But Azeem Rafiq, the former spinner turned whistleblower whose revelations lie at the heart of the scandal that has engulfed the club in recent years, has already rejected Graves’s attempts to say sorry.
Rafiq believes the acceptance of Graves’s proposals, described by Yorkshire as the only viable offer left to tackle a crippling financial situation that involves debts of almost £15 million to the Graves family trust, shows the game has failed to tackle its discrimination problem.
Graves is set to resume the role he left in 2015, when he became chair of the England and Wales Cricket Board, when Yorkshire members vote at an extraordinary general meeting scheduled for February 2.
The 75-year-old has offered an initial £1m, with another £4m of backing promised over a five-month period, provided members ratify him as chair and agree to bring allies Phillip Hodson, Sanjay Patel and Sanjeev Gandhi on to a much-changed board.
Those currently in charge of the club have recommended the deal but it is a divisive move considering the racism scandal partially took place during Graves’s first stint in charge.
Graves has attempted to row back from his previous bullish approach, apologising fully to those who suffered racism and adding that he “profoundly regrets” comments last summer that appeared to explain away the issue as “banter.”
Rafiq, for one, says that is not enough.
“It’s not something I accept. It’s got to be further than just words,” he told the PA news agency.
“We’ve seen a lot of grand apologies and I’ve believed them — not any more. Be careful what you wish for is what I say, not just to Yorkshire members, but to cricket.
“This is a clear message to me, to other people that have been abused, to south Asians, to people of colour, that cricket is not a place for you. Actions speak louder than words and at the first point of challenge the game has shown exactly what it is, which is institutionally, systemically, racist.
“It’s not my club [any more]. Even after everything that’s happened — driven out of the country, attacked, abused, still I was like ‘I have got pride in this [county] cap.’ I no longer do and I am contemplating what to do with it.”
Graves’s statement, which accompanied news that his emergency funding offer had been accepted at board level, read: “I apologise personally and unreservedly to anyone who experienced any form of racism at Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
“Discrimination or abuse based on race, ethnicity or any other protected characteristic is not and never will be acceptable. I profoundly regret some of the language I used when asked about the events that took place when I was chairman, at a time when I was no longer at the club. I understand and sympathise with those who regarded my comments as dismissive or uncaring.
“I am determined to do whatever is required to ensure Yorkshire County Cricket Club continues to reflect the communities it represents.”
