Ex-England and Yorkshire seamer Matthew Hoggard pulls out of racism hearing

Hoggard was charged by the ECB in June

Matthew Hoggard won the Ashes with England in 2005 (Nigel French/PA) (PA Archive)

Former England bowler Matthew Hoggard has confirmed his withdrawal from the disciplinary process involving allegations made by his former Yorkshire team-mate Azeem Rafiq.

Hoggard, who was part of the England team which won the 2005 Ashes, was one of the individuals charged by the England and Wales Cricket Board last June in a disciplinary case examining allegations of racism and bullying made by Rafiq.

The case is due to be heard in public by a Cricket Discipline Commission panel at the start of next month but Hoggard confirmed to the PA news agency that he was withdrawing from the process, because he did not feel he would get a fair hearing.

Hoggard’s former Yorkshire team-mate Andrew Gale, another of the individuals charged, announced last year he was not willing to engage with the process, which he described as “tainted”.

Hoggard is understood to have been interviewed by the BBC in relation to the case.