Azeem Rafiq identifies Alex Morris as the cricketer who ‘forced red wine down his throat’

Azeem Rafiq has accused former Yorkshire and Hampshire all-rounder Alex Morris of pouring red wine down his throat in parliamentary documents when he was 15.

Rafiq’s shocking allegations that he was pinned in the back seat of a car and forced to drink by a team-mate at Barnsley Cricket Club stunned the cricket world when they first surfaced 13 months ago, but the identity of the alleged The perpetrator was never made known publicly.

However, in written evidence presented to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee after his second appearance yesterday before them, Rafiq names Morris as the alleged attacker.

Azeem Rafiq accused Alex Morris of pouring wine down his throat in Parliament documents

Morris was a senior player at Barnsley when Rafiq came through the ranks at his local club

Morris, 46, did not comment when approached but has denied the allegations.

He was a senior player at Barnsley as Rafiq progressed through the ranks at his local club as a teenager, having spent eight years in top-flight play in Yorkshire and Hampshire.

In a written statement to the DCMS committee released today, Rafiq identifies Morris for the first time.

South Yorkshire Police are understood to have spoken to Morris about the incident earlier this year after receiving a complaint but no action was taken.

According to Rafiq’s claims, Morris pinned him in the back of a car when he was 15 years old

Rafiq first identified him in a statement before the DCMS committee on Wednesday

Ex-Barnsley player Andrew Ivill confirmed the incident took place, according to Rafiq

“On November 13, 2020, my lawyers sent a press release to the media relating to an incident when I was playing for my local cricket club at the age of 15,” Rafiq writes.

“I was held down by an older player, Alex Morris [‘Almo’]in the back of a car, forcing red wine down my throat.

“As a practicing Muslim, I did not drink, although later I did during part of my professional life to try to fit into the culture.”

In his submission, Rafiq also claims he was later contacted out of the blue by another former Barnsley player, Andrew Ivill, who recalled the incident and admitted driving the car.

“Later on November 13, 2020, I received a series of messages from the driver of the car, Andrew Ivill,” Rafiq writes. “He contacted me unsolicited and confirmed that the incident had taken place.

“He voluntarily gives Alex’s name and that he was driving to prove the incident happened.”