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Michael Vaughan calls out the ECB for deceit when it offers to pay for Adil Rashid’s return to England so he can testify at the Yorkshire race trial in March, after they insisted it would be “disproportionately expensive” to bring him back from Bangladesh.
Michael Vaughan has formally offered to pay for Adil Rashid to return from England’s one-day games in Bangladesh to testify in the Yorkshire race trial next month.
sports mail revealed earlier this week that the ECB has argued in legal submissions to the Cricket Disciplinary Commission [CDC] in charge of the hearing that it would be “disproportionately expensive” for Rashid to return to England, but Vaughan removed that hurdle by offering to cover the cost.
Rashid has become the ECB’s key witness in its case against Vaughan, who has been accused of using racist language towards Azeem Rafiq, with the England player supporting his claim that the winning Ashes captain used the phrase “too many of you”. to a group of Asian players from Yorkshire in 2009.
Rashid’s lawyers are understood to have received a letter from Vaughan’s legal team this week offering to pay the cost of his return journey.
The hearing will take place from March 1-8 and will coincide with England’s one-day series and Twenty20 in Bangladesh, with six matches scheduled between March 1-14.
Michael Vaughan has formally offered to pay for Adil Rashid’s return journey from Bangladesh
Rashid is seen as a key witness in the case against Vaughan, who has been accused of racism.
The ECB saw it as “disproportionately expensive” to bring Rashid back to court next month.
Vaughan’s lawyers want to question Rashid in person as they consider him central to the whole case, which has resulted in him being removed from all commentary duties with the BBC since he was indicted by the ECB last June.
In response, the ECB insists that Rashid need only give evidence remotely, with a final decision to be made by the CDC.
In addition to offering to pay for Rashid’s flight, Vaughan’s legal team also wrote to the ECB to inquire about their arrangements for a virtual hearing.
It is understood that despite repeated questions, the ECB has yet to provide details on the IT and security capabilities they would have in Bangladesh to ensure fair process.
Vaughan is the only one of seven people charged in the Yorkshire race scandal to appear at next month’s disciplinary hearing after Richard Pyrah, the former county assistant coach, became the sixth former player to withdraw this week.
A spokesman for Rashid declined to comment.
The hearing is related to accusations of racism made by former cricketer Azeem Rafiq.
The former England captain will be the only defendant present at next month’s hearing.