Yorkshire CCC members overwhelmingly voted in favour of structural changes required by the ECB at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on Friday, ensuring that international cricket can be hosted at Headingley this season
Tuesday 5 April 2022 14:35, UK
Yorkshire County Cricket Club have announced a new two-year sponsorship deal with India media firm Clean Slate Studio to take over as principal sponsor at Headingley.
Last year, former player Azeem Rafiq spoke out about years of racism he had suffered at the club prompting fundamental change at Yorkshire and an unprecedented review across cricket.
Rafiq told Sky News the new name at Headingley made him smile: "I just laughed, the timing, everything - I just thought it just fitted perfectly.
"It is a clean slate... the name is one thing, but it is everything else from now on that happens that is important.
"There's a lot of good primary schools around Headingley and a big diverse community.
"I just want them to be able to walk past Headingley and look at Headingley and think this is my club."
A ban on hosting international cricket at Headingley was recently lifted by the England and Wales Cricket Board, while Yorkshire CCC members overwhelmingly voted in favour of structural changes required by the ECB at an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held on Friday.
Yorkshire demonstrated they had made significant progress addressing the problems that Rafiq had highlighted. As a result, England will host a Test match against New Zealand at the ground in June and a one-day international against South Africa in July.
Previous stadium sponsors Emerald Publishing were one of a series of commercial partners who cut ties with Yorkshire at the height of the scandal last autumn, plunging the club into a financial crisis which threatened the future of the club.
As part of the new sponsorship, the main pavilion at Headingley will be known as the 'Clean Slate Pavilion' and the name will appear on club kit of Yorkshire and the Northern Diamonds.
Clean Slate say their mission is to challenge gender stereotypes in Indian film and they want to help make Headingley "a flagbearer for inclusivity and diversity in cricket".
New Yorkshire chairman Lord Patel and managing director of cricket Darren Gough are both in Mumbai to launch the partnership with Clean Slate founder Karnesh Ssharma, with Lord Patel saying: "This new partnership - with a vibrant Indian brand that knows how to entertain diverse communities - is an exciting step for Yorkshire.
"Our proud club has a great future, welcoming everyone into our ground and this game."
Clean Slate founder Ssharma said: "We're incredibly proud to partner with Yorkshire and to be the first Indian company to have their name prominently featured within a UK sports ground.
"Clean Slate puts inclusivity and diversity at the fore of its entertainment roster, and we truly believe that our entertainment vision and values align with that of Yorkshire County Cricket Club moving forward."
