The Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire Disciplinary Committee (C&HDC) will hear all Disciplinary matters involving clubs, players and officials Competing in all Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire Adult and Youth Cricket Competitions with the exception of Inter Schools Cricket.

 

1. For the purpose of these rules the expression "the player or players" shall throughout these rules be deemed to mean and include not only any player, whether professional or otherwise, but also any member or official of any club or if appropriate any other person involved in any incident of possible misconduct occurring on the field of play, or on the premises of the club, as may be appropriate in the particular circumstances.

 

1a            All Competitions will operate a disciplinary procedure based on the current version of the England

                & Wales Cricket Boards code of conduct.

 

The England & Wales Cricket Board Code of Conduct will be incorporated into the League Registration form which players must sign stating that they have read and will abide by the Code of Conduct.

 

1b            In the case of an incident involving a player(s) under the age of 18 years old, the County Board Welfare

Officer will immediately be informed. In such circumstances, the incident may be regarded as, (a) a welfare and child protection case, or (b) an outright disciplinary case. If the incident is being investigated by another organisation (e.g. Police, ECB Welfare Department), the C&HDC will await the outcome of that investigation.

 

2. The ECB Code of Conduct and Spirit of Cricket

 

The Code of Conduct incorporates the Spirit of Cricket, as set out below. It applies to all matches played under the auspices of the ECB and may be applied to cricket in general.

 

2a            The Captains are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted within the Spirit of Cricket as well

as within the Laws.

 

2b            Players and teams must at all times accept the umpire's decision. Players must not show dissent at the

                Umpires decision or react in a provocative or disapproving manner towards another player or spectator.

 

2c            Players or team officials shall not intimidate, assault, or attempt to intimidate or assault an Umpire,

                another player or spectator.

 

2d            Players and team officials shall not make racially abusive comments nor indulge in racially abusive

                actions against players, officials, and supporters. Clubs must operate an active open door membership

                policy whilst respecting player qualification regulations and welcome players / members irrespective of ethnic origin.

 

2e            Players and club officials shall not use crude or offensive language, (known as sledging), nor make

                offensive or intimidatory gestures or hand signals, nor deliberately distract an opponent either verbally

                or by harassment with persistent clapping or unnecessary noise under the guise of enthusiasm and

                motivation of one's own side.

 

2f             Players and club officials shall not disclose or comment upon any alleged breach of this code or upon

                hearing, report, or decision arising from such breach.

 

2g            Players and club officials shall not make any public or press comment which is detrimental to the

                League, Clubs or the game in general.

 

2h            Players and team officials shall not use or in any way be concerned in the use or distribution of illegal drugs.

 

2i             Leagues, Clubs and Competitions will adhere to the ECB `Safe Hands` Welfare Policy, and any future

                versions of the Policy.


3. It shall be a disciplinary offence for:

 

3a            Any player in the course of or in connection with a match to misconduct himself, to offend against the

                Code of Conduct or to act at any time to prejudice the good name or interests of the Leagues.

 

3b            For any Club to fail properly to control or discipline its players or to act in a manner calculated to

                prejudice the good name or interests of the League or Competition.

 

Any player or Club committing an offence shall be liable to penalties in the manner described hereafter.

 

4. The Spirit of Cricket (Law 42)

 

“The Captains are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted within the spirit of the game as well as within the Laws”.

 

“Umpires are the sole judges of fair and unfair play”.

 

If an Umpire decides that the Code of Conduct has been broken or an act of unfair play has taken place, the following options are available:

 

4a            Give an informal warning

 

4b            Give a formal warning to the player and inform the Captain that a formal warning has been given.

                Forward a written notification to the Disciplinary Co-ordinator that a level one formal warning was

                issued and details of the nature of the offence.

 

4c            One would expect that in the majority of cases that a formal warning would have been preceded by an

                informal warning, but if necessary the Umpire has the authority to issue a formal warning without

                having issued any informal warnings.

 

                A player receiving a total of three formal (Level 1) warnings in the season will automatically be

                suspended from the next two matches played in all Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire Cricket

                Competitions or the ECB with the exception of Huntingdonshire Youth Cricket and Inter Schools

                Cricket. There is no right of appeal. The Secretary of the player's Club will be informed of any formal

                warnings and suspensions.

 

4d            Where a formal warning is appropriate the Umpire shall report any case of alleged misconduct to the

                Co-ordinator by telephone within three days of the offence followed by a written report within seven

                days.

 

4e            In cases where no official umpires are appointed, all reports will be forwarded to the co-ordinator who

                in turn will refer to the first available disciplinary committee after the offence to decide the level of

                action, for everything other than a level one offence. The co-ordinator to proceed in line with paragraph

                4f.

 

4f             Upon the receipt of a report other than a level one warning, the co-ordinator will refer matters to the

                Disciplinary Committee and the Player and the Secretary of his Club will be sent details of the alleged

                offence together with copies of the Umpire's report or equivalent document describing the offence. At

                least seven days notice of the date of the hearing.

 

4g            The Player or the Club shall be entitled to attend the hearing (in the case of a Club, by its Secretary or

                other official) to be legally or otherwise represented, to call witnesses, present written statements from

                witnesses and object with validity to any member of the Disciplinary Committee. The decision of the

                Disciplinary Committee, after listening to the objections, will be final.

 


4h            The Disciplinary Committee shall have the power to impose one or more of the following penalties:

 

1. In the case of a Player :

 

Expulsion from all competitions, all Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire Cricket Competitions, or the

ECB with the exception of Huntingdonshire Youth Cricket and Inter Schools Cricket.

 

A ban of one or more matches played under the auspices of the Leagues, the ECB. (All or part of the

ban may be suspended for any period including going into the next season).

 

                A fine of not more than £150.

 

A reprimand.

 

2. In the case of a Club :

 

Expulsion from  Cambridgeshire & Huntingdonshire Cricket Competitions or the ECB with the

exception of Huntingdonshire Youth Cricket and Inter Schools Cricket.

 

Expulsion from any cup competitions or from any leagues.

 

A deduction of league points.

 

A fine of not more than £500.

 

A Club for the same offence may be subject to both deduction of points and a fine.

 

The decision of the Disciplinary Committee can be given orally at the end of the hearing and, whether given

orally or not, must be given in writing to the player and the Secretary of his Club within seven days of the date

of the hearing.

 

5. Appeals

 

The Player or Club may appeal against the sentence only. Notice of appeal must be given in writing within seven days of the date that the notice of sentence is given to the Player and Club (i.e. either from the date of the hearing, or from the date of the receipt of written notification) together with a deposit of £50. Upon giving notice of appeal the penalty shall not take effect pending the hearing of the appeal.

 

The Co-ordinator will form an Appeal Sub-Committee which shall have a different composition from the Disciplinary Committee that heard the original case.

 

The Player or the Club shall be entitled to attend the hearing (in the case of a Club, by its Secretary or other official), to be legally or otherwise represented, to call witnesses or present written statements from witnesses and object with validity to any member of the Appeal Sub-Committee. The decision of the constituency of the Appeal Committee, after listening to the objections will be final.

 

The Appeal Committee also have the power, if they consider the appeal to be without merit, to order the forfeit of the deposit. The Appeal Sub-Committee may also order the Player or the Club to pay the expenses of the appeal.

 

6. Composition of Disciplinary and Appeal Sub-Committees

 

The Disciplinary Committees shall each consist of six members:

 

A Chair to be appointed.

Three representatives to be appointed with the agreement of all competitions

An Umpires representative

The Co-ordinator who shall be non voting.

 

If a young player is involved the County Boards Welfare Officer, or an appointed welfare representative, will also sit.

 

The Disciplinary Committee will meet the third Thursday of Each month, Beginning on the third Thursday in May and ending on the Third Thursday in September.  Appeals panels will sit as and when required. The Co-ordinator will keep a record of all proceedings and notify all competitions of action taken.


Appendix

 

Breaches

 

Certain conduct whether on or off the field of play amounting to a breach of the Laws of Cricket, and/or the spirit of cricket has been categorised within 4 levels. Details of the breaches within each of these levels are set out below:-

 

Level 1

 

(a)                 Time wasting by either the fielding side or batting side

(b)                 Abuse of cricket ground, equipment or fixtures

(c)                 Showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action

(d)                 Using language that is obscene, offensive or insulting and/or the making of obscene gestures

(e)                 Excessive appealing

 

Level 2

 

(a)               Showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action

(b)               Inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play

(c)               Charging or advancing towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing

(d)               Deliberate and malicious distraction or obstruction on the field of play, regardless as to whether such conduct is deemed unfair under law 42.5

(e)               Throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or official in an inappropriate and dangerous manner.

(f)                 Using language or gesture that is obscene or of a serious insulting nature to another player, umpire, referee, team official or spectator. (It is acknowledged that there will be verbal exchanges between players in the course of play. Rather than seeking to eliminate these exchanges entirely, umpires will look to act under directive 2.6 when this falls below an acceptable standard)

(g)               Changing the condition of the ball other than is permitted in Law 42.3

(h)               The bowling of fast short pitched balls that results in the bowler being disallowed from bowling further in that innings

(i)                 Causing avoidable damage to the pitch contrary to laws 42.13 and/or 42.14 that results in a five-run penalty being awarded

 

Level 3

 

(a)                 Intimidating an umpire or referee

(b)                 Threatening to assault another player, team official or spectator

(c)                 Using language or gesture that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, sexual orientation, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin

(d)                 The deliberate bowling of high full-pitched ball contrary to law 42.8

 

Level 4

 

a)            Threatening an umpire

b)            Physical assault of another player, umpire, official or spectator

c)         Any act of violence on the field of play

d)         Using language or gestures that seriously offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, sexual orientation, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin