Azeem Rafiq: Rashid confirms Vaughan DID make ‘you lot’ comment to Yorkshire’s Asian players

England bowler Adil Rashid stated he clearly remembers Michael Vaughan saying ‘there’s too a lot of you lot’ to Yorkshire’s Asian gamers earlier than they confronted Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 2009.

Rashid — on videolink from Bangladesh on Thursday, the place England are taking part in a one-day worldwide sequence — was cross-examined for nearly two hours through the Cricket Self-discipline Fee listening to into allegations of racism at Yorkshire. 

And the 35-year-old stated: ‘He (Vaughan) stated, “There’s too a lot of you lot”, adopted by phrases to the impact of, “We have to have a phrase”. I’m sure he used the phrase, “There’s too a lot of you lot”.’

Rashid’s witness assertion added: ‘Michael made an ill-judged remark. I heard it. I don’t imagine that he’s racist or that this was stated with any dangerous intention, nevertheless it was stated.’

Rashid described the remark as ‘dangerous humour’.

Adil Rashid has confirmed that former England captain Michael Vaughan did make a ‘you lot’ remark to a bunch of Yorkshire’s Asian gamers

The England spinner additionally denied that he was pressured to come back ahead by former team-mate Azeem Rafiq

Vaughan categorically denies the allegation and the ECB cost that he precipitated prejudice or disrepute to cricket.

Rashid was one in all 4 gamers of Asian heritage taking part in that day, alongside Azeem Rafiq, Ajmal Shahzad and Rana Naveed-Ul-Hasan, and repeatedly confirmed to Christopher Stoner KC — Vaughan’s lawyer — that the 2005 Ashes-winning captain made the remark. 

Rashid was additionally proven a press release from former Yorkshire bowler Shahzad which stated: ‘I feel Adil is being pressurised. I feel there are a variety of issues that you simply guys (the ECB) might not be conscious of which might be occurring and it’s fairly murky.’

Rashid, who co-owned a fish and chip store with Rafiq between 2020 and 2021, denied Shahzad’s declare, saying: ‘I did really feel pressured by the state of affairs usually. Ajmal speculates that I could have felt underneath strain to assist Azeem due to a shared curiosity we had in a fish and chip store. I’m not supporting Azeem as a result of he’s a buddy or due to any shared enterprise curiosity.’

He added: ‘I’m giving proof based mostly on what I heard.’

Rashid was requested concerning the witness assertion of Liz Neto — Yorkshire’s former head of HR — who acknowledged that Rashid telephoned her on multiple event, showing distressed and indicating that he felt pressured. She quoted Rashid as saying: ‘Irrespective of what number of occasions you inform me I heard it Azeem, I can not bear in mind listening to it.’

Rashid denied making these feedback.

He was additionally requested concerning the particular phrases Vaughan allegedly utilized in 2009, responding: ‘There’s too a lot of you lot, we have to do one thing about it.’

‘Simply so you might be conscious, that’s not what’s alleged,’ Stoner replied, declaring the alleged phrase was truly: ‘There’s too a lot of you lot, we have to have a phrase about it.’

‘That is the truth isn’t it, Mr Rashid?’ Stoner continued. ‘You don’t have any clear recollection of what was stated on June 22, 2009.’

The long-awaited racism listening to started on Wednesday, with Rashid corroborating Rafiq’s declare on the second day

Within the afternoon session, Rafiq stood by his account of occasions. ‘It made me offended on the time, it has all through the years and it does immediately,’ he stated. ‘This man (Vaughan) was a hero of mine. It did trigger me upset and anger.

‘I used to be a younger cricketer, eager to make my method. Once you do communicate up, your life and profession could be destroyed. The concern of that by no means allowed me to talk up.

‘You’ve acquired two selections — try to be knowledgeable cricketer and progress or pay the implications of talking out in opposition to an Ashes-winning England captain.’

The listening to continues on Friday.