The parties in this matter, having approached the Cricket Discipline Commission, are in agreement that the matter can be resolved without a formal hearing. In these circumstances the Chairman of the Panel and the Chairman of CDC endorse the following:
On 11 September 2014, Andrew Gale was charged by the ECB with breaching ECB Directive 3.2 (failing to “conduct himself fairly and properly on the field”) and ECB Directive 3.3 (conducting himself in a manner which “may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute”).
The charges were brought in respect of comments made by Mr Gale to an opposing player during the LV= County Championship match between Yorkshire CCC and Lancashire CCC on 2 September that caused offence and/or may be perceived as discriminatory as a result of the reference to the nationality of the person to whom they were made.
Mr Gale admits that his conduct was improper and contrary to these ECB Directives. He acknowledges and deeply regrets that the words he used caused any offence and, in particular, that they could have caused offence as a result of the reference to the nationality of the person to whom they were made.
Mr Gale wishes to express that this was absolutely not his intention.
In light of the above and noting that a two-match suspension has already been served arising out of this incident, in respect of both charges, the CDC imposes a two-match ban (the first being the match between Yorkshire CCC and the MCC in Abu Dhabi prior to the start of the 2015 season and the second being Yorkshire CCC’s first LV= County Championship game of the 2015 season) and requires Mr Gale to attend an anger management course.
Yorkshire CCC undertake to work with Mr Gale to ensure that incidents of this nature do not occur again.
Mr Chris Tickle – Panel Chairman
Mr Gerard Elias QC – Chairman of CDC