Azeem Rafiq accused of using ‘race card’ by former personal development manager

Matthew Wood appeared as a witness in defence of Michael Vaughan.

Azeem Rafiq arrives at the Cricket Discipline Commission hearing (James Manning/PA). (PA Wire)

Azeem Rafiq was accused of using “the race card” on the day Michael Vaughan defended himself against a charge that he made a racist remark to his former Yorkshire team-mate.

Matthew Wood, Rafiq’s former personal development manager at the Professional Cricketers’ Association, appeared as a witness in defence of Vaughan.

In his witness statement Wood, himself an ex-Yorkshire player, said: “In my dealings with Azeem, I was aware of two occasions in which he (directly or indirectly) acknowledged that he would be prepared to use the ‘race card’.

“By that, I understood Azeem to mean that he would make, or allude to, an allegation of racism in bad faith in order to gain an advantage.”