Fan suffers "abhorrent and sexually violent" slurs from 5 men after England vs Australia T20I, ECB calls incident "appalling"

Rajvi Glasbrook, a spectator returning from the second T20I between England and Australia in Cardiff, was racial abused and sexually taunted by five men on the 10:30 pm train to Newport.

The abusers, who were also present at the match, followed her to the outside of the Newport station and hurled out more verbal abuses when she told them that she was planning to file a report. She described them as, on sight, a "normal group of friends" with one wearing a Hawaiian shirt and the other a bucket hat, the staple for cricket audience in England.

“It was obvious even before getting on the train at the platform that their behaviour was vile,” Glasbrook told Telegraph Sport. "The haranguing started as I boarded the train. The language and leering was abhorrent and sexually violent in parts. One of the men set a Lynx can aflame at one point on a pretty packed carriage."

Glasbrook ringed the 101 emergency service of the British Transport Police, which no one picked up. She told the paper that it was "unhelpful" to be told to ring another number when she was already in distress, adding that she no longer felt safe in taking the train.

---

"We are appalled" - ECB

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Glamorgan Cricket, the host county for the international match, condemned the incident.

“We are appalled by the abuse Rajvi experienced on her way home from this match, and would urge anyone who witnessed it or has any information to contact the police. Glamorgan Cricket has reached out to Rajvi, and we hope the perpetrators can be identified.”

Glamorgan's statement apologised to Glasbrook, saying the incident wasn't "reflective of the civilised and good-natured lovely atmosphere at Sophia Gardens”. They added that their "Safeguarding and Wellbeing specialist" was in contact with the victim.