Michael Vaughan: Former Yorkshire player Rana Naved-ul-Hasan says he heard alleged racist comment

Vaughan has ‘categorically denied’ making a racist comment to a group of Asian players

Former Yorkshire player Rana Naved-ul-Hasan has alleged that he also heard Michael Vaughan make a racist comment while playing for the county.

The report into alleged racism at the club stated that former England captain Vaughan told a group of Asian players, including Rafiq: “Too many of you lot, we need to do something about it.”

Vaughen revealed he was named in the report in a column in the Telegraph but “completely and categorically denied” making the comment.

Rana, who played almost 100 tests and ODIs for Pakistan, subsequently told ESPN that he had also heard the comment and was standing next to Vaughan at Trent Bridge in 2009 when he allegedly said it. Rana added that he was prepared to provide evidence to an enquiry.

Speaking to ESPN in 2020, when Rafiq’s allegations became public knowledge, Rana said: “I fully support what Azeem said and this has been the case with me as well.

“I never spoke about it because, as foreigners, we were temporary and somehow I managed to accept the way it is. So I just focused on playing cricket. I never wanted to jeopardise my contracts.

“At times I used to feel bad, but I decided to ignore it because I knew I was not going to live there permanently. But I know what Azeem went through.”

Vaughan was implicated in the scandal the day after his former teammate, Gary Ballance, admitted to using the racial slur “P***” when speaking to Rafiq.

Ballance apologised in a lengthy statement, saying he “deeply regrets some of the language I used in my younger years”, but added that “at no time did I believe or understand that it had caused Rafa distress” and said he didn’t recall reducing Rafiq to tears.

On Friday morning, Yorkshire’s chairman, Roger Hutton, resigned following an exodus of major sponsors and political pressure.

Hutton, who joined the board almost two years after Rafiq left the club, said there had been “a constant unwillingness from the executive members of the board and senior management at the club to apologise.”

Hutton was also critical of the England and Wales Cricket Board, claiming the governing body had “declined to help” and were “reluctant to act” when he informed them of Rafiq’s allegations.

An emergency board meeting was taking place at Yorkshire on Friday morning following Hutton’s statement, with chief executive Mark Arthur and director of cricket Martyn Moxon under pressure to step down.