Mike O’Farrell’s comments about young Asian and black cricketers in front of the parliamentary committee on Tuesday were depressing and annoying, but underline just why there is such a lack of faith among members of my community – British Asians – in the people who run the English game.

First things first. I know there will be people out there who want O’Farrell sacked. After all, Greg Clarke, the former FA chairman, quit over remarks he made at his own select committee appearance in 2020, where he suggested South Asians were more likely to be seen in the Football Association’s IT department than black people because they had “different career interests”.

I know O’Farrell from my time working at Middlesex and, ironically, I had viewed diplomacy as one of his bigger assets before Tuesday. There is no doubt he got this one badly wrong and he has rightly apologised. My view is that people should not necessarily lose their jobs every time they say something stupid in public – you have to give people a chance, and show they can educate themselves and improve.

Equally, this is a two-way street, and people in power must reach out to help ethnic minorities in cricket and wider society. Let’s not make any excuses about why 30-40 per cent of amateur cricketers in England are British Asian, but only three per cent of the professional ranks. Or why the numbers of Afro-Caribbean players at the top level are so pitifully low. It is up to those who run the game to find out why and do something about it, because as it stands not enough members of these communities currently feel a career as a professional cricketer is open to them.

This, therefore, becomes a self-perpetuating problem. If there are hardly any black or Asian players at the top of the game in England, kids have nobody to be inspired by, and no confidence they will make it. O’Farrell – in his clumsy way – had a point when he talked about the differences between cricket and football for black youngsters: around 25 per cent of professional footballers in this country are black, including many of the current England team, so there is no shortage of role models. It is human nature to follow a sport where people look like you. The mistake is in assuming that this is just the way things are and cannot change.

The irony is that Middlesex are actually one of the more proactive counties when it comes to engaging ethnic minorities. I work at the club as their Inner London borough lead, and can vouch for the interest and talent that exists in those communities.

I have been running trials for under 10s,12s and 14s at East Barnet school during the weekends in January. To my surprise, the parents from all backgrounds – and especially British Asian – were delighted to see me because being an ex-international cricketer gave the youngsters hope they can make it in the game.

At Middlesex, there is a recognition that some kids are late developers – I myself did not commit to professional game until I was in my twenties – so we have a borough cricket system which allows young cricketers to stay involved, and gives them the opportunity to play at a good level.

Ultimately, Asian and black kids don’t want to talk or even think about racism and diversity issues within cricket – they simply want to play the sport they love. It is for the people in power of every county – CEOs, presidents, chairmen and coaches – to provide the opportunities. Words and public statements have to be informed and sensitive, but far more important are the practical changes to the infrastructure of the game.

Every youngster should have an equal opportunity to become a professional cricketer. At the moment, that is not the case: until it changes, the issues we have seen dog the sport in recent months will not go away.