<\/p>\n
W<\/span><\/span>ith a week before the start of the Championship season, window-cleaners with long-armed squeegees were scrubbing Headingley\u2019s pavilion, but it has proved far more difficult for Yorkshire to emerge from the grubby haze left by Azeem Rafiq\u2019s allegations<\/a> and their aftermath.<\/span><\/p>\n Eighteen months after the club published a summary of the report into Rafiq\u2019s claims, on the day of the cancelled Old Trafford Test against India, the process is still in limbo. The Cricket Disciplinary Commission are expected to give their verdict<\/a> on Friday \u2013 Yorkshire have pleaded guilty on four counts, including a failure to address systemic use of racist and\/or discriminatory language over a prolonged period \u2013 but the announcement of any sanctions is not expected until later.<\/p>\n This leaves Yorkshire starting the second season in a row with the threat of a hefty points deduction hanging over their heads \u2013 after a disappointing 2022 season that ended with final-day relegation to Division Two when an inspired Liam Norwell<\/a> bowled Warwickshire to victory against Hampshire. But with the sun shining on a lush Headingley, the director of cricket, Darren Gough, was phlegmatic about new Yorkshire taking a hit on behalf of old Yorkshire.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s hard to speculate what they [the CDC] are going to say,\u201d he said. \u201cI think the frustration is clear to see, as we are going into another season. I just hope we\u2019re not here next year and saying that we are waiting for our brief.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think things will fall apart [if we get a points deduction] because we\u2019ve put things in place. We\u2019ve done a lot of work and the club is in a better position. We were all disappointed last year that we were relegated, nobody more than me. I was absolutely distraught.<\/p>\n \u201cWe put a lot of love into it last year, a lot of work, but there was a lot of hurt going around, a lot of negative energy from everywhere and it affected everyone at this cricket club. So what we\u2019ve done is created a positive atmosphere, they\u2019ve worked their socks off this winter, the players have been awesome and they understand the job we\u2019ve got to do.\u201d<\/p>\n Yorkshire played their hand early in the overseas market, poaching the impressive Shan Masood from Derbyshire as club captain<\/a> and signing the New Zealand enforcer Neil Wagner. But things are never that simple at Headingley. Wagner picked up hamstring and back injuries while on international duty and Masood would miss the first few games of the season if called into Pakistan\u2019s white-ball squad.<\/p>\n