By Jon Batham, ECB Reporters Network
Middlesex’s recently-appointed Transition Coach David Burton believes the Azeem Rafiq affair has changed the cricket landscape and brought real hope to his pioneering role with the Seaxes.
Former seamer Burton was the last British-born player of Caribbean heritage to represent Middlesex, back in 2009, with just three of Asian descent being promoted to first-class level over that period.
His return to Lord’s comes in the wake of Rafiq’s accounts last winter of racism faced while with Yorkshire. Following that the ECB and the whole game produced a 12-point action plan to achieve greater diversity within their workplaces.
For Burton, who knows what it’s like to battle a playing field which isn’t level, Rafiq’s bravery kicked a door ajar which will help him mentor Middlesex youngsters like Chinmay Mullapudi, Ishaan Kaushal and Atharva Prasad into the county’s first XI.
“It’s fair to say the Rafiq case has been a catalyst and a game-changer,” Burton said.
“Articles and stuff before that didn’t force anyone’s hand to do anything. It brought an idea or a minimal change of direction, but didn’t force anything as great as this. It’s taken a heavy plunge for Azeem and his team of support to push the wake-up call that’s rippled outwards.”
Burton suggests the likes of promising batter Prasad, Kaushal, leading wicket-taker in the 2nd XI this season, and Mullapudi have stories indicating they’ve travelled a road not level in a sport where administrators considered the status quo to be the norm.
He says that can now change and heal, and suggests in the meanwhile his charges have developed a mental fortitude others have had no need to fashion.
“I recognise the hunger in these guys because their roads haven’t been as fortunate - I’ve known their stories a little bit more,” he said.
“The minute I hear a few sentences come out about their past cricket, I recognise it very quickly because I’ve been there as well.
“It's the stain and the scars the situation has instilled on those from other ethnic backgrounds. It’s this scar, we’ve experienced, heard or learnt about which drives them.
“They’ve already gone through the fact squads they’re in don’t have many faces they can relate to in terms of their culture. It brings an untold strength in your character - a high amount of resilience.
“You want to be the one who does survive or makes the change. We are pioneering really and you generate some form of drive that says, ‘Okay, there’s not many of us around, but I’m going to be one. I’m going to be the first for this county or for this era and make a path for others to follow.”
Middlesex were one of five counties recently granted a time extension in recognition of progress made in relation to cricket’s 12-point plan.
In addition to Burton’s appointment, there’s been a concerted drive at Middlesex to address issues around inclusivity and diversity, all being delivered as part of the Club’s ED&I Activation Plan.
This has seen plenty of positive change taking place, with the club becoming the first county club to sign up to the Muslim Athletes Charter, working closely in partnership with Nujum Sports to run online educational courses for its staff and players and visiting the central London mosque.
The club has also run a taster event with LGBTQ+ cricket club Graces CC, launched a partnership with Picture Pathway to improve the matchday experience at out-grounds of those with Autism, while the Middlesex players are leading on a review of cultural change in their dressing room with Vitality Blast captain Stephen Eskinazi joining the Club’s ED&I Committee to ensure the players have a voice on the cultural changes taking place.
And on the key point of removing barriers to the talent pathway, Middlesex recently opened the Wilf Slack Cricket Centre – a world-class training facility within William Perkins COE state school in Greenford, a multi-cultural hub within the borough of Ealing.
“Things like the Wilf Slack Centre are a massive help,” Burton added.
“It’s been 13 years since a British-born player of Black heritage represented Middlesex at first-class level, so it’s hugely important when you take in those statistics, just to bring awareness to young people of the cricket going on.”