Essex County Cricket Club has responded to racism allegations following a series of claims by a former player.

Maurice Chambers, who played for the club between 2005 and 2013 has come forward in an interview with the Cricketer magazine and made the revelations of racist abuse he suffered during his time at the County Ground.

In the Cricketer, Chambers, the former pace bowler, described how he was the victim of racial bullying throughout his time at the club, which included becoming used to a teammate offering him bananas in a mocking way, as well as being subject to a member of coaching staff reading out racist jokes in the dressing room.

Amongst a series of incidents of racial abuse Chambers disclosed: “On several other occasions, a senior player would ask me if I wanted a banana. He would do it with a sly smile, like he was trying to rile me. When I became upset, he would turn to the coach and say ‘hey, I’m only offering him some fruit.’ The coach would laugh.

“It was humiliating. It was isolating. I never told anyone, but I would go home at the end of the day and cry. It made me very unhappy.”

In a club statement Essex Cricket chief executive John Stephenson said: “I am extremely disappointed to hear of further historic racial allegations from a former player about two of his teammates and an ex-member of staff, none of whom are currently involved with the club in any capacity”.

This comes just days after another former Essex player, Zoheb Sharif, revealed he too suffered from racial abuse during his time at the club.

Stephenson, who only took over as chief executive a matter of weeks ago, added: “The club will rigorously investigate all allegations while we have also referred this matter to the ECB. As the new chief executive of Essex Cricket, I am determined to listen to all allegations and work to eliminate any behaviour which tarnishes the game I love.”