EXCLUSIVE: Yorkshire left in the dark over points deduction fears

Yorkshire left in the dark over a possible points deduction ahead of the new season as the ECB’s probe into racism allegations hits continual delays despite the club pleading guilty to four charges

  • Yorkshire could be hit with points deductions for a second successive season
  • The club have pleaded guilty to four charges of bringing the game into disrepute
  • Their financial status is extremely perilous after last year’s annual loss of £2.2m

Yorkshire will begin a second successive season facing the threat of a points deduction and are uncertain how many they will lose due to further delays in the ECB’s handling of Azeem Rafiq’s racism allegations. 

The club have pleaded guilty to four charges of bringing the game into disrepute, including a failure to address systemic use of racist and/or discriminatory language, but may not discover their punishment until the end of May.

The Cricket Discipline Commission hearing into the ECB’s disciplinary proceedings against seven former Yorkshire players and the club took place earlier this month.

The verdicts are expected to be delivered next week, but Sportsmail has learned that the sentencing could drag on for another two months. 

It is understood that the ECB have written to the defendants asking their availability to attend a sanctioning hearing, with the dates on offer ranging from April 17 to May 24.

Yorkshire County Cricket Club could face a points deduction for a second successive season

But the club have been left in the dark over the threat of docked points – with the ECB’s probe into racism allegations continuing to hit delays – despite them pleading guilty to four charges

The Cricket Discipline Commission hearing into Azeem Rafiq’s claims took place this month

Yorkshire will therefore start the season uncertain of their fate, as they are due to begin their County Championship campaign with a Division Two fixture against Leicestershire on April 6. 

A significant points deduction in the Championship, Twenty20 Blast and One Day Cup is the most likely outcome as the ECB are anxious to avoid a heavy financial penalty that would put Yorkshire at risk of going into administration. 

The club’s financial position is extremely perilous, with last year’s accounts showing losses of £2.2m on top of the £15m already owed to the family of former chairman, Colin Graves. Yorkshire were in a similarly uncertain position before the start of last season as they were then being investigated by the ECB. 

The club avoided a points deduction 12 months as they were not charged until June, with the hearing not taking place until nine months later, but still suffered relegation from Division One of the Championship.

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