Jack Brooks was investigated by Somerset for tweets sent in 2012; two separate messages included racist language; Brooks says: "I acknowledge that the language used in two tweets I made in 2012 was unacceptable and I deeply regret using it"
Thursday 18 November 2021 15:13, UK
Jack Brooks has been reprimanded by Somerset and will be required to undergo training on diversity over historical tweets that included racist language.
Somerset revealed on Thursday morning they were investigating allegations regarding the 37-year-old fast bowler over social media posts made before he joined the county.
Brooks tweeted "Cheers N***o" to Tymal Mills in 2012 in response to Mills tweeting about England winning a series in Sri Lanka.
He sent an identical tweet to cricketer Stewart Laudat, also in 2012.
Brooks has previously acknowledged "the language used in two tweets I made in 2012 was unacceptable and I deeply regret using it".
He added: "I unreservedly apologise for any offence caused to anybody who may have seen these tweets."
Later on Thursday, Somerset said they had decided to reprimand Brooks, remind him of his responsibilities and require him to participate in extensive training on Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity.
Brooks was one of a number of players named in Azeem Rafiq's statement to MPs earlier this week, including Gary Ballance, Alex Hales, Michael Vaughan, when the former spinner told the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee about his experiences on abuse and bullying at Yorkshire.
Rafiq said Brooks would call India batter Cheteshwar Pujara 'Steve' even though Pujara would prefer him not to.
In their statement released on Thursday, Somerset said that, as well as the social media posts, they were also investigating claims that Brooks was involved in the adoption of the nickname 'Steve' at Yorkshire.
The club said they had spoken with Brooks at length about the nature and content of his comments.
"There is no doubt that these comments are unacceptable," the statement read. "Somerset condemn the use of language which has any racist connotations.
"Jack agrees with this sentiment and is embarrassed and devastated that his comments offended people and he has acknowledged that, whilst they were made nearly a decade ago when he was less mature, the content of the posts was wrong and not in accordance with his personal values.
"Jack has engaged honestly and openly throughout the investigation and unreservedly apologises for his past errors.
"Before arriving at conclusions, the club considered a number of factors including no evidence of repeated documented behaviour of this kind, the contrition shown by Jack throughout the process, feedback received from recipients of the social media posts, and his commitment to his own personal development."
Somerset stated that it was these factors that made them decide to reprimand their player, remind him of his responsibilities and require him to participate in extensive training on Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity.
"There is no place for racism at Somerset Cricket or across the game as a whole," the statement added.
"The club encourages anyone with information on incidents which may have occurred in the past to report them to the club to ensure that lessons are learned. Any information received will be kept confidential and investigated. We are listening.
"The club is extremely disappointed to hear that Jack and his partner have this week been in receipt of threatening posts on social media. These have been reported to the relevant authorities for further investigation."
Laudat, who played minor counties cricket for Oxfordshire, was one of the two people who received the tweets from Brooks in 2012.
However, the 50-year-old took to social media on Thursday to defend Brooks, saying: "With regard to the historical tweet that has come to light between my friend Jack Brooks and I, I would like to state that I understand that things that have been said or expressed are now under increased scrutiny and rightly so if we are to address all forms of discrimination.
"But without context, misunderstandings and misconceptions are easily made. It upsets me that Jack's character is being questioned over this tweet because I've known him for a long time and have never been made to feel uncomfortable in any conversations we've had.
"I consider Jack to be a good friend and a credit to his family and his profession."
Sussex's Tymal Mills, who received the same tweet in 2012, added: "Jack and I have spoken about it and I know how much he regrets having used the language he did.
"I believe it is right that both as a sport and as a society, we must go through a thorough process of reflection and introspection regarding the language we use towards each other and how we treat each other.
"Jack has apologised to me profusely and sincerely which I have accepted and I still consider him to be a good friend.
"I consider this matter to be closed and do not wish to comment on it any further."
Speaking to Sky Sports News about widespread allegations of institutional racism in English professional cricket, former Yorkshire and West Indies bowler Tino Best, who was the club's overseas player in 2010, said he was aware of the discrimination faced by Rafiq and other team members during his time at Headingley.
Best said: "Having been around Azeem Rafiq, Adil Rashid and Ajmal Shahzad, they would always bring up the stories about how they were being treated, how they were not getting opportunities and how they were being treated from the youth system.
"Everything that Azeem said in the DCMS hearing was what they told me 11 years ago. Azeem probably didn't go too in-depth when we spoke, he only just touched the surface.
"When I was at Yorkshire I heard that story about Matthew Hoggard from those guys. Around the cricketing world we would hear about certain players and how they interacted with certain players.
"I'm not surprised about these findings. I didn't see it first hand, I was a Black guy in a Yorkshire dressing room and they're not going to say things to those three players with me listening.
"If they were going to say those things, they wouldn't have said them around me because everyone would have been treading on egg shells, I am the second Black guy to have ever played for Yorkshire.
"So I didn't hear it, but I would hear stories when we had dinnertime with those three guys of Pakistani descent, and it was mind-boggling because when I was there, I never experienced anything like that.
"I know the drinking stuff was a little different, we used to have drinking games and stuff. Me being an overseas pro, I drank what I wanted to drink, they couldn't force me, but with the younger guys they had no choice.
"And I always had in the back of my mind 'Muslims aren't really supposed to drink', but for the bond with the team, you had to do that. I don't think it was fair to those guys."
Best alleged that on one occasion, Martyn Moxon, the county's head coach at the time, told him he would send him back to his own country when the bowler questioned why he had been dropped for a game.
He explained: "What transpired was I got dropped for a game, I was absolutely livid. At the end of a game when coach Moxon was about to high-five me, I kind of shunned him. He called me into his office, he was saying things like he would send me back on the next flight to my country.
"I called Moxon at the end of my career, he took about three weeks to get back to me. He finally reached out and I said 'Coach can you remember the incident that took place back in 2010?' He said he remembered. I said 'What were you intending to get out of me by saying it?'
"And he was like: 'I would have said that to any player'. And I said 'Well coach, it doesn't make any sense me and you having a conversation.'"
