Exclusive: Suspension possible for Rafiq after foul-mouthed Twitter rant

Rafiq could be fined and even suspended by the club after using his Twitter page to launch a brainless attack on England Under-19 coach John Abrahams after he was axed as captain.

Rafiq was dropped for this week's second Test against Sri Lanka at Scarborough for "inappropriate conduct" during last week's first Test in Northampton.

The Yorkshire Post understands Rafiq, 19, had broken team curfews but neither Yorkshire nor the England and Wales Cricket Board have yet disclosed details of his alleged misconduct.

Rafiq's reaction to being left out of the game at North Marine Road was to tweet: "What a ****ing farsee (sic) . . . John Abrahams is a useless **** . . . ECB prove it again what incompetent people are working for them!! . . . John Abrahams is a useless ******"

Rafiq later deleted his comments although has not seen fit to erase an entry on May 7 when he made disparaging remarks about the city of Derby.

The club have taken a dim view of his behaviour, while the England and Wales Cricket Board are also investigating.

Yorkshire's director of professional cricket Martyn Moxon said last night: "I don't think it's a sacking situation, but we do regard this as a very serious breach of conduct.

"Along with the ECB, we'll be discussing during the next few days what course of action needs to be taken, and I don't want to pre-empt what action might be taken.

"We're still trying to find out the facts and what led to Azeem being released from the Test team in the first place.

"I'll be speaking to John Abrahams in the next few days and I also want to have a word with Hugh Morris (managing director of England cricket) to see where we go from here."

Moxon admitted he had already spoken to Rafiq.

"I've told him we are very unhappy with his behaviour," he added.

"I'm personally very angry and disappointed and have left him in no doubt as to my feelings.

"There's potentially a little bit of naivety there, but Azeem knows he's made a mistake and that he'll have to take it on the chin from here on in.

"It's extremely disappointing and the sort of thing we could well do without."

Moxon, whose side take on Gloucestershire at Cheltenham today in the Clydesdale Bank 40 League (1.45pm start), has now warned his players against misusing social networking sites.

Yorkshire and England all-rounder Tim Bresnan also got his fingers burnt last summer for using bad language on Twitter, and Moxon acknowledged the stupidity must stop.

"I've told the players I don't want to see bad language or anything cricket-related on social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook," he said.

"You can't stop people having a Twitter page, or whatever, but I don't want to see any cricket issues posted or discussed from now on.

"I certainly don't want to see players using bad language because it reflects badly on the club.

"The players have a responsibility and hopefully this latest unfortunate incident will bring home to people that it can be a dangerous facility."

It is the second time Rafiq has been at the centre of a storm in his short career.

In 2008, Yorkshire were disqualified from the Twenty20 Cup for failing to properly register the Pakistan-born player.

Yorkshire squad versus Gloucestershire (from): Gale (captain), Rudolph, Lyth, McGrath, Bairstow, Brophy, Rashid, Pyrah, Hodgson, Patterson, Wainwright, Sanderson, Best, Bresnan (if released by England).