ECB warned further action can be taken if racism problem is not dealt with

The England and Wales Cricket Board has been warned it will be held to account by the Government if it does not provide “clear and sustained evidence of cultural change across the sport”.

Earlier this month, the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee issued a report calling on the ECB to “clean up its act” on racism or face a limit on the public funding it receives.

The harrowing testimony of former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq and others on the allegations of racist abuse they suffered resulted in the ECB implementing a 12-point plan to tackle discrimination.

There has also been major structural change at Yorkshire with Lord Kamlesh Patel installed as new chair and Ottis Gibson recently announced as head coach.

On Wednesday afternoon, Lord Addington, on behalf of Lord Mann, asked a question in the House of Lords about the ongoing issues within cricket.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, parliamentary under-secretary for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, said: “The Government is clear that racism has no place in cricket, just as it has no place in any sport or in our society at large.

“We welcome the steps taken so far by the England and Wales Cricket Board and the new chairman of Yorkshire County Cricket club, Lord Patel of Bradford.

“These steps are only the beginning. We now expect to see clear and sustained evidence of cultural change across the sport resulting from them.

“We will continue to hold the ECB to account directly on this and reserve the right to take further measures if necessary.”

On Tuesday, ECB chief executive Tom Harrison appeared in front of the DCMS committee to provide a progress update, which includes former England captain Clare Connor leading the promised review of