Yorkshire CCC agree out-of-court deal with Ian Fisher, one of staff members sacked in Azeem Rafiq scandal

Ian Fisher, the former strength and conditioning coach, was one of 14 people summarily dismissed for signing a letter to the previous board which criticised the botched handling of the complaints raised by former player Azeem Rafiq.

Fisher’s case was settled after an employment tribunal ruled that the club did not follow a fair procedure and that he was unfairly dismissed on procedural grounds. The unfair dismissal of Fisher, pictured, followed those of second-team coach Ian Dews, academy director Richard Damms, fitness coach Pete Sim and HR manager Liz Neto, the latter having not signed the letter and whose case was separate to the rest.

Andrew Gale, the former first-team coach, and Rich Pyrah, the ex-bowling coach, are still involved in an ongoing legal battle with the club, while Wayne Morton, the former head of sports, science and medicine, is understood to be pursuing a legal case on behalf of himself and other subcontracted staff who were also dismissed.

Mark Arthur, the former chief executive, and Martyn Moxon, the ex-director of cricket, agreed settlements after the crisis erupted last November, with the mass cull likely to cost Yorkshire well into seven-figures.

The Yorkshire Post understands that those who have settled have also been made to sign non-disclosure agreements.

However, on settling Rafiq’s employment tribunal claim to the tune of £200,000 last November, Lord Kamlesh Patel, the Yorkshire chairman who carried out the sackings, said that there was no such stipulation in Rafiq’s deal and, in fact, that it was wrong of the club to have previously asked him to sign an NDA.

Ryan Clement, a barrister at Conference Chambers who represents Ian Fisher, said: “The club has acknowledged that it did not follow a fair procedure in dismissing Mr Fisher, resulting in the employment tribunal issuing a judgement by consent, confirming that Mr Fisher was unfairly dismissed on procedural grounds.

“The parties have agreed terms of settlement, which are confidential.”

Clement also represents Pyrah and Kunwar Bansil, the former lead physiotherapist who was also dismissed and who is now head of science and medicine at Nottinghamshire CCC.

The staff were sacked by email last December without any apparent effort to find out whether they had actually done anything wrong after they raised a respectfully-worded grievance with the former board.

Patel argued that the sackings were justified.

Ben Raine bowled Durham back into contention on the third day of the LV= Insurance County Championship match against Derbyshire at the Incora County Ground.

The 30-year-old paceman took three for 24 in 18 overs as Derbyshire reached stumps on 185 for seven in their second innings, a lead of 268.

Liam Trevaskis also helped contain the promotion hopefuls by claiming three for 71 before bad light ended play early.

Wayne Madsen led the way for Derbyshire with 58 while Billy Godleman made 43 from 141 balls, his highest score of the season in Division Two.

Durham’s hopes of reducing the arrears significantly lasted two overs before Oliver Gibson sliced a drive at Sam Conners and was caught by Godleman running from mid off to give the England Lions fast bowler figures of four for 55.