"It feels like an earthquake has hit us" – ECB launches anti-racism plan

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison admitted on Friday that it felt like an "earthquake" had hit the sport following former Yorkshire bowler Azeem Rafiq's testimony to UK members of parliament last week about being the victim of "institutional racism" in the game.

Harrison was speaking to the media as the ECB published a 12-point, game-wide action plan on Friday to tackle all forms of discrimination in the game, following several subsequent confessions of racial abuse from other players.

The governing body has pledged £25m (33.3m USD) over five years towards the plan, which looks at furthering education, addressing dressing-room culture, removing barriers in the talent pathway, creating a welcoming environment for all and publishing localised diversity action plans within six months, which includes the aim of making the boardroom of every member 30 per cent female or locally ethnically representative by April 2022.

The plan also commits the sport to adopt a standardised approach to reporting, investigating and responding to complaints, allegations and whistleblowing across the game within three months. UK Sports minister Nigel Huddlestone said last week that the British government could take the "nuclear option" of creating an independent regulator if the ECB does not "put its house in order" over racism.