The Essex The captain, Tom Westley, on behalf of his team apologized after the celebrations at Lords during which alcohol was poured on a young Muslim player.
Westley won the Bob Willis Cup After the Sunday draw with Somerset, but amid euphoric post-match scenes on the booth balcony, the 12th man, Firoz Khushi, was filmed bouncing while teammate Will Butleman pours him beer.
While the 20-year-old is not believed to have acted mischievously, the club issued a statement saying it was the accident Did not live up to their “universal values.” He added that “more work is needed” in the field of cultural education.
Westley, who finished a successful first season as captain of the club, felt excited to speak out on behalf of the dressing room itself after the team met on the issue on Tuesday. “On my behalf and on behalf of the team, we would like to apologize for any insult that occurred during our celebrations at Lords on Sunday,” he said.
“At Essex, we believe we have built a strong locker room culture that supports each other on and off the field. As a group, we came together today and discussed the event and on reflection we are disappointed that we let this happen.
“From now on, the team will be more responsible and aware of our work and will continue to learn and develop with the help of the European Central Bank and the Association of Professional Cricketers.”
Khushi is a promising young batsman born in Leatonston who rose to prominence in the club’s academy, where he made his debut in the first division this season and participated in four group matches for the Bob Willis Cup.
The 21-year-old has not spoken publicly about the incident, but Erfan Akram, an Essex coach and senior teammate of Wanstead and Snaresbrook CC in East London, publicly welcomed the employer’s response.
Akram tweeted, “The way the club has sensitively handled the incident is not just a category, it strongly affirms how much it values everyone and always on the journey of learning, inclusion and embracing our diverse paths that we are proud of. I am very proud to work for EssexCricket.”
