YORKSHIRE have suspended England Under-19 all-rounder Azeem Rafiq after his misdemeanours during last week’s first youth Test against Sri Lanka. The 19-year-old was left out of this week’s second youth Test at Scarborough after reportedly breaking a team curfew during the Northampton clash, in which he made 82 in the first innings but took only two wickets in the match.
He responded by posting two expletive-laden rants on his Twitter page, in which he called coach John Abrahams a “useless ******” and claimed “ECB prove again what incompetent people are working for them”.
Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan said: “Azeem’s behaviour was totally unacceptable and the club will not tolerate it. Our professional players are role models to aspiring young cricketers and need to behave as such.
“Whilst Azeem has apologised formally to the ECB, the club and the coach in question, the club still intend to carry out a full investigation before deciding on what disciplinary action to take. In the meantime, he is suspended on full pay and unavailable for selection.”
A Tykes statement additionally suggested: “It is likely that Rafiq will also be summoned to Lord’s to face an ECB Disciplinary Committee over the next few days.”
Rafiq is set to lose the England Under-19 captaincy over his outburst. (Eurosport)