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Former England captain Michael Vaughan says the disciplinary hearing into allegations of racism at Yorkshire is a “terrible look” for cricket. <\/span><\/p>\n Vaughan is accused of saying “there’s too many of you lot, we need to have a word about that” to Azeem Rafiq and three other Asian players at Yorkshire before a T20 match in 2009.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Vaughan has “completely and categorically” <\/span>denied the allegation<\/span><\/a> – and did so again when giving evidence for the first time in the hearing on Friday.<\/span><\/p>\n The 48-year-old was critical of the process and said he met Rafiq in November 2021 because “the whole situation was escalating out of control”.<\/span><\/p>\n In the meeting Vaughan apologised to Rafiq for the hurt the former spinner had experienced at Yorkshire but did not accept he made the alleged comment. <\/span><\/p>\n Rafiq said on Thursday that Vaughan’s subsequent actions had left him feeling “naive”.<\/span><\/p>\n “It’s not been easy for anybody,” said Vaughan, under cross-examination by Jane Mulcahy KC – the lawyer for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).<\/span><\/p>\n “This is not the right process to deal with word-against-word comments from 14 years ago.<\/span><\/p>\n “Ex-team-mates fighting it out over hearsay is a terrible look for the game and a really bad look on how cricket has dealt with this situation.”<\/span><\/p>\n Yorkshire has <\/span>accepted<\/span><\/a> four amended charges from the ECB, which also includes the county accepting there was a “systemic” use of racist or discriminatory language at the club during Rafiq’s career.<\/span><\/p>\nVaughan makes ‘Question of Sport’ joke during hearing<\/h3>\n