Former Glamorgan head coach Grant Bradburn has been handed a suspended £500 fine, a reprimand, and a caution following allegations of making comments with racist and sexist “connotations.” The charges, which Bradburn admitted, were brought by the independent cricket regulator after the 58-year-old was dismissed by Glamorgan in December 2024.
The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) outlined three main allegations in its full judgment. The first allegation accused Bradburn of asking players of Asian backgrounds about their “Cricinfo” age, which was interpreted as implying that Asian players were dishonest about their ages.
The second allegation related to comments made by Bradburn concerning cricket selection in Pakistan, where he suggested that selections were based on nepotism or chance, stating that players were chosen based on “friends and cousins” or randomly “from a hat.” Bradburn, who served as Pakistan’s head coach in 2023 before joining Glamorgan in January 2024, was found to have made this remark.
The third allegation involved a comment Bradburn made during a fielding session, where he reportedly stated, “this isn’t Western Storm” or something similar, when male players were not demonstrating the required intensity or throwing power. This reference was perceived to have sexist connotations linked to the women’s cricket team, Western Storm.
Tim O’Gorman, the CDC’s adjudicator, emphasized that Bradburn’s position as a head coach heightened the severity of the misconduct, noting that the culture within any organization begins at the top. O’Gorman explained that Bradburn’s behavior undermined the objectives of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to promote inclusivity in the sport. The impact was seen in how players began using similar language regarding Western Storm in the wake of Bradburn’s comments.
While the comments were found to perpetuate harmful stereotypes, O’Gorman concluded that there was no racist or discriminatory intent in Bradburn’s remarks. Bradburn himself acknowledged his actions, cooperated fully with the investigation, and offered an unreserved apology if his comments caused any offense.
As part of his disciplinary action, Bradburn has been required to attend an educational course in addition to the suspended fine, reprimand, and caution.
In response to the ruling, Glamorgan’s CEO, Dan Cherry, stated: “Glamorgan Cricket acknowledges and welcomes this decision by the regulator. We have a zero-tolerance policy towards discriminatory behavior, and as soon as the issues were brought to our attention, we acted quickly to protect those affected and demonstrate our strong stance against behaviors that do not align with the club’s values.”
Cherry also expressed confidence in the club’s systems and processes, which helped identify and address the behavior promptly, ensuring that those affected felt safe coming forward.
Bradburn has been contacted for further comment.
