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Post by gmdf on Mar 21, 2022 13:39:15 GMT
Wow! This development puts the cat amongst the pigeons. Well done Robin Smith for standing up to the thought police. This could get messy. A fascinating battle between the Club and both the ECB and Julian Knight is in store. I am sure Yorkshire CCC will gain full support from its Members.  Robin SmithRobin Smith looks a street fighter and if he joins forces with Colin Graves, the two are a match against any opponent. Julian Knight's political career may come under intense pressure. Legal teams at the ready, then. Can't wait for the battle bugles to sound!  www.thecricketer.com/Topics/countycricket/robin_smith_continues_attack_dcms_committee_yorkshire_racism_scandal.htmlSo that'll be 17 counties in the county competitions in future then? Good riddance. NB It wasn't the 'thought police' that scuppered Yorkshire. It was their own inability to deal with the racism prevalent within the club. So what people said and did, not what they thought. |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 22, 2022 8:22:22 GMT
I disagree. Yorkshire were viewed as a vulnerable target by the racist propaganda mob not because of “rampant racism” as suggested, but because of the club’s perception of having stick-in-the-mud, old northern fogeys running the county. Therefore, it is presumed racism must be apparent and in large quantities. All it required was for someone to come forward ie. Azeem Rafiq, and the blitzkrieg began headed by Julian Knight, the chair of DCMS, seeking woke brownie points to bolster his political career and a rabid mainstream media looking to boost newspaper sales and website page views. This was then followed by a feak and weeble ECB whom after much pressure and intimidation dared not go against the raging Knight/media onslaught and so Yorkshire became the scapegoats for racism in English cricket.  Meanwhile, Rafiq was shown up to be the ultimate hypocrite with a history of alcoholism, writing anti-semite tweets, while texting lewd comments to a young girl, which elements of the left-wing media then refused to mention as it didn’t fit their racist storyline. This was a classic stitch-up job and Yorkshire was the fall-guy. Only seven of 43 racist allegations were substantiated. Of those, three referred to a period before 2012, two related to unacceptable dressing-room jokes about religion, weight and fitness; one was the club's failure to investigate Azeem Rafiq’s complaint in 2018; and another covered various occasions when Muslims, it is said, should have been made more welcome at Headingley (whatever that means). Smith then goes on, "Compare this figure of seven substantiated complaints with the 4,500 made to the ECB whistleblowing hotline, spread throughout the game. This is surely where the DCMS and ECB focus should be, not on imposing draconian sanctions on one county alone.” Interestingly, it is understood of the 4,500 people who responded, a fair number were not complaints at all, but from people showing support for Yorkshire CCC. What occurred at the Club has happened, perhaps, at all county grounds over the years and not just in cricket, but in a majority of other sports too. It just so happened that Yorkshire were in the wrong place at the wrong time.  I really hope Smith and Graves come together and use their business savvy and financial booty to sue Knight/DCMS and take them to court for the perceived libellous comments. As Smith points out, “The manner in which Knight had made up [his] mind before Azeem Rafiq had (even) given his evidence had badly undermined my confidence in the whole process and called into question for me your committee's whole purpose.” |
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Post by gmdf on Mar 22, 2022 13:11:47 GMT
I disagree. Yorkshire were viewed as a vulnerable target by the racist propaganda mob not because of “rampant racism” as suggested, but because of the club’s perception of having stick-in-the-mud, old northern fogeys running the county. Therefore, it is presumed racism must be apparent and in large quantities. All it required was for someone to come forward ie. Azeem Rafiq, and the blitzkrieg began headed by Julian Knight, the chair of DCMS, seeking woke brownie points to bolster his political career and a rabid mainstream media looking to boost newspaper sales and website page views. This was then followed by a feak and weeble ECB whom after much pressure and intimidation dared not go against the raging Knight/media onslaught and so Yorkshire became the scapegoats for racism in English cricket. Meanwhile, Rafiq was shown up to be the ultimate hypocrite with a history of alcoholism, writing anti-semite tweets, while texting lewd comments to a young girl, which elements of the left-wing media then refused to mention as it didn’t fit their racist storyline. This was a classic stitch-up job and Yorkshire was the fall-guy. Only seven of 43 racist allegations were substantiated. Of those, three referred to a period before 2012, two related to unacceptable dressing-room jokes about religion, weight and fitness; one was the club's failure to investigate Azeem Rafiq’s complaint in 2018; and another covered various occasions when Muslims, it is said, should have been made more welcome at Headingley (whatever that means). Smith then goes on, "Compare this figure of seven substantiated complaints with the 4,500 made to the ECB whistleblowing hotline, spread throughout the game. This is surely where the DCMS and ECB focus should be, not on imposing draconian sanctions on one county alone.” Interestingly, it is understood of the 4,500 people who responded, a fair number were not complaints at all, but from people showing support for Yorkshire CCC. What occurred at the Club has happened, perhaps, at all county grounds over the years and not just in cricket, but in a majority of other sports too. It just so happened that Yorkshire were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I really hope Smith and Graves come together and use their business savvy and financial booty to sue Knight/DCMS and take them to court for the perceived libellous comments. As Smith points out, “The manner in which Knight had made up [his] mind before Azeem Rafiq had (even) given his evidence had badly undermined my confidence in the whole process and called into question for me your committee's whole purpose.” If YCCC follow your advice, the county won't exist by the end of this year. Indeed I'd expect the other 17 counties to refuse to play them. Your bee seems to be humming loudly today...so much so it is drowning out any commonsense. BTW You do know, don't you, that anything said it parliament is protected from libel/slander. |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 22, 2022 15:01:55 GMT
I was referring to the accusations made by Knight towards Yorkshire CCC made outside of Parliament privilege which were then loudly emblazoned by the mainstream media. Meanwhile, the battle Royale between Smith and Knight is gathering apace as accusations are flying around hither and thither re: read article from Cricinfo below. Writing on behalf of the DCMS committee, Knight has urged Smith to retract his "serious and unfounded accusations", and called on him to make his own appearance before, as some suggest, the kangaroo committee. To date, the only Yorkshire representative aside from Patel to appear at the parliamentary hearings is Roger Hutton, shortly after his resignation in November. "I was astounded to read in the Daily Mail yesterday that you have accused my Committee of putting 'unlawful pressure' on the England and Wales Cricket Board to sanction Yorkshire County Cricket Club for failing to address issues of racism at the club," Knight wrote. "You were also reported as accusing us of an abuse of power."  Will Lord Patel Resign? He continues, "We now find it inconceivable that anyone should be looking to use technical points of law to challenge efforts to restore the reputation of the club and to risk the financial future of the club while threatening Lord Patel with financial ruin*." And goes on, "My Committee would like you to explain what you think we have done that was unlawful or an abuse of power. These are serious and unfounded accusations to be made against a Parliamentary Select Committee and we think you should seriously consider publicly retracting them." Meanwhile, *Lord Patel may soon resign as he is concerned "he may be held personally liable for millions of pounds in compensation, following the controversial removal of 16 members of Yorkshire's coaching and medical staff last year." In a letter to the ECB he wrote, "Without firm formal support from ECB I am left wide open legally to be sued. I cannot carry on in this position." Now, it is down to the feak and weeble ECB to decide whose side to choose and also whether Smith and others will go through with their threats. To repeat, Smith will have the full backing of Members, supporters, the 16 staff who were dismissed (they have already taken legal advice and are planning to sue Patel for unlawful dismissal) + anyone else associated with the Club who feel a similar injustice as Smith. Fascinating times. www.espncricinfo.com/print/story/1305956 |
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Post by gmdf on Mar 23, 2022 8:26:06 GMT
Either Yorkshire will vote to continue to exist next week (by accepting the reforms) or it will be forced out of existence as a professional team. The ECB will not, I predict, side with the YCCC old guard, but if they do, I trust the other 17 counties will withdraw from the ECB and form their own league. In that case Government recognition and funding would follow the 17, as would the vast majority of sponsors including Sky.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 23, 2022 11:00:23 GMT
Yep, I agree with you hence "fascinating times".
Will the ECB want Yorkshire to leave the fold? I very much doubt it. Yet like Surrey, Yorkshire
have the clout, finances (Colin Graves) and know-how to form a breakaway group. If so, apart
from Surrey would other counties join them?
Doubtful.
And why I see a major compromise/diplomacy coming from the ECB to smooth the waters. The first
being to squash its original decision to stop Headingley holding internationals. That is the key. Yet, if
this happens how will Julian Knight and the DCMS then respond?
Somebody is going to be a casualty here and imho, it could be them. I also see Lord Patel as another
casualty. He may well be sued by the 16 staff members for "unfair dismissal", where the staff could
win the case. How will the ECB and DCMS respond to this? Talk about the fox rampaging around the
county henhouse.
To repeat "fascinating times".
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 23, 2022 14:40:02 GMT
Let us return to Michael Vaughan who was sucked up into the recent Yorkshire CCC racist media hysteria. What’s the latest news? First, Vaughan had to humiliate himself by going to a “re-education camp” AKA a "diversity and inclusion course" to learn about racism and critical race theory. He had little choice as, it is claimed, that after "receiving advice" from Simon Green, the Head of BT Sport, his return to the media outlet would not occur if Vaughan didn't attend. Vaughan’s nightmare began when Azim Rafiq accused the former Test captain of telling a number of his Yorkshire teammates of Asian descent that there are “too many of you lot, we need do something about it” back in 2009. Vaughan still denies Rafiq’s claim. Immediately, given the then frenzied media sh*t-storm going on, BT Sport pulled Vaughan from being a pundit during the recent Ashes series, saying the organisation took the decision to remove him from their coverage as it "would not be editorially appropriate or fit with BT Sport's values”.  Vaughan’s media career was in severe jeopardy. By going to the re-education camp as part of a major apologetic PR campaign where humiliation is an integral part, this has now allowed him to return as a BT Sport pundit for the final test against the West Indies. His time of self-flagellation has proven successful. His “reintegration” into society is now ongoing. Yet, Vaughan faces a second hurdle to overcome, namely the BBC and Radio 5 Live who postponed his radio show with Phil Tufnell during the same sh*t-storm. While Vaughan has been given media absolution, the BBC has still asked him to rename his Tuffers and Vaughan cricket show to “a more generic title”. So, even his name is now viewed as non-grata by some media outlets. Yet, finally, Vaughan is showing some self-respect and is reluctant to accept the name change as this would insinuate “he is accepting wrong-doing, something he has repeatedly denied”. Presently, there is a stand-off between Vaughan and the BBC.  Let us see how this one plays out. www.mirror.co.uk/sport/cricket/michael-vaughan-bbc-stand-rafiq-26436348 |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 23, 2022 16:44:42 GMT
I am so enjoying following this unfolding story. What goodies will it bring tomorrow? It is now the turn of the BBC website to join the fray. This is what is known in the media business as “a-non story” which the BBC are good at. Usually a cut and paste job of previous information from other publications leading to a specifically contrived summary. Often when there is “trouble at mill”, the BBC is called in as purveyors of the establishment to smooth over the waters and show people there is little to worry about. This story is simply good ol’ media propaganda.  Colin 'Corleone' GravesThe opening paragraph, “Former Yorkshire chairman Colin Graves has told the BBC he has backed crucial changes to the club's rules, and that the county ‘needs to move on’” is a meaningless comment. Graves stated this awhile back. For to ensure the club can host the third Test against New Zealand and the third one-day international against South Africa this summer, the club must meet two remaining criteria by March 31st. : Resolve issues relating to rules changes and decisions at the club which have been subject to procedural flaws.: Amend club rules relating to the appointment and operation of the board, including the removal of Graves Trust powers.In the Yorkshire Post interview a few months back, Graves stated his Trust Powers over the running of the club had been greatly exaggerated. Yorkshire was run by the appointed management. They made the decisions and not him. That also applied to the first criteria relating to rules changes. It is the disgraced former Club Chairman, Roger Hutton, who created this lie as a distraction away from his disastrous Chairmanship. Hutton’s attempt to brandish Graves as the reason for his failures proved fruitless.  'Clint' Smith and his DesperadosPerhaps, one conclusion is that David Smith is playing “the bad cop” and Graves “the good cop” within the Yorkshire story to gain more leverage over the ECB? When the BBC publish this type of article, you know the establishment is rattled. Even the photo employed shows Graves as the good guy suggesting that Smith and his cohorts are the rebellious desperados. It reminds me of the Oscar Wilde quip: “Truth is the name we give to the lies we like.” www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/60849336?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 24, 2022 17:47:17 GMT
The Yorkshire CCC racism story continues to unfold as the tabloid press refers to the club’s “trouble at mill” as CIVIL WAR! Having postponed the Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) twice before, after Robin Smith declared the new chairmanship of Lord Kamlesh Patel invalid, it comes down to the wire on March 31st. This is the final day stipulated by the ECB for the issues to be resolved. These include changes to the structure of the county Board. The bottom line being: the ECB is blackmailing the Club and Members. For if they don’t agree to the reforms put forward by the DCMS, then all internationals at Headingley will stop. Period. Presently, the establishment are quaking in their boots. What happens if Yorkshire refuse? And why their praetorian guard media is peddling Colin Graves as the alleged peacemaker. Even the PCA has joined forces with the ECB and DCMS, so those led by Smith who harbour a sense of great injustice over being used as the racist scapegoat in English cricket or as Lord Patel points out, “believe the club is being sacrificed on the altar of Black Lives Matter”, are now being flouted as “the rebels of the piece.”  The Sacrificial Lamb?Yet, in the middle of this civil war stands Patel who is on the verge of being sued by a majority of the 16 sacked staff for “unfair dismissal”. This is a separate case altogether and has little to do with the structural changes of the club. What could happen is that Lord Patel may stand down and there will be no chairman to reside over the EGM. He has made it clear to the ECB that unless he gains their full support and is protected from the civil cases being brought against him, he will resign. It is understood that Yorkshire have already settled out of court with two former sacked staff members for a combined sum of close on £750,000. Meanwhile, the ECB has the UK Government breathing down its neck due to the need to support the DCMS. A spokesperson stated, “The Government will continue to call in the ECB quarterly and track their progress in tackling racism and increasing diversity, and will hold them to account for delivery against the joint 12-point action plan published in November 2021.” The spokesperson continued, “We expect to see evidence of improvements across the sport and delivery on the ECB’s ambition to eradicate racism from cricket. However if these changes are not made and implemented, the Government reserves the right to intervene further.” Q: What does it mean by “intervene further?” No-one wants to be shown up or backdown, yet there may well be a scapegoat if it all goes tits-up and that scapegoat could be Lord Patel. For this is politics at its most appalling grubbiest. |
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Post by liquidskin on Mar 24, 2022 17:55:50 GMT
Yorkshire need to seriously consider holding an inquiry into how they let a con man and a load of liberal virtue signallers interfere with business as usual. They have let themselves be dictated to by people who have nothing to do with Yorkshire, nothing to do with cricket, nothing to do with Great Britain and nothing to do with reality. Presuming they're fighting back, I'm glad they're fighting back. They will win.
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Post by gmdf on Mar 24, 2022 18:17:36 GMT
Yorkshire need to seriously consider holding an inquiry into how they let a con man and a load of liberal virtue signallers interfere with business as usual. They have let themselves be dictated to by people who have nothing to do with Yorkshire, nothing to do with cricket, nothing to do with Great Britain and nothing to do with reality. Presuming they're fighting back, I'm glad they're fighting back. They will win. Spoken by a true wally. If YCCC listen to the likes of you, they won't continue to exist. |
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Post by lovelyboy on Mar 24, 2022 22:22:59 GMT
I disagree. Yorkshire were viewed as a vulnerable target by the racist propaganda mob not because of “rampant racism” as suggested, but because of the club’s perception of having stick-in-the-mud, old northern fogeys running the county. Therefore, it is presumed racism must be apparent and in large quantities. All it required was for someone to come forward ie. Azeem Rafiq, and the blitzkrieg began headed by Julian Knight, the chair of DCMS, seeking woke brownie points to bolster his political career and a rabid mainstream media looking to boost newspaper sales and website page views. This was then followed by a feak and weeble ECB whom after much pressure and intimidation dared not go against the raging Knight/media onslaught and so Yorkshire became the scapegoats for racism in English cricket. Meanwhile, Rafiq was shown up to be the ultimate hypocrite with a history of alcoholism, writing anti-semite tweets, while texting lewd comments to a young girl, which elements of the left-wing media then refused to mention as it didn’t fit their racist storyline. This was a classic stitch-up job and Yorkshire was the fall-guy. Only seven of 43 racist allegations were substantiated. Of those, three referred to a period before 2012, two related to unacceptable dressing-room jokes about religion, weight and fitness; one was the club's failure to investigate Azeem Rafiq’s complaint in 2018; and another covered various occasions when Muslims, it is said, should have been made more welcome at Headingley (whatever that means). Smith then goes on, "Compare this figure of seven substantiated complaints with the 4,500 made to the ECB whistleblowing hotline, spread throughout the game. This is surely where the DCMS and ECB focus should be, not on imposing draconian sanctions on one county alone.” Interestingly, it is understood of the 4,500 people who responded, a fair number were not complaints at all, but from people showing support for Yorkshire CCC. What occurred at the Club has happened, perhaps, at all county grounds over the years and not just in cricket, but in a majority of other sports too. It just so happened that Yorkshire were in the wrong place at the wrong time. I really hope Smith and Graves come together and use their business savvy and financial booty to sue Knight/DCMS and take them to court for the perceived libellous comments. As Smith points out, “The manner in which Knight had made up [his] mind before Azeem Rafiq had (even) given his evidence had badly undermined my confidence in the whole process and called into question for me your committee's whole purpose.” This view is unbelievable! How can you not see that Yorkshire are in the wrong and need complete fundamental change. Just read Ballance’s own evidence. |
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 24, 2022 22:51:02 GMT
Why is it unbelievable?
No-one is saying there wasn't racism at Yorkshire, just as at a majority of counties over the years. The
point is that Yorkshire has been used as a scapegoat for the majority of racism in county cricket and
why Smith and his supporters feel so aggrieved.
The other problem is the testimony of Azeem Rafiq. Michael Vaughan, for example, flatly denies he said
the comments that Rafiq accuses him of. This is also the case with Gary Ballance, whom it is alleged, has
not apologised to the former bowler. Even though he has admitted and regretted using the word p*ki, other
accusations made by Rafiq, Ballance denies.
The bottom line is, evidence suggests Rafiq is not a reliable witness, especially when you learn of his past.
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Post by Wicked Cricket on Mar 25, 2022 12:11:12 GMT
It is just 6 days to go and the countdown has started. The vital and high-stakes Yorkshire EGM on March 31st at 6pm, looms ominously ahead. It has been a longtime since the cricketing establishment has appeared so rattled by “the civil war raging at Headingley”. The Yorkshire Post, the media outlet that has done more than any other to highlight the problems at the club during the last few years, published today yet another article on the subject. What it shows is that the establishment, once again, has shot itself in the foot after Julian Knight, chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee and the primary perpetrator of this crisis is quoted and uses such phrases as “urging members to continue the process of the club’s rehabilitation” by backing Lord Patel’s reforms set out at the EGM. For the word “Rehabilitation” is a red rag for Smith and his supporters. What an idiotic thing to say. Watch video: Yorkshire sponsor supports Lord Patel and pleads with Club Memberswww.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/politics/yorkshire-ccc-members-urged-to-back-lord-patels-reforms-by-senior-politician-3626252The PR campaign will gather apace now with everyone from sponsors to scorecard manufacturers pleading with Yorkshire Members to allow egg to be splashed all over their face and agree to the measures put forward by the ECB. By agreeing, they are admitting that the club is a bigoted, racist institution above all other counties, where in reality 99% involved with the club in some way or other are not. And if they don’t agree then the ECB will not allow anymore internationals to be hosted at Headingley. This is straight-forward, unadulterated blackmail from the Board. Everyone sees through it, everyone knows it. Not only does this put the ECB in a feak and weeble light, but shows once again they are little more than puppets of the UK Government, whom they themselves are being played like a fiddle by the woke movement led as ever by the all-conspiring, all-powerful, mainstream media. Yet, the greatest tragedy of all is there are no winners amidst this hysterical and racist frenzy raging now for close on six months. Whether you are the 16 Yorkshire staff sacked by Lord Patel, Michael Vaughan’s dismissal to Coventry punditry, the players accused of racism (a majority deny such claims). And even sadder Azeem Rafiq, the whistleblower in all of this, who in a recent Daily Mail and self-piteous interview complains he has been shunned by all and asunder and fears he will never gain a job in cricket. No-one has won, not least racism itself where common sense has been booted out of the window leaving behind extremism of the worst kind. www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/sportsnews/article-10590629/Azeem-Rafiq-fears-UNEMPLOYABLE-following-claims-institutional-racism-Yorkshire.html To move forward, it is likely Yorkshire Members will vote for the ECB reforms. Having no international cricket at Headingley would be a financial disaster (in published accounts from 2019, the Club accrued £10.4 million out of an overall £18 million from international games). Therefore, it is of no surprise to learn that Graves has been pushing for a YES vote given he is owed over £15m by the Club. Meanwhile, Smith and his rebels will fade into the background keeping their powder dry for another day. Then what? The court case/s against Lord Patel for unfair dismissal from a majority of the 16 sacked staff will move ahead, unless an out-of-court settlement can be agreed. This will place Patel in a precarious situation. Meanwhile, the racist frenzy will die down as the mainstream media continue to focus on Russia, Russia, Russia. www.mirror.co.uk/sport/cricket/yorkshire-lord-patel-rafiq-racism-26514167Will lessons be learned from all of this? I doubt it. Racism in its purest form is appalling and should be stamped out at all costs. Yet, when racism is used as a political weapon, it can be employed over and over again. (I promise no-more articles on this subject until March 31st) |
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Post by gmdf on Mar 25, 2022 13:11:01 GMT
The bee in your bonnet is buzzing so loudly it seems to have driven you mad...
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