Ebony Rainford-Brent is now a commentator and Director of Women's Cricket at Surrey.
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Rainford-Brent, who became the first black woman to play for England in 2001, posted the sickening correspondence on Twitter.
She captioned her tweet: “Interesting… Born in South London but apparently I was found naked in Africa as a primitive. Had some letters in my time but this one up there!”
The handwritten letter read: “White cricket culture is white culture you racist b***h! Who invited you to my country? Go b***h go!! White culture is wiping your a*** with white toilet paper!!!
“We found you NAKED in Africa Ebony! NAKED, illiterate, primitive! Yes primitive Ebony!!
“Leave our country b***h! Leave now! Go! Go Today!”
The tweet has amassed over 2600 comments. One twitter user wrote:
“Imagine being so angry about a black woman existing that you use two separate pens to write this…my word, I’m so sorry you have to deal with this.”
Another showed her support for Rainford-Brent, saying “This is awful Ebony, we’re all behind you.”
Cricket’s problem with racism
The racist letter was received just a day after former Yorkshire Bowler Azeem Rafiq described the racial harassment he experienced to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee.
Former cricketer Azeem Rafiq gives evidence during a parliamentary hearing at the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee on sport governance. (Credit: House of Commons via AP)
He told the committee that he hopes telling his experience of racism will open the “floodgates” for others to follow suit.
Rainford-Brent has publicly shown her support for Rafiq during his testimony, tweeting “watching this is pretty heart breaking. Massively proud of @AzeemRafiq30 to fight like this.”
Rainford-Brent played 29 times for England between 2001 and 2010 and soon moved into broadcasting, featuring regularly for Sky Sports and Test Match Special.
Ebony Rainford-Brent during The Hundred match between Birmingham Phoenix Women and Trent Rockets Women in August 2021 – ECB/ECB via Getty Images
She joined forces with her Sky Sports colleague Michael Holding in the summer of 2020 to feature in a powerful video discussing the Black Lives Matter movement, a campaign that saw the pair awarded the Freedom of the City of London.
In the short film, the 37-year-old spoke about how regular comments about her ethnicity made her question her future in the game.
Along with her broadcasting career and a role as director of Surrey women’s team, she set up the ACE Programme – a charity aimed at increasing cricketing opportunities for members of the African-Caribbean community.
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HeadlineEbony Rainford-Brent: former England cricketer shares the racist hate mail she received
Short HeadlineEbony Rainford-Brent receives racist hate mail
StandfirstShe shared a photo of the letter on her twitter page, in which she was told to “leave our country”.
Rainford-Brent, who became the first black woman to play for England in 2001, posted the sickening correspondence on Twitter.
She captioned her tweet: “Interesting… Born in South London but apparently I was found naked in Africa as a primitive. Had some letters in my time but this one up there!”
The handwritten letter read: “White cricket culture is white culture you racist b***h! Who invited you to my country? Go b***h go!! White culture is wiping your a*** with white toilet paper!!!
“We found you NAKED in Africa Ebony! NAKED, illiterate, primitive! Yes primitive Ebony!!
“Leave our country b***h! Leave now! Go! Go Today!”
The tweet has amassed over 2600 comments. One twitter user wrote:
“Imagine being so angry about a black woman existing that you use two separate pens to write this…my word, I’m so sorry you have to deal with this.”
Another showed her support for Rainford-Brent, saying “This is awful Ebony, we’re all behind you.”
Cricket’s problem with racism
The racist letter was received just a day after former Yorkshire Bowler Azeem Rafiq described the racial harassment he experienced to the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee.
Former cricketer Azeem Rafiq gives evidence during a parliamentary hearing at the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) committee on sport governance. (Credit: House of Commons via AP)
He told the committee that he hopes telling his experience of racism will open the “floodgates” for others to follow suit.
Rainford-Brent has publicly shown her support for Rafiq during his testimony, tweeting “watching this is pretty heart breaking. Massively proud of @AzeemRafiq30 to fight like this.”
Rainford-Brent played 29 times for England between 2001 and 2010 and soon moved into broadcasting, featuring regularly for Sky Sports and Test Match Special.
Ebony Rainford-Brent during The Hundred match between Birmingham Phoenix Women and Trent Rockets Women in August 2021 – ECB/ECB via Getty Images
She joined forces with her Sky Sports colleague Michael Holding in the summer of 2020 to feature in a powerful video discussing the Black Lives Matter movement, a campaign that saw the pair awarded the Freedom of the City of London.
In the short film, the 37-year-old spoke about how regular comments about her ethnicity made her question her future in the game.
Along with her broadcasting career and a role as director of Surrey women’s team, she set up the ACE Programme – a charity aimed at increasing cricketing opportunities for members of the African-Caribbean community.
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