It's not banter, it's racism

This is the story of how one cricketer in Yorkshire started a nationwide conversation, putting a spotlight on a society riddled with bias. Green grass, blue skies, white flannels and the gentle thwack of leather on willow: the quintessential image of Englishness that heralds the start of the cricket season. A so-called gentleman's game developed with the principle of fair play at its heart. All well and true - unless you're a person of colour living in Britain today. Azeem Rafiq, the former Yorkshire cricketer and England youth captain, learnt this the hard way. When, on 16th November 2021, Azeem stood up and courageously spoke out about his experiences of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club he was coolly dismissed, told that it was 'friendly banter' and that he was a troublemaker. The case blew up, and millions of people voiced their support for Azeem.