Michael Holding and Ebony Rainford-Brent speak passionately about ending institutionalised racism 

"Fire In Babylon" is one of the greatest cricket documentaries even made.....

"racism is taught"...How can you put it any clearer???

Michael Holding is a legend. He speaks so eloquently with so much passion that I would listen to him read the phone book. This is so touching and powerful

Michael Holdings best delivery, and that's saying something

Michael Holding was a legend in cricket, now he's just a legend. Ebony is also exactly how i want my children and grandchildren to think and act. I'm white and ashamed of racism. It's time this hatred is abolished forever.

When Michael Holding speaks, you listen. Period.

'Racism is taught.' I completely agree. It is taught, and it is being taught in schools, in universities. It needs to end now.

There is only respect for this man, I saw him play at Adelaide Oval, there was no let up from his skill. Australia just had to get better not angry, but strong, faster, fairer.

This is inspiring--the way they speak about the systemic racism and see things exactly how they are. I recommend people to read more of James Baldwin(the initial quote in the video is by him). I cannot recommend his work enough. His writings provide an insight into racism like few others. Another Country, Giovanni's Room, all his essays..Every time I read Baldwin, I feel I am a better person.

I remember both my sister and myself being allowed to stay off school on a Friday to go to Lord’s Cricket Ground with my parents, to see the legendary West Indies cricket team play against Tony Greig’s England and witness their magical team performances. It filled us with so much pride to witness such excellence from Clive Lloyd’s team during a time of everyday racism as a teenager. Thank you Micheal Holding for your contribution and for speaking out with such eloquence.

This entire discussion by Holding and Rainford-Brent is totally absorbing, but pay special attention to Holding talking about Racism (12:28) and Black Lives Matter (15:10). Two great athletes speaking from the heart.

I'm a pale-skinned white woman who always got fake tans to look more exotic. Now I'm comfortable with being my natural pale white colour because it's who I am. Ebony should just grow her hair in all its natural glory. Embrace diversity and our differences.

Thanks Ebony - I've felt and feel your pain, and appreciate your strength and honesty. Thanks Micheal for explaining in plain English what should be obvious to all and is the slogan and principle that we should all endorse and uphold: Black Lives Matter Too. And I nearly forgot - a big thank you to Sky Cricket for facilitating this broadcast.

Well said. I agree , and thank you for this piece.

Mikey was, and is, a hero of mine. Ebony also forgets to mention the sexism she suffered too, like all girls who take up cricket. She has been a great advertisement for cricket!! People are people, whatever the colour of their skin.

Thank you Ebony. Thank you Michael. This needed discussing, probably a very long time ago but at last it is being talked about and hopefully addressed? Please god we are not having to talk about this again in twenty years time. We should be better than this. Better late than never. Thank you again. X

When I was young I told my mother I felt ashamed by white people and I wanted to peel my skin off. She told me that your skin doesn't define you either, we're all just people. I could listen to Michael Holding's beautiful voice and words all day long. Please don't give up almost all (sadly not all) of us support you 100%.

Its all about equality. Respect to both Michael and Ebony for expressing themselves so eloquently. Black Lives matter as well.

I remember Michael Holding from when I was young. He was a fantastic bowler then and has become a very wise pundit. He is also a lovely man. We would all do well to listen to him

I grew up in London in the 70s and 80s and this moved me to the core. My dad was a good cricketer and a massive fan. I remember seeing the great West Indies team as a kid. The racism still rampant everywhere.

I am happy this is NOW being aired. Back in 1977’ before I arrived here’ I was told to accept I must work twice of hard to get half as much. Even today I get comments about my Brillo pad hair.

Cricket is an Empire game. Nuff said really. Lords / Oval 1976..was a milestone . my dad made sure that we watched it together.

So where was the institutionalised racism?

ebony rainford is strong character by heart amd emoltions.she is too beaytiful and cute. love and respect from india. we have witnessed how michael holding explained a complex matter in simple language.he is a intellectually very sound person,we need more of that from him. keep it up sir.

Can Michael Holding run for PM? Got my vote.

As an Australian, I know what Aussie crowds can be like. Things need to change.

Wow!, surprised that Sky has put this together, times must be changing! Both such eloquent speakers. Michael Holding is just brilliant - a great fast bowler and even greater ambassador for the human race.

Thank you both so much for doing this. It's powerful, heartfelt and heartbreaking testimony. The honesty and hurt is palpable. With the platform you have and the respect and admiration that exists for you and other BAME sports players, Rashford, Sterling, Itoje, Sinckler etc. for your deeds both on and off the field of play, people will listen and you help bring the change.

I've been watching Jamie Carragher, Gary Neville, Keane, and others talking about racism for more than a year but I have never ever heard this level of talk which made me stayed for 15 mins. Holding kept his emotions intact and did a fair analysis with facts while Ebony shared what she went through this whole time with emotions. This video was complete for me.

✊🏿✊🏼✊🏾✊🏻✊🏽✊…. 😞😔😟😠😠😤😡🤬…..two articulate, intelligent, decent human beings talking about the cancer of racism and bigotry in our society …. this should make every decent human being angry and hungry for real change!

Brilliant. Thank you so much Michael Holding. Thank you so much Ebony Rainford-Brent. Thank you so much Sky Sports Cricket.

Some very powerful words from Michael and Ebony.

Respect to Michael Holding.

Well, Ebony mostly were tearful at stuff that should have been avoided including racism

Holding is absolutely spot on about technology being a turning point. I think the quote “...since the invention of the camera phone, ufos have disappeared but police brutality has ‘appeared’” is really appropriate.

Very emotionally expressed by Ebony and Michael Holding, as always is rational, articulate and doesn't mince any words. Powerful stuff indeed.

Bit out of d topic, But Ebony rainford is simply one of gorgeous women's legend around. Ebony 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Imagine Indian Cricketers speaking with so much emotion against caste atrocities in India. Sigh.. Doubt it will ever happen.

Simply brilliant. What a credible man. Michael Holding, I salute you for an absolutely way of explaining thing. We need people to speak up more. Discrimination in any form be it racism, casteism or in any way has to be condemned and outlawed.

Thanks Michael for exposing racism in Jamaica and the Caribbean. Like you I grew up on Jamaica and never experienced racism, partly because I grew up in the country. It wasn't until I was in the States and a friend from Grenada pointed out to me our racism, that I realized that it was there, just that I did not recognized it.

An amazing piece of reality that’s much needed. I love to hear Michael Holding speak he’s voice and accent is so commanding. Big love to Ebony for sharing her truth and showing raw emotion.❤️

Do not worry black friends you are well loved by the majority of white folk. We will NOT give up on this on your plight. You started this WE will finish this We White folk who are your friends will take on this fight now and WIN not just for you. But for humanity, for God and for ourselves to be able to live in a just community as one BLACK LIVES MATTER

As a boy, I grew up typically the only Chinese boy in a very white town in Western Australia. Perhaps in part because of this, I loved cricket growing up. Maybe I just love the game. Regardless, I have loved cricket ever since, and I will love cricket until the day I die. I remember referencing a cricketer from the 70s as a boy to my 5th grade teacher, who I looked up to immensely. "How do you know who Ian Redpath is? You weren't even born when he was playing!" That is true. But I wanted to prove through my knowledge of cricket that I am Australian too. That I have a place in this society. I remember some kids from my primary school telling me about coming back from an Australia vs West Indies match at the WACA, and telling me how some people in the crowd had been making fun of the West Indian players, including referring to them as "monkeys." My dad would tell me about the great West Indian teams of the 70s and I grew up in the era of great West Indian cricketers including Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose, Courtney Walsh and Phil Simmons. Although I never got to watch him play, I have enjoyed Michael Holding's thoughtful and personable commentary for many years. It is immensely moving and gratifying to hear he and Ebony Rainford-Brent speak out on racism.

Great interview. I think Ebony has it wrong. I think the people in power know exactly how it feels, and are inflicting it. She is too young to know that all these things were said 50 years ago, and 100 years ago etc etc. It is worse now than it was then.

Thank you so much for doing this. Powerful and honest. 🙏🏾

Inspirational explanation by the the legendary cricketer.

Thank you Mikey & Ebony....dignified, passionate and eloquent the pair of you.

I asked the Living God every day with the tearful heart to really fill my entire be with His Great Love, so that i can really say to the racists haters, FATHER forgive them!

This is incredible. The passion and intent in this video is simply inspirational and the way they expose problems in society is wonderful, this is an brilliant piece. Thank you so much!

Im a white man and if im honest i thought racism was a thing of the past. Obviously i didnt have the first clue of what goes on still in tge world. Michael holding as always been an house hold name to me ive never thought of him as black white or anything else hes just a man and a great one at that. I could listen to him all day. What he says is true there's only one race the human race.

Salute to you Sir.Michael Holding .Very powerful words just like your Yorker, hit the Middle Stump !!

Michael Holding - Sir you are true in heart and everything you explained is absolutely correct and is law.

The amount of views says it all

Ebony, Ebony, Ebony I love you Ebony.... you are the best... & standing next to the legend Michael Holding..... shows the class you are in....................girl ....stand for parliment.. i vote in stockwell... i would vote for you

Gwyn Williams. Jamaican PM, Michael Manley, once said Michael Holding was the most beautiful thing he´d ever seen on a cricket field. He remains just as beautiful off it just as this lovely girl, Ms Rainford-Brent is. Don´t know why she hasn´t been commentating this series; she has a delicious voice, perfect foil for the excellent Jonathan Agnew.

I feel very sorry 🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

I saw Michael Holding play for West Indies against England in a test match at the Oval in 1980.West Indies had the best bowling attack ever. Michael Holding, Andy Roberts, Malcom Marshall, Colin Croft, Curtley Ambrose, all brilliant fast bowlers. They annialted England & it was the best performance I have ever seen in Cricket. I agree what Michael says about racism. I am a white man & that West Indies team is the best I've ever seen. I hope that things change & racism is wiped out worldwide but realistcy this isn't going to happen any time soon unfortunately

Michael Holding once said "When will people realise that there is only one race, the human race?" I don't think it can be put any better.

Seing any person irrespective of color getting killed like that is disturbing

Mocheal Holdings and Ebony Brent, I respect your views .I lack words with tears. How long shall we continue to cry!?

STAY strong my beautiful queen, BLACKS all over the world has to stop being so separated from each other .Hatred , envy ,jealousy , especially in the Caribbean will destroying them , they organize their own group in society to be better than other blacks/brown,,, ONELOVE. IF you as a black race do not love each other , who will ??????.....

U can't shame racists..... They are naturally insecure people... I just laugh and tell em listen I come from a 5000 year old civilization... We seen this play many times before. 😁 Pin drop silence.

This video touched me, and I hope it touches many others too. I have always had nothing but admiration and respect for Michael Holding, he has always spoken so well and confidently about anything and everything, but especially about inequality and racism, two things that shouldn’t exist in the 21st century. I firmly believe that the world needs more people like him. I also loved the way in which Ebony spoke, and for such a recognisable voice in the world of cricket to deliver the vital message that she did in the way that she did it, that is something that I believe cannot be replicated. May this message reach not just cricket fans across the world, but also many others, who need to hear the powerful words of these two incredible people.

Change the HEART, and you will change the person.

Michael Holding, I am so proud of the man, very proud. I can never get bored listening to him speak. Very objective.

Michael you are complaining too much. You do not realize that times are changing and that we have to hold our heads up and stand for our rights to attain it. Crying about it extends the process and makes you weak. I am a Tamil from Sri Lanka who had to hide under the bed for 3 days while the Sinhalese rioted in 1958,and the gang was held at back by 2 teenage sons of a Judge with guns. We have had racism since Independence but not from the whites. All my community is living in England, Australia and Canada and USA. None of my community members hold any posts in Sri Lanka and we don't cry about it anymore. We hold many high posts in our adapted countries. The Indian low caste people also experience this racisms. Our youth had the courage to fight back but the world do not accept freedom fighters anymore. You might call them terrorist's but it gave our people some spine. Stop crying. Times are changing. Teach your children to achieve things, never mind what the others do. If there is institutional racism like at Yorkshire fight it, and get on with life. Crying about is no good. It has happened. 50,000 whites ruled 50 Million Indians for years. No point in crying about it now. Past is past. Take a step by step to become equal. Show it by induvial action not by mass action. If you do, People like you will continually in the plantation.

Heartbreaking the elistest society that still happens at most of the structures in the UK. Private school boy's clubs... in sport, media, politics. It's a huge job to turn this thing around & it's great to hear inspirational speeches digging it out!

Nauseating. Holding and Brent have got their jobs BECAUSE of the colour of their skin, not in spite of it.

I salute you Sir Michael Holding excellent video 🇬🇧🇯🇲

Harden not your heart...the hate needs to stop. I simply do not understand the dehumanisation behind this evil? From slavery through to the racial profiling pioneered by the Victorians. It is evil and has caused so much pain and suffering. Please make it stop in your life as a first step. 15 Minutes that will hopefully change a few hearts.

GOD SEES EVERYTHING 👀 🙌 🙏 ❤...GOD WILL JUDGE EVERYONE NO ESCAPE ❤

No wonder West Indies was the greatest team ever! They channelled this hurt and anger and worked towards being the best! Never give up... keep fighting

Sometimes it is not about society. Society or every society that is inhabitant on this earth. We need to put education in a way that allows not only students but your people or our people. Nobody is ours firstly because, we are in a distance always. Because we need to realize that distance isn't about that, you will ignore it. Education belongs to the human and humanity is the chapter that needs to put up and let it come up front, that inspires but education. It is also in a phase where it is struggling than you could say. Hahaha. No. We are not the people of concentration or guidance rather ever since the year. 2000. I have also mentioned it in my first ever book that after the year. 2000. We are only people the who paid importance to cooked up things and we are those who make show off one of our priorities that attracts people and we understand achievement, but we don't have anything to do with the meaning. Education is not only that, I have attended plenty of classes but how we linked and teach the children especially about the goodness and make them turn their voice towards a direction instead of making someone belittle. Education is not important because it is precious. Because you only want to claim a decoration, but education never ends there. And we are lacking learners because we by ourselves needs to be reminded that education has been treating not in a manner as it should. You are a person who's fascinating clarity could get across to people and pour down the intellect that make them open to believe or they might only got a little tickle, that there are still those out there who admire and they could accomplish something to lead. Knowledge is an obligation and we as humans shouldn't disrespect ourselves.

You are brave to discuss openly. Salute for Michael and Ebony

I know journey has been painful but I can assure you white on white suffer same. Even if same Kingdom. Takes a lifetime to learn self esteem to tell ppl to get knotted but my white experience was no different

Mikey, hats off to you man!

good video i dont support blm as a organisation because of some of there other ideologies but i do support ridding this world of racism.and a lot of white people do know that black lives matter dont tell me we dont please

Asking about if she wash her skin.....Do they know that black folks introduce them to soap and water and how to bath🤔

The spirit and emotion they share they should be the teachers of future generations to educate all humans of all race creed colour

Its disgraceful. It makes me ashamed to be white and British! When will we learn....

As a kid in NZ the perception was cricket was a white middle class sport. Basically because they were the only social group who could afford it. Then the West Indies toured in the late 70s - early 80s. That GREAT West Indies team. Michael Holding was one of their stars. Never forgotten him; a pleasure to see him speaking up now.

A GAME DONT RID RACISM 😢...BUT GOD WILL❤❤❤❤😂😂😂😂

Two of the most passionate cricketers, both from different generations but having faced the same prejudices. Very moving

Sir Michael Holding please

So true talk sister I feel your pain why what we did to them that don't love we there is nothing much for we black people in this world it look like

Wonderful conversation. Every parent, trying to teach their kids about race and racism, should show this video.

Well said both Michael and Ebony, powerful and inspirational, hope not hate; education not subjugation. Shame on the dislikes and whatabouts, do one will you?

nz criĉket loves you.

We Are All Human Beings👏🏽👊🏾 Yes Mr. Holding 🙏

Ebony Rainford-Brent reminds me of Michelle Obama.

My heart is soo torn apart looking at her cry and many other victims of this virus in our society 😭

"They emptied the swimming pool." Jesus.

Mickey you right. It's all about equality

While I don’t condone it or deny it exists, why is it only ever black people that talk about racism. It’s never, Indians or Chinese or white people. Maybe I’m wrong but maybe they are just hypersensitive about it, they seem to take every tiny comment or perceived slight as racism. The world and it’s attitude has changed and moved forwards, hopefully, but they seem stuck in the past

Please remember when R Kelly came to Jamaica what he did after beenie Man get off the stage.

This makes me sad ! because some evil people they’ thinking the world is belong to them alone! if those people are better than the others why they don’t living forever? and why they are capable of getting sick like others?

This is very moving, but one question to Miss Ebony:" What about the black Nigerians being murdered every week by the vicious "boko harem"? Do you see any news coverage of that?

We Left Handers, need recognition.

how many Floyd's can't breath in Palestine???

Thank you Ebony for your truths 🇬🇧🇯🇲