Azeem Rafiq's claims are "not what I'm about" as major flaws were exposed in the racism case brought by the England and Wales Cricket Board.
>
> The Ashes-winning former England captain launched his impassioned denial as it emerged he has the backing of six team-mates who say they did not hear the alleged "you lot" slur.
>
> On an explosive third and final day of live evidence at the Yorkshire racism hearing, another witness claimed Rafiq had warned him years ago that he would play the "race card".
>
> Vaughan's legal team had earlier cast major doubt on the credibility of the entire case during tense exchanges with the ECB executive leading the case. In damaging evidence for the governing body's attempts to secure sanctions against Yorkshire and seven individuals, the disciplinary panel was told:
>
> read more at https://www.telegraph.co.uk/cricket/2023/03/03/yorkshire-cricket-racism-hearing-michael-vaughan-azeem-rafiq/
>
> RH
Y