The ramifications of Azeem Rafiq's testimony will flow over to us, in regard to what he says about TB. I see we're going to start an investigation into his involvement. I guess that COULD well lead to Tim's 'early retirement'?
'The only good banker, is the Lickey Banker!'
BBC article today re Bresnan https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/59310948
Notable to me that Bresnan denies 'frequently using racist language' but doesn't actually deny using it.
Think you could well be right Lickey and we've seen the last of TB in a Warwickshire shirt and indeed any county team.
At the same time if TB fronts up acknowledges that what he did was wrong and is determined to make amends by apologising and committing to re-education he could be with us next season. Not only that but he could be an example of the sport acknowledging that things have been wrong in the past but are determined to move forward; not just by being sacked/paid off/retiring but by being an example of positive change.
Personally I think there will be countless more examples of racism and bullying in dressing rooms across the country, what was deemed acceptable is now being proved not to be. 'Banter', which I have always found to be a convenient word to cover a multitude of sins, needs to be examined and people made aware that words cannot just be taken at face value.
Jack Brooks seems to have escaped with a reprimand:
https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/cricket/somerset-tymal-mills-cheteshwar-pujara-yorkshire-azeem-rafiq-b1960191.html
I suspect it may not be so easy for Tim Bresnan because the accusations against him suggest a wider pattern of behaviour.
Has announced his retirement,
https://edgbaston.com/news/tim-bresnan-announces-retirement/?fbclid=IwAR0f2oKpalF5ckD6VxdwY4HwQsey7XXlsqD6YOfNNuRKFEn8COgceFc-NWI
It's always a sad day when a sportsman has to hang up his boots, but it seems he has made the right decision to do it now.
Good luck to him in the next chapter of his life.
Yes, sad to see him go but his last day in first-class cricket was a memorable one. The slip catch he took to dismiss Tom Lammonby was a crucial moment in the Somerset innings - a wicket just before lunch.
Very much the right signing at the right time. He did exactly what these old pros are brought in to do: contributed with bat, ball, in the slips and off the field. The timing is right for him and probably for the club too. Have a happy retirement Bres.
When he got in the England side, he was a real asset and at number 8 or 9 was a member of such a massively powerful team and I do think they ditched him too early. When he came to us, I was excited but his bowling was on a downward curve but he was a good number 7 and I think as a batsman (Yes, I am still going to use that term) he would have been ideal to bowl a few overs without real potency. Cannot help but think that the 'Rafiq Incident' had some sort of bearing on his decision. What a way to go though after that last match v Somerset.
I would say this means it pretty certain, that our Overseas Championship player will be an all rounder.
"You can take the boy out of Atherstone, but you can never take Atherstone out of the boy !"
"The Bears and the (footballing) Foxes for ever !"
Marco Jansen of South Africa would be a good option, a tall left arm seamer that was batting at 7 during the SA v India tests.
Whoever the club signs needs to be a consistant performer that makes a positive contribution to the team every game. Too many times last season, when Vihari was included, the team were effectively playing with just 10 men.
Good call Highveld. I did post some news here a couple of months ago, which I had heard - the fact that the Club were actively looking at left arm seamers, as the Overseas signing. They considered Shaheen Afridi, but didn't pursue, as he couldn't commit to a full Championship season. This South African guy looks to be an ideal recruit, to me. And I think South African Internationals should be available for a full season this year?
'The only good banker, is the Lickey Banker!'
I think he has the potential to be a left handed Shaun Pollock type, so would be a good signing, with the potential of returning for several years.
Let's hope he is an improvement on the last South African player to come here.Peter Malan was very poor up until his final game.
Even an underperforming Malan was massively better than the contribution from Vihari, it really was going into games a man down.
Vihari, Malan and Holder were all useless let's not get away from that! The fact that we won the Championship with 10 men in most games remains the biggest achievement. Without trying to sound unkind.
Overseas player for next year, unless it's somebody proven and almost guaranteed to contribute in most games i wouldn't even bother getting one in.
Verdict of the ECB Disciplinary Committee in relation to Tim Bresnan:
"Charge Used the terms "fit P***" and/or "FP" referring to Amna Rafiq at Headingley in April 2014 and/or about an Asian woman at the Yorkshire team's hotel bar in Birmingham the evening before a T20 against Warwickshire in July 2018; and/or about Asian women on other occasions in the Yorkshire environment in 2014 and/or 2017 and/or 2018.
Verdict All proved"
I think the article by Mark Ramprakash today is a very thoughtful one. Just like he says with Hoggard I think the same applies to Vaughan (I'm no big fan of his personally but I think the court judgement has to be seen as a fair one) who has made errors in the past with his tweets and to Tim Bresnan (who I always have quite liked) being a bit of a prat - people do mess up from time to time and even the perpetrators of racist language/bullying are themselves victims of the culture that led them to that point
They all needed better guidance 10/15 years back. I do think they are going to have to hammer Yorkshire pretty hard though for all this (deleted emails ffs, not following best practice) and also the ECB will have look itself in the mirror
I agree that the Ramprakash article sums things up pretty well.
I used to have a low opinion of Ramprakash, having seen how he behaved when given out (correctly) for obstructing the field in a match at Cheltenham. But I heard him speak at an event, ironically also at Cheltenham, this past winter and he was very impressive - honest and thoughtful.
Seems to be the case that any punishment for the club will be delayed until June or July. Many seem to think it'd be harsh but an interesting radio programme posted online a couple of days ago worth listening to in order to get a feel for how far things were allowed to drift at Yorkshire CCC over the previous 20 years.
Tim Bresnan fined £4,000 plus given a three match suspension in the unlikely event that he plays again.