The Rafiq case

[Hawke]

This crucial matter deserves a separate heading to Off The Field, which is covering a lot of different, though important matters.

More here from Chris Waters. Hard hitting and the YP are obviously backing him.

Patel should apologise publicly to the Yorkshire CCC staff he has sacked and then clear his desk - Chris Waters

“ON THE 3rd December 2021 the Yorkshire County Cricket Club Limited took the decision to dismiss its coaching and medical staff. The club has acknowledged that its dismissals of that group of employees was procedurally unfair.”

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

 

[Karma]

Well, hard hitting, no punches pulled but not quite a knock-out.

I e-mailed YCCC with a request to forward my e-mail to Lord Patel some months ago, so far no response not even an acknowledgement. Difficult to contact anyone specific at the club as the 'club directory' has for some time been removed from the website.

As far as I'm aware Lord P has not given a recent press interview (possibly never) and does not seem approachable. Someone has said the board is a lot of sheep led by a donkey.

The latest 'conflict' seems to be , having agreed a settlement with Gale that YCCC are now refusing to sign the papers (though I might have missunderstood) A PR blunder.

Before that we had the cancellation of the EGM at very short notice carefully timed for a Friday evening. The reason given was breathtaking ie to allow the employees to reflect on the sad loss of our gracious Queen (my words) Pity the poor players turning out v Essex having to both play while reflecting.

The reason for the cancellation insults my intellligence.I can only assume Lord P is manning the barracades (from the rear) hiding and kicking the can down the road, until the new chair is announced

I would say to Lord P, either meet the supporters and your critics to answer questions ( including about the High Level Review, as promised) or leave immediately. But don' t just hide.

 

[Jofferino]

Well that’s it for me I’m a 58 year old life long supporter of YCCC ,many happy boyhood days were spent with my late father watching the likes of Boycott Bairstow (David lived up our street in Gomersal he gave me a signed England bat) Cope etc.The way Andrew Gale ,his lovely wife and young family are being treated is making my blood boil.I for one will never set foot through the gates at Headingley again

 

[Newby]

I hope this latest disgraceful state of affairs is sorted out with the minimum of delay. Surely the club, having admitted to the world they were at fault, and having agreed to the compensation aren't stupid enough to take this to the tribunal.

Don't answer that, I'm not sure it's possible to plumb the depths of the mismanagement they and whoever is advising them are capable of.

 

[Karma]

Well I won't answer that specific question.

In life some people or organisations who make mistakes learn from the experience and modify their future conduct.

Others just keep making the same mistakes time after time and just plough on regardless. It's not necessarily stupidity. Something worse, because it's other people's lives and other people's money they are playing with . It's not just miss-management but Is it gross negligence of their duties.

 

[Karma]

Well that’s it for me I’m a 58 year old life long supporter of YCCC ,many happy boyhood days were spent with my late father watching the likes of Boycott Bairstow (David lived up our street in Gomersal he gave me a signed England bat) Cope etc.The way Andrew Gale ,his lovely wife and young family are being treated is making my blood boil.I for one will never set foot through the gates at Headingley again

Well, I've also watched and supported the team for a long time, over 65 years though I can't remember it all. There've been a number of fallouts at the club, too numerous to mention or instantly recollect. Throughout it all, it's the cricket that I've enjoyed and most importantly meeting and talking with many, many fellow cricket supporters of, both Yorkshire and every other county (and many countries too).

I joke with my wife when setting off for a game, " Right, I'm off to the cricket now and to have some intelligent conversation"

I only once jokingly added " For a change"

I would urge you, if possible, to try to separate what 'the club' by way of management has done (or not done) from the players on the field, the coaches, the team and fellow supporters and the enjoyment of the game. Who knows we may have spoken; you might have helped me remember some fact from the corners of my hard drive or diplomatically and kindly put me straight. I'm not going to ask you to change your mind about entering the Gates or wherever. That is only something you can do if and when you feel it's right.

In the meantime, best of luck.

 

[DaveMorton]

Well that’s it for me I’m a 58 year old life long supporter of YCCC ,many happy boyhood days were spent with my late father watching the likes of Boycott Bairstow (David lived up our street in Gomersal he gave me a signed England bat) Cope etc.The way Andrew Gale ,his lovely wife and young family are being treated is making my blood boil.I for one will never set foot through the gates at Headingley again

That's very sad. I prefer to view it as My Club, taken over by invaders. Eventually they will go away and leave it not too damaged, perhaps. I suppose the analogy is the Nazis invading Europe, which would make Gough our Quisling, I suppose - which might be unfair! But Norway was still Norway, and returned very quickly back to civilised normality, after the savages had gone.

 

[Hawke]

Is this supposed change of mind re the offer to AG, linked to the non-disclosure stipulation and information appearing in the Mail Online???

 

[Karma]

I don't know, I think agreement had been reached but the subsequent board meeting had 'second thoughts'

 

[Tykemania]

As an aside, don't know if you all picked up today that some of the many players accusing Essex of rascism have asked when they will be afforded the same parliamentary priviledge that Rafiq was...

 

[Karma]

As an aside, don't know if you all picked up today that some of the many players accusing Essex of rascism have asked when they will be afforded the same parliamentary priviledge that Rafiq was...

I didn't see the item, but it does not surprise me. I don't mean the charges of racism but rather the route of going for the Parliamentary Privilege method of getting unchallenged allegations across rather than an evidence and witness based independent investigation.

I'm not saying there wasn't racism, I don't know, but this unchallenged and televised route seems to have worked before.

But you would also need someone like the Lord Patel to drive the subsequent narrative, sackings and compensations., before disappearing

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today,
I really wish he'd go away.
(Antigonish)

But not until he's signed off all the compensation settlements for unfair dismissals

 

[DaveMorton]

Presumably Patel will be available to do for Essex what he did for us.

 

[Karma]

Presumably Patel will be available to do for Essex what he did for us.

I assume from your presumption that Essex might have a top-heavy coaching staff, too many sponsors, quality players thinking about moving on and about £2mill going spare. Just as well they don't host Test Matches

 

[Hawke]

The YP are allowing CW to write many times a week on the Rafiq case. It is interesting that AR has what I suspect is a very powerful advisory team behind him, 'Powerscourt', who will know which buttons to press. The 16 former YCCC employees are, comparatively, cast out to themselves. The photo attached to the article shows GD with AR at Headingley.

Confusion surrounds Yorkshire CCC racism trial after Azeem Rafiq demands that the hearings are in public

THREE MONTHS ago Azeem Rafiq stated, apparently in passing, that his preference was for the Yorkshire racism trial to be held in public.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk

 

[Hawke]

I assume from your presumption that Essex might have a top-heavy coaching staff, too many sponsors, quality players thinking about moving on and about £2mill going spare. Just as well they don't host Test Matches

I expect Essex CCC own Chelmsford Cricket Ground and can make tons of money out of it. We are far far more dependent on Test income I suspect as well as having an ECB man in charge.

 

[Newby]

According to the Mail on-line the package offered to Andrew Gale has now been signed off by the Yorkshire board but with an NDA/Gagging order.

As Gale himself has said he wouldn't engage with the ECB anymore I don't suppose the NDA means a lot, unless you are a fan of truth and justice of course in this new era of openness and transparency at YCCC.

 

[Karma]

I just hope he's got the money as well. There's not much the ECB can do to him now as actions and publicity have ensured he won't be able to follow a career in cricket. (Well not in the near future)

On the other hand, if he say writes a book, setting out 'his side of things' in relation to his sacking by YCCC he might face financial penalties or even be obliged to repay the whole sum This would of course depend upon the actual wording of the 'agreement' (or promise with menaces). NDA's are notoriously hard to word to cover every eventuality. YCCC could just raise a load of bad publicity for itself as well.

 

[Hawke]

2 million and rising, crikey. We spent years reducing the debt.....
Gagging people is a great way of keeping your narrative in the ascendancy.
'Powerscourt' are aptly named for AR's backers.

 

[Karma]

From the Mail On-line Sports 10th Oct) - I don't know how true this is but........

"Baroness Tanni-Grey Thompson is considering quitting the Yorkshire Board after just five months due to the club's failure to act on 'mental health Crisis'. Specifically due to concerns about the the club's treatment of staff. Sports Mail has leaned the 53-year-old is conducting a 'listening exercise' after the county failed to act on the findings of an external report they received last summer, which concluded there was a 'mental health crises' at Headingley".

Apparently, she has told the club she will stand down if recommendations are not acted upon.

" After speaking to staff, she is understood to have queried Yorkshire's plan to plead guilty to ECB's misconduct charge relating to their handling of Azeem Rafiq's racism complaint".

"Grievances in the report included claims staff felt they were not listened to and that there was a lack of accountability and transparency from leaders. Such feelings were compounded last July when a senior Yorkshire figure told staff it was time for them to 'get over it' at a meeting. Much of the unhappiness stems from the way Yorkshire sacked 16 staff members last December - most of whom have received payoffs for unfair dismissal - with many who remain afraid to express their grievances".

Personally, I can believe it as true. but to resign? That would be an indictment of all Lord Patel has done or not done and I'm not sure what he would actually now do to pour oil on troubled waters. instead of pouring petrol on the flames

 

[Hawke]

From the Mail On-line Sports 10th Oct) - I don't know how true this is but........

"Baroness Tanni-Grey Thompson is considering quitting the Yorkshire Board after just five months due to the club's failure to act on 'mental health Crisis'. Specifically due to concerns about the the club's treatment of staff. Sports Mail has leaned the 53-year-old is conducting a 'listening exercise' after the county failed to act on the findings of an external report they received last summer, which concluded there was a 'mental health crises' at Headingley".

Apparently, she has told the club she will stand down if recommendations are not acted upon.

" After speaking to staff, she is understood to have queried Yorkshire's plan to plead guilty to ECB's misconduct charge relating to their handling of Azeem Rafiq's racism complaint".

"Grievances in the report included claims staff felt they were not listened to and that there was a lack of accountability and transparency from leaders. Such feelings were compounded last July when a senior Yorkshire figure told staff it was time for them to 'get over it' at a meeting. Much of the unhappiness stems from the way Yorkshire sacked 16 staff members last December - most of whom have received payoffs for unfair dismissal - with many who remain afraid to express their grievances".

Personally, I can believe it as true. but to resign? That would be an indictment of all Lord Patel has done or not done and I'm not sure what he would actually now do to pour oil on troubled waters. instead of pouring petrol on the flames

She has issued a statement regards this suggesting the Mail have not got that all right. It is mentioned in a lengthy report in the YP by CW which is mainly about 'leading' members meeting to discuss a way forward....

Leading Yorkshire CCC members to discuss best way forward for crisis-hit club

PRESSURE on the Yorkshire board continues to rise in the wake of its response to the racism crisis.

www.yorkshirepost.co.uk