Bob Appleyard, the Bradford-born former England bowler, has criticised a controversial memorial to Yorkshire cricket legend Sir Leonard Hutton.

The memorial features an image of Sir Leonard batting against a backdrop of Asian women in traditional dress.

But Mr Appleyard said the design, to be featured on new memorial gates at Yorkshire's Headingley ground, was "totally inappropriate".

"The design seems to me to bear no relationship to his career as a fine batsman. I think a more fitting tribute would have been the picture of Don Bradman being the first to congratulate Len when he got his 364 at the Oval in 1938.

"I don't understand what these Asian ladies have to do with his record-breaking innings."

And he said he was disappointed the Bradford-based Sir Leonard Hutton Cricket Foundation - of which he is a founder member - had not been consulted. But he insisted: "I do not want this to be seen as a racial issue."

Taj Butt, from the Quaid-e-Azam Cricket League, said he was also surprised by the choice of image.

"It represents the past when the only role of Asians was to act as servants to the players.

"It is quite right that a player such as Sir Leonard should be honoured. The Asian community has not played a big role in the county's history, but we are hoping to play a major role in the future, with a big presence in the youth teams."

But Yorkshire County Cricket Club chairman Keith Moss, who is also president of Pudsey St Lawrence Cricket Club and was a personal friend of Sir Leonard who started his cricket career there, said the county club was very happy with the design.

"Asian ladies are part of the design on one of the friezes because the photograph from which the artist-designer worked was taken on the day of the England v Pakistan one-day international match earlier this season," said Mr Moss.

"I think the Hutton family are very satisfied with the gates."

They will be unveiled by Lady Dorothy Hutton on the eve of the Ashes Test match with Australia on August 15.