YORKSHIRE have invited applications for both their head coach role and six non-executive director positions to help the county navigate “the most challenging period” in their 158-year history.

The club have been criticised for their handling of Azeem Rafiq’s allegations of racism and harassment during his time at Headingley as a player.

It led to an overhaul of staff at the county, with chairman Roger Hutton and chief executive Mark Arthur standing down last month, before 16 members of the coaching and medical team were dismissed at the beginning of December, including first-team coach Andrew Gale and director of cricket Martyn Moxon.

An announcement yesterday confirmed Yorkshire were making “an open call for applications for both their head coach and a number of non-executive director positions on their board.”

New Yorkshire chair Lord Patel said: “There is a lot of work to be done to ensure that Yorkshire is a club for everyone.

“We are committed to fostering excellence throughout the team, and we need people at the club who believe in the process we are undertaking and want to be part of it.

“The roles we are advertising will play a crucial part in the development of an inclusive and welcoming culture that learns from the past and welcomes progress.

“We want to attract the best applications from a range of backgrounds, and I look forward to meeting potential candidates in the coming weeks.”

In other Yorkshire news, current Northern Diamonds players Katherine Brunt, Nat Sciver and Lauren Winfield-Hill have been selected for the England’s Women’s Ashes squad.