Former ECB chairman Colin Graves has {accused} Conservative MP Julian Knight of blocking his election to the Yorkshire board and ordering the governing physique to take away the county’s proper to Exams.
Yorkshire chairman Lord Patel instructed a Division for Digital, Tradition, Media and Sport committee this week that Graves had not been permitted to hitch the Headingley board, however didn’t say why.
However Graves instructed Sportsmail each the Yorkshire chairman and appearing ECB chairman, Martin Darlow, had assured him he may stand for election. The 74-year-old was interviewed for the function final summer season however was unsuccessful.
Former ECB chairman Colin Graves (pictured) made accusations over his latest software
Graves prompt Julian Knight (pictured) blocked his election to the Yorkshire board
Darlow denied any involvement from the ECB, main Graves to accuse Knight, who has taken an in depth curiosity in Yorkshire attributable to his place as DCMS chair.
‘I spoke to Martin Darlow and Kamlesh Patel twice final summer season and so they each mentioned I may rejoin the Yorkshire board,’ Graves instructed Sportsmail. ‘This seems to have modified, as Kamlesh instructed the committee he’d been instructed I couldn’t rejoin the board. Who instructed him that? It wasn’t the ECB.
‘It factors in the direction of Julian Knight and DCMS. That might be authorities interference in a nationwide sport over the top of the ECB and Yorkshire, which is clearly a breach of laws.’
Yorkshire had been stripped of Exams final November, however regained them after committing to reforms, together with the election of two new Board members.
‘This has occurred earlier than,’ Graves mentioned. ‘Julian Knight’s workplace rang the ECB on November 4, 2021, and instructed them if Yorkshire weren’t sanctioned then their Authorities funding could be jeopardised. The ECB introduced Yorkshire would lose worldwide matches that day.’ The ECB and Knight declined to remark.
Graves pictured with England captain Joe Root after a Take a look at match with Eire
