Cricket

Rich Pyrah, who was dismissed from Yorkshire County Cricket Club in 2021 amidst the racism scandal, has been reinstated as the club's women's head coach. Pyrah, who previously served as the men's batting coach, was found guilty of using racist and discriminatory language by the Cricket Discipline Commission. He received a two-week coaching ban and a £2,500 fine.Pyrah was among the 16 staff members who were sacked after signing a letter to the Yorkshire board accusing whistleblower Azeem Rafiq of attempting to "bring down the club" with his allegations of institutional racism. Yorkshire and Pyrah reached a settlement in 2022, with the club acknowledging that his dismissal was "procedurally unfair."Yorkshire's announcement of Pyrah's appointment as women's head coach made no mention of his previous dismissal. Club chairman Colin Graves expressed enthusiasm for Pyrah's return, stating that he was the "right person to lead Yorkshire into the club's new chapter."Pyrah expressed his pride in being appointed to the role, emphasizing the exciting time for women's cricket following the ECB's restructuring of the professional game. Yorkshire will compete in Tier 2 of the ECB's revamped domestic structure next year, with the aim of becoming a Tier 1 county from 2026 onwards.Pyrah's appointment has sparked mixed reactions. Some have welcomed his return, citing his proven development skills and winning mentality. Others have expressed concerns about the message it sends regarding the club's commitment to addressing racism.

John Stephenson, the former chief executive of Essex County Cricket Club, has resigned after three years in the role. The move is part of a cost-cutting measure that reflects the deepening financial crisis among non-Test-hosting counties.Stephenson, who played for Essex for 19 years, returned to the club as chief executive in 2021 after spending 17 years at MCC. During his time at Chelmsford, the club was embroiled in a series of racism scandals, including an alleged racist comment from the then-chairman, John Faragher, in 2017. The club was fined £50,000 by the Cricket Discipline Commission for the incident.Last month, the club was again charged by the Cricket Regulator after a series of historical allegations of racist abuse were upheld by an independent report. Stephenson is understood to have impressed the ECB with his handling of the scandals, and Essex were rewarded with a successful bid to host one of eight initial Tier 1 women's teams from 2025 onwards.However, the financial toll of the racism scandal, including the commissioning of the Newton Report and a review of the club's finances, has led to the conclusion that the club may not be able to afford a traditional CEO going forward. Stephenson has stepped down with immediate effect, but will remain on the board until the end of the season."This has been a difficult decision to make as Essex has been in my bloodstream since the day I walked through the doors at Chelmsford in 1984," Stephenson said. "I am proud of what I achieved here. I have loved my time as chief executive and particularly enjoyed working with our diverse and talented board and our close-knit team of professional and dedicated staff."Essex have been one of the stand-out teams in the County Championship in recent years, with two First Division titles in 2017 and 2019, as well as the Bob Willis Trophy in 2020. This season, they are third in Division One, but suffered a costly defeat to leaders Surrey in their most recent match at the Kia Oval.