This is the story of how one cricketer in Yorkshire started a nationwide conversation, putting a spotlight on a society riddled with bias.
LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2024 SHORTLISTED FOR THE CHARLES TYRWHITT SPORTS BOOK AWARDS CRICKET BOOK OF THE YEAR 2025
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 16 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.
It's Not Banter, It's Racism will provide a bracing look at the moments that led up to and defined the watershed meeting where Azeem shared his truth. As well as interviewing key figures involved in the case, Azeem illustrates how the continual denial of racism is sending us backwards as a society, and how pervasive polarisation has become. It is with great sensitivity and determination that Azeem will also unpack his own biases, while also building forgiveness and understanding with the communities he has impacted.
Giving voice to the voiceless, Azeem's book stands for accountability and honesty in a world that would prefer to cancel and silence.
'Azeem's first legacy - a legacy carved at great personal expense - was to expose how cricket works. His second gift may be to expose how this country works, too.' Jonathan Liew
'Azeem has stood up to the world, spoken back against evil. He has had victories. He has failed. He extends charity to others and he says no: no to racism. Because we must be better than our worst.' Stan Grant
'Azeem's dream was to help England win the Ashes. That wasn't to be. But maybe, one day we'll reflect that his legacy to the game is far greater than winning any amount of Test series.' George Dobell
'A principled whistleblower who stood up for what was right, Azeem has changed cricket forever.' Jennifer Robinson
'Honest, open and powerful.' Baroness Warsi
Author
About Azeem Rafiq
Azeem Rafiq is a cricketer who played for Yorkshire CCC for two stints between 2008 and 2018. In 2012 he became the first player of Asian origin to captain Yorkshire in a senior game. In September 2020, Rafiq made accusations of racism and bullying at Yorkshire and an independent report found that a number of his accusations were true. The case became a major media story in the United Kingdom. It led to a number of resignations at the club and was the subject of investigations by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee in the British parliament.
