Richard Pyrah, who was dismissed in 2021 during the Yorkshire racism scandal, has now been appointed as the county’s new women’s head coach.
The 41-year-old was found guilty by a Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) panel in March 2023 of using racist slurs, resulting in a £2,500 fine and a two-week coaching ban.
During the CDC proceedings, Pyrah was accused of making a racial slur referencing Pakistani heritage toward the sister of his then-teammate, Azeem Rafiq, and using the phrase "you lot" when addressing groups of Asian players—though he denied these accusations.
While the allegation regarding the term "you lot" was not substantiated, the panel concluded that the racial slur against Amna Rafiq and other women was proven.
According to the Press Association, Pyrah has yet to serve his suspension. The Cricket Regulator is reportedly in discussions with Yorkshire about when he will fulfil the ban in his new role.
Pyrah, who successfully claimed unfair dismissal against Yorkshire in 2022, spent a decade playing for the county, taking 296 wickets across all formats. Following his playing career, he served as Yorkshire's bowling coach and also coached the Yorkshire Women's Super League Twenty20 team before his dismissal.
In a statement on the club's website, Pyrah expressed his gratitude, saying that leading Yorkshire’s women’s side is the proudest moment of his career. He added that it’s an exciting time to be involved in women’s cricket, especially after the ECB’s recent restructuring of the women’s professional game.
Next season, Yorkshire Women will compete in Tier 2 alongside Derbyshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Kent, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Middlesex, Sussex, and Worcestershire, playing both 50-over and 20-over formats. By the 2026 season, Yorkshire will advance to Tier 1.