DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES –
SUMMARY OUTLINE
(Each club has a copy of the full procedures)
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The 2000 Code of the Laws of Cricket has an excellent preamble which emphasises the proper spirit of the game of cricket. Behaviour which "brings the game, the player or the Club into disrepute" is subject to disciplinary procedures. That is, any behaviour which makes a person, his/her club or the game of cricket look bad must be dealt with.
Penalties range from a reprimand and apology to expulsion from the Club, even the Zone. Expulsions are rare.
A breach of the Codes of Behaviour by a player, official or parent must result in that person being reported. Any Club or SWMJCC official (Committee member, Coach or Manager) can make a report.
Coaches and managers, who might otherwise find it embarrassing to discipline players or parents (close to home),are protected by the Club’s and the SWMJCC’s insistence on reporting poor behaviour.
Typical offences are:
The procedures apply to scheduled games, training, scratch matches and any other activity organised by the Club or the SWMJCC.
Individual clubs are encouraged to deal with transgressions, but serious ones must be reported to the SWMJCC, and the SWMJCC Tribunal is prepared to deal with any transgression if clubs find it difficult. Reports must be made promptly, ideally on the day of the incident.
Reported people must appear before a tribunal, which is like a court but much less formal. Reported people have the usual "natural justice" rights to defend themselves, call witnesses and generally get a fair go.
Reports don’t happen often, but we need to know what will happen if we break the Codes of Behaviour. Remember, cricket is a game for gentle folk. Forget some of the nonsense we see on TV. Get on with cricket – there’s no better game.
DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES
Preamble
It is intended that individual Affiliated Clubs of the South West Metropolitan Junior Cricket Council (SWMJCC) manage discipline within their clubs as far as is practicable. However, reports should be made to the SWMJCC for serious breaches of the Laws of Cricket or of Codes of Conduct of affiliated clubs, especially where those breaches affect or involve members of a club other than that to which a reported person (player, official or other adult) belongs.
1. These procedures shall apply to any activity run under the auspices of the SWMJCC. These activities include, but are not limited to: training, scratch matches and fixtured games. The procedures shall apply to players, officials and other adults.
2. Any SWMJCC official or affiliated-club official (committee member, coach, manager) may make a report.
3. Reports must be made for breaches of the Laws of Cricket relating to behaviour, or of the Codes of Conduct of affiliated clubs. Such breaches include, but are not limited to: showing dissent against an umpire’s decision, verbal abuse, physical abuse, repeated unfair play, conduct bringing the game into disrepute.
4. The reported person shall to be notified of the nature of the report before leaving the game or session, where possible and appropriate; if not, then as promptly as is practicable. Oral notification will suffice, provided a written record of the notification is made at the time. Where the reported person is a player, the coach or manager of the player’s team shall also be notified.
5. The President or Vice-president or Secretary of the SWMJCC shall be notified of the report on the day of the offence, where practicable; if not, then as promptly as possible, and in any event no later than 48 hours after the occurrence of the incident being reported. Oral notification will suffice. The SWMJCC Secretary or other SWMJCC official acting as Secretary will then notify all parties of the proposed time and venue for hearing the report; oral notice will suffice. Hearings will normally be held within three days of the report being made.
6. The reported person and reporting person must attend the hearing (except as provided in Clause 7 below). A reported player’s coach, captain or vice-captain (where a permanent captain or vice-captain exist) and parent (if desired by the reported player) may attend the hearing. Reported persons shall not be represented at a hearing by legal practitioners acting as legal representatives; thus, a parent, coach or manager who is a legal practitioner may accompany a reported player, but shall not act as the legal representative of the player.
7. The SWMJCC tribunal hearing the report shall be composed of one or more members of a panel appointed by the SWMJCC Committee. The tribunal shall not include members of Committee or Executive who are members of the club or clubs to which the reported person or the reporting person belong. Hearings will proceed in the absence of the reported player or other parties with rights to attend, unless alternative arrangements agreeable to the tribunal are made no less than 24 hours before the scheduled hearing; and provided the reporting person who will be absent has provided a written report enabling the tribunal to evaluate the facts. The reported player, captain or vice-captain and other parties with rights to attend the hearing may make written submission to the Committee, provided such submissions are received by the Secretary no later than two hours before the scheduled start of the hearing.
8. Decisions of the tribunal shall not be subject to appeal.
9. If the offence involves parties outside the SWMJCC, those parties shall be advised of outcome of the hearing promptly after completion of hearing.
10. If the offence involves a member or members of an affiliated club not present at the hearing, those parties shall be advised of the outcome of the hearing promptly after completion of hearing.
12. A written record of hearing proceedings will be kept by the SWMJCC. The record shall include the reported person’s name, the nature of the offence, a summary of evidence produced at the hearing, the outcome of the hearing and any penalty imposed.