Malcolm puts future on line after outburst

Cricket

Monday 15 January 1996 19:02 EST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Cricket

Devon Malcolm is likely to face harsh disciplinary reaction after publicly accusing Raymond Illingworth, the England manager, of destroying his confidence.

In a newspaper interview published yesterday, the England fast bowler described the current tour of South Africa as "the worst three months of my life".

Malcolm, who returned to England before the start of the current series of one-day internationals, claimed he had been continually sworn at, picked on and humiliated by Illingworth, so much so that only the support of his team-mates had stopped him quitting the tour.

"All that abusing was very unfair and no way to treat anybody," he was quoted as saying in the Daily Express. "I have to ask: would this have happened if I had been a white bowler?"

England flew yesterday from Johannesburg to Durban, where the fifth one- day international against South Africa will be played tomorrow. Illingworth said: "I've enough on my plate over here to worry about him."

However, a Test and County Board spokesman, Richard Little, called Malcolm's racial remark "offensive".

Malcolm, whose comments are apparently a breach of his tour contract, said last night that he had no regrets about making his row with Illingworth a race issue. "I only asked a question," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. "As the only black man, there were a lot of things I had to do and the manager could have given me a lot more support.

"I was thrown in at the deep end at press conferences and things like that. I thought it would be the first two or three weeks of the tour and after that I could concentrate on cricket.

"I thought that was the time when, if they were thinking forward, they would give me support, but that was when they really attacked me, so I wondered what was going on."

Malcolm said he hoped to continue his England career, despite his criticism of Illingworth. "I always live in hope," he said.

Derbyshire members were said to be planning to send a letter of protest concerning Malcolm's treatment by the England management to the TCCB. Derbyshire's former captain, Kim Barnett, said: "We're all disappointed really, disappointed in Devon's portrayal as someone of no intelligence and as a cricketing nonentity."

Malcolm's troubles, page 23

Zimbabwe struggle, page 21

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in