Gary Ballance Statement

[secretzimbo]

There’s a lot of people missing the point here!!!!

It’s not just a falling out of two friends, or Rafiq hanging Ballance out to dry. Rafiq’s claims are way way wider than Ballance about YCCC being institutionally racist over many years at all levels. This has been bubbling away all year since the claims were made.

The main story here is how the wider club has acted and allowed it to happen. And allowed numerous people to be openly racist over many years. Their investigation has then been terrible, they’ve tried to bury it, cover it up etc etc and then decided to only produce a heavily redacted report and also said they won’t take any disciplinary action against anyone at all. It was this awful report that tried to claim ‘Zimbo’ was akin to p.aki. Very clearly not. Anyone who’s ever been near the U.K. knows full well not to use the latter word, at all, in any context. It has a history of being used to directly attack and target Pakistanis in the U.K.

Zimbo obviously does not. It’s used widely, mostly by actual Zimbabweans. To claim the words are the same is a joke, and sums up the wider ridiculousness of Yorkshire’s report and actions.

Ballance is a minor part of it but has been a screwed by a newspaper apparently trying to keep him anonymous but saying it was a ‘senior player of Zimbabwean heritage. So of course it’s obvious and Ballance had no choice but to come out and admit.

In the current U.K. climate he will probably end up getting the sack. Along with most of the Yorkshire board and probably several others.

[Googly]

That would leave him with Leicestershire or Zimbabwe as his only options
Ya well said. Yorkshire are in a corner and will have to do something meaningful. Ballance of course will have plenty of dirt on others. If he's the scapegoat he may not go quietly. However Yorkshiremen are a different breed, they're stubborn, it's almost like a different country.

[CrimsonAvenger]

Here's a conspiracy theory though. Did Houghton know about these ramifications coming for Ballance and is that the reason why he chose to work with ZC again so that he can attempt to bring Ballance back to Zim?

bayhaus 2.0 ...

[TapsC2]

Where Ballance is lucky is that he just signed a 3 year contract in September. If this had happened in June he would have been finished. It's 50/50 for me but I got a feeling the media will make him the face of the scandal. The chances of him playing for England again are probably less than 10% now. This is probably the first time in 10 to 15 years where coming back to Zim might actually cross his mind now.

[secretzimbo]

Where Ballance is lucky is that he just signed a 3 year contract in September. If this had happened in June he would have been finished. It's 50/50 for me but I got a feeling the media will make him the face of the scandal. The chances of him playing for England again are probably less than 10% now. This is probably the first time in 10 to 15 years where coming back to Zim might actually cross his mind now.

Jesus. That makes Yorkshire look even worse. This investigation has been ongoing for months and months. What a rotten club. I notice all their sponsors are pulling out now and the government is getting involved.

[Jemisi]

Here's a conspiracy theory though. Did Houghton know about these ramifications coming for Ballance and is that the reason why he chose to work with ZC again so that he can attempt to bring Ballance back to Zim?

bayhaus 2.0 ...

Bayhaus was a real loss to the forum.

[Kallum]

What's more is that the Yorkshire academy breeds the most arrogant egotistical players on the circuit and possibly in FC cricket in general. I dont think the press are wrong to label the club toxic.

However they will absolutely make Gary Ballance the face of the issue and that 3 year contract will mean nothing to Yorkshire who WILL buy him out I'm certain. A 3 year contract is worth nothing compared to actually having sponsors.

It's a KP thing all over again.

[Donald]

I think my previous post which has been amended was a victim of auto-correct

[Googly]

Have you got a link to that article? Mapaure has got that completely wrong. Nothing I've read indicates that Ballance thought Pakistani was OK.

It's a bit weird, it's an abbreviation of Pakistan and it seems Pakistan with an i on the end is also a snag? I'm yet to understand what you call a person who hails from Pakistan without causing offence.
There's limited options- Pakistanish, Pakistanian, Pakistanilese.

So far it seems Ballance has been singled out by the press and not specifically by Rafiq and he seems to be owning it and it's a guarantee that there were slurs from all parties. Rafik's latest statement says his main grievances are against institutionalised racism within the club. I don't know how you make that stick, but if they're going to try and prevent further sponsorship losses and any possible ECB punitive measures at least one key Board member is going to have to resign and Ballance potentially faces the axe.
There are worse things financially than getting bought out of his 3 year contract, that's a big pay day. Were he to decide to go public on what exactly was said and by whom over the years that would be a big deal, but it doesn't sound like he'd stoop to that.

[ZIMDOGGY]

Have you got a link to that article? Mapaure has got that completely wrong. Nothing I've read indicates that Ballance thought Pakistani was OK.

It's a bit weird, it's an abbreviation of Pakistan and it seems Pakistan with an i on the end is also a snag? I'm yet to understand what you call a person who hails from Pakistan without causing offence.
There's limited options- Pakistanish, Pakistanian, Pakistanilese.

So far it seems Ballance has been singled out by the press and not specifically by Rafiq and he seems to be owning it and it's a guarantee that there were slurs from all parties. Rafik's latest statement says his main grievances are against institutionalised racism within the club. I don't know how you make that stick, but if they're going to try and prevent further sponsorship losses and any possible ECB punitive measures at least one key Board member is going to have to resign and Ballance potentially faces the axe.
There are worse things financially than getting bought out of his 3 year contract, that's a big pay day. Were he to decide to go public on what exactly was said and by whom over the years that would be a big deal, but it doesn't sound like he'd stoop to that.

It’s funny because in Australia none of which are a slur.
Most headlines in cricket when Pakistan are here say ‘aussies bowl out the Pakis for 202 etc’