English cricket has come under fresh criticism for its attitudes towards racism and “outdated” stereotypes after the chairman of Middlesex, Mike O’Farrell, told parliament that the sport’s lack of diversity was down to black players preferring football and rugby and the Asian community prioritising education.
Azeem Rafiq and Ebony Rainford-Brent were among those to express their disbelief after O’Farrell suggested to a digital, culture, media and sport select committee hearing that it was not cricket’s fault that more players from ethnic communities were not playing the game.
