Andrew Gale: Yorkshire captain given second ban for abuse

Andrew Gale has been Yorkshire captain since 2009

Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale has been given a second two-match ban for verbally abusing Lancashire batsman Ashwell Prince in September.

Gale, 30, missed the final two games of the season for "using language or gesture that is obscene or of a serious insulting nature".

However, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) referred the matter to the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC), which imposed another suspension and ordered Gale to attend an anger management course.

Gale will miss next season's curtain-raiser against the MCC and Yorkshire's opening County Championship game.

He allegedly used the word "Kolpak" while Prince, a former South Africa Test player, was batting during Yorkshire's Championship victory at Old Trafford.

Gale was charged with failing to "conduct himself fairly and properly on the field" and conducting himself in a manner which might bring the game into disrepute.

It was expected that the case against Gale would centre on whether the word could be construed as racist, although that was not confirmed by the ECB.

No formal hearing was convened by the CDC at the request of all parties.

A CDC statement said Gale's words "caused offence and/or may be perceived as discriminatory as a result of the reference to the nationality of the person to whom they were made".

It continued: "He acknowledges and deeply regrets that the words he used caused any offence and, in particular, that they could have caused offence as a result of the reference to the nationality of the person to whom they were made.

Andrew Gale joined in with the celebrations when Yorkshire won the Championship title at Trent Bridge, although he was prevented from being involved in the official presentation of the trophy

"Mr Gale wishes to express that this was absolutely not his intention."

In an interview with South African radio following the incident, Prince said he was offended by Gale's comments but did not regard them as a "racial slur".

Yorkshire went on to win the County Championship title, with England batsman Joe Root leading the side in Gale's absence.

The England and Wales Cricket Board prevented Gale from being involved in the official presentation of the trophy following Yorkshire's win over Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge, although he joined his team-mates on the field after Root lifted the trophy.

The additional suspension means Gale will miss next season's curtain-raiser against the MCC and Yorkshire's opening Championship fixture.