Breaking Down the Andrew Gale and Ashwell Prince Racism Allegations
Sep 23, 2014
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 02: Ashwell Prince of Lancashire and Andrew Gale of Yorkshire have words as they leave the field at the end of play during the LV County Championship match between Lancashire and Yorkshire at Old Trafford on September 2, 2014 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Roses matches are always feisty affairs, and the latest incident is no exception as Yorkshire skipper Andrew Gale clashed with Lancashire's Ashwell Prince.
The verbals that ensued led to an initial two-game ban for Gale, accusations of racism and a scheduled hearing in front of an ECB disciplinary committee.
The Incident
The spat between Gale and Prince took place in the closing stages of day three of their County Championship match earlier this month.
With Lancashire struggling, the Yorkshire captain apparently became frustrated at what he considered Prince's time wasting. As reported by The Guardian, a frank exchange of views ensued with Prince allegedly telling Gale to “f--k off back to cover point,” to which the Yorkshire skipper reportedly told the mixed-race South African to “f--k off back to your own country, you Kolpak f----r.”
A Kolpak is a non-English player who plays domestic cricket in this country but isn't classed as an overseas player because of European Union trading laws.
Umpires Steve O'Shaughnessy and Steve Garrett brought a Level Two disciplinary charge against Gale for “using language or a gesture that is obscene, offensive or of a seriously insulting nature to another player, umpire, referee, team official or spectator,” as per ESPN.co.uk.
Aftermath
The Yorkshire captain was automatically suspended for two matches in light of a previous incident involving dissent earlier this season.
He was also banned from collecting the County Championship trophy after his side's win against Nottinghamshire. Instead Joe Root collected the white rose county's first championship in 13 years.
The ECB subsequently charged Gale with a more serious Level Three offence, according to the Daily Mail, at the urging of Prince's Lancashire colleague, Usman Khawaja.
Via ESPN.co.uk, the more serious Level Three charge is defined as “using language or gesture that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion or belief, colour, descent, national or ethnic origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation or background.”
Yorkshire have given their backing to their captain. The county's director of cricket, Martyn Moxon, told the Yorkshire Post, “We are going to do what we can to help him clear his name. The club will help Andrew in any way possible.”
In a statement released on 18 September, the club vice-chairman Robin Smith, a former solicitor, confirmed that “the club fully supports Andrew Gale and will assist him in his defence of these allegations by ensuring he receives the best possible legal advice.”
Lancashire haven't commented on the incident, or its aftermath, but Ashwell Prince has broken his silence.
ESPN Cricinfo quoted from an interview that Prince gave to South Africa's Ballz Radio.
"I took offence at the way he spoke to me,” said Prince. “To be quite honest, I didn't stand there and think that might be a racial slur. The guy walked towards me and had a go and I defended myself. The ECB feel it has racial connotations and it's up to them to do whatever they want to do."
What Next?
Gale's fate will be decided by an ECB disciplinary commission chaired by Gerard Elias QC. The hearing was originally scheduled for Tuesday 23 Sept. but has been postponed. As both Yorkshire and Lancashire are playing, interviewing witnesses would have proved disruptive. It is set to be rearranged for the start of October.
If found guilty, Gale could face a lengthy ban at the start of next year's season.
