Harrogate district firm ends sponsorship with Yorkshire County Cricket Club

Yorkshire Tea, which is based in the Harrogate district, has ended its sponsorship of Yorkshire County Cricket Club.

Yorkshire, which has many members and supporters in the district, has been fiercely criticised for saying it didn’t plan to take any disciplinary action against individuals following an investigation into the allegations by former player Azeem Rafiq.

The row escalated today when it was revealed Yorkshire chairman Roger Hutton, chief executive Mark Arthur and director of cricket Martyn Moxon would be questioned by MPs on November 16.

Now, Yorkshire Tea, which is part of the Bettys and Taylors Group based in Harrogate, revealed today it has ended its sponsorship with the club.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Tea told the Stray Ferret:

“We were upset to read about the experiences of Azeem Rafiq during his time at Yorkshire County Cricket Club. We wholeheartedly believe that cricket should be a sport for everyone, but his experiences and the way the panel report has been handled don’t reflect that.

“Our current sponsorship of YCCC was naturally coming to an end but we have taken the decision to end it with immediate effect.”

Meanwhile, Harrogate Spring Water, which also sponsors the club, said it had raised concerns with senior officials at Yorkshire over the matter.

A spokesperson for the company said:

“We are deeply disappointed at the allegations which have come to light concerning individuals within Yorkshire County Cricket Club and have expressed our concerns in discussions with senior personnel at the club.

“Racism has no place in sport or society and we are keen to hear further from Yorkshire CCC how they intend to bring about meaningful, positive change on this issue.”

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The news comes as Anchor butter, which had its logo on Yorkshire’s website, confirmed it had cut ties with the club.

Meanwhile, Emerald Publishing, which has naming rights to Headingley cricket ground, said it would review the findings of an investigation by the England and Wales Cricket Board.

The company added that Yorkshire had a “great deal to do” to restore trust.

Yesterday, Mark Ellis, chairman of Masham Cricket Club, told the Stray Ferret that the county club’s actions “sent mixed messages” to grassroots cricket and that the club was “extremely disappointed” in Yorkshire’s actions.

Masham Cricket Club criticises Yorkshire response to racism allegations

Masham Cricket Club has said it is “extremely disappointed” by Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s response to allegations that it is institutionally racist.

The allegations were made in August 2020 by Azeem Rafiq, who was an off-spin bowler for Yorkshire and became the club’s youngest ever Twenty20 format captain in 2012.

Yorkshire, which has many members and supporters in the Harrogate district, has faced fierce criticism after it insisted no disciplinary action would be taken against former players, employees or executives following an investigation.

Mark Ellis, chairman of Masham Cricket Club, said the response from Yorkshire “felt like double standards”.

He said grassroot clubs encouraged inclusivity and fostered communities, but felt like the county’s actions “sent mixed messages”.

Mr Ellis said:

“What I see here is that Yorkshire County Cricket are the most senior club in the county and there just seems to be double standards.

“What message does that send to grassroots cricket?

“I accept there has been some kind of apology, but it feels as though they are being forced to do that.”

In a tweet this morning, Masham Cricket Club said the response from the club to the allegations had left it “angry”.

It said:

“As a Yorkshire grassroots cricket club, [we are] extremely disappointed and angry that our county club is not taking the right actions over this matter and therefore the only conclusion that can be drawn is that they are institutional racist.”

As a Yorkshire grassroots Cricket Club, extremely disappointed and angry that our county club is not taking the right actions over this matter and therefore the only conclusion that can be drawn is that they are institutional racist. https://t.co/hrLUhpsH9a

— Masham Cricket Club (@MashamCricket) November 2, 2021

On September 10, Yorkshire released a summary statement of the panel’s investigation into the allegations and apologised to Rafiq.

But the club faced criticism, including by Jo Stevens, Shadow Secretary for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, for releasing the statement in the midst of the cancellation of England’s final test match against India.

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The club later cited legal reasons for not releasing the full report.

However, yesterday, ESPNCricinfo reported that the investigation panel found at least one player used the P-word when talking to Rafiq.

‘Banter’ between players

The investigation cleared the player of any wrongdoing after the report said it was perceived as friendly, good-natured “banter” between the two players.

Following the publication of the summary report, Rafiq has continued to campaign against racism and taken to social media to criticise Yorkshire’s response.

The Stray Ferret has approached Yorkshire County Cricket Club for comment.

In response to the allegations, Roger Hutton, chairman of Yorkshire, said in a statement in September:

“There is no question that Azeem Rafiq, during his first spell as a player at YCCC, was the victim of racial harassment. He was also subsequently the victim of bullying.

“On behalf of all at YCCC, I wish to extend my sincere, profound and unreserved apologies to Azeem and to his family.”