Westow Cricket Club and Community Pavilion

Y&DSCL - Westow Cricket Club Rules of the club - 2024

 

1. BASIC PROCEDURE AND GUIDELINES 

a) The ECB Code of Conduct requires all clubs to ensure the good behaviour of their members and supporters who must act within the spirit of cricket at all times. 

b) The club disciplinary rules shall operate alongside and in addition to the disciplinary rules operated by the England and Wales Cricket Board, the Yorkshire Cricket Association and any League or Leagues or Competition in which Thirsk Cricket Club participates and will reflect the ECB’s “Code of Conduct” and “Spirit of Cricket” statements. 

c) For the purpose of these rules a “member” is deemed to mean and include all players, employees, officials and spectators and shall operate both on and off the field. 

d) Members remain under the jurisdiction of these rules when playing on an opponents ground or when appearing in a league representative side. 

e) These rules shall apply in all matches played by the club, whether competitive or friendly and all organised practice and training sessions.  

 

2. MAINTENANCE OF DISCIPLINE 

a) The Club Committee is the authoritative body in respect of discipline within the club and shall take whatever measures are required to maintain an acceptable standard of behaviour. 

b) A Disciplinary Panel comprising Chairman, Secretary and two appointed members shall be appointed and will deal promptly with any complaint or incident. 

c) Any official of the club may, on his/her own violation and without any need for the receipt of a written complaint or other prompting, convene an internal club enquiry where it is considered a breach of discipline or unsatisfactory conduct has occurred involving a member of the club.  

 

3. CODE OF CONDUCT 

a) All members or the club are required to comply with:

1.   The club’s Disciplinary Rules

2.   The ECB’s Disciplinary Code of Conduct and Spirit of Cricket statement.

3.   The YCA’s Disciplinary Rules

4.   The disciplinary rules of any leagues or competitions in which the club participates and are required to conduct themselves accordingly.

 

b) Unsatisfactory conduct shall include, but not limited to:

1. Dissent at an umpire’s decision or reaction in a provocative or disapproving manner.    

2. Physical abuse, intimidation, assault or attempt to intimidate an umpire, another player, official or  spectator.

3. The use of crude, foul abusive language or the making of offensive gestures or hand signals  whether directed at an individual or otherwise.

4. Sledging or deliberate distraction of an opponent and persistent appealing in order to pressurise an umpire or opponent.

5. Willful damage to property, equipment or playing surfaces.

6. The use or distribution of illegal drugs or substances.

7. Ungentlemanly conduct or any other action that is likely to bring the club, league or the game of cricket into disrepute or prejudice its good name or interests. 

 

c) The club operates an active “open door” membership policy whilst respecting player qualification regulations and welcomes members/players irrespective of ethnic origin. No official, player, member or spectator shall make racially abusive comments, nor indulge in racially abusive actions, against fellow players, opponents, officials, members or supporters.  

 

4. RESPONSIBILITY 

a) The club committee has the overall responsibility for the behaviour of its members and is liable to face a charge of “unsatisfactory conduct” by the league/s for the transgressions of members. 

 

b) The team captain is responsible at all times for the actions of the players and must ensure that play is conducted within the “Spirit of Cricket” as well as within the laws. A captain failing to take adequate steps to ensure the action of the team is fully acceptable is liable to be charges with “unsatisfactory conduct” by the club committee or the league/s committee. 

 

c) The umpires are the sole judges of “fair play” and require the captain to take suitable action in the event of any unsatisfactory conduct on the part of a player. 

In addition to the instances of unacceptable behaviour, the umpires are authorised to interfere in cases of:

1.   Time wasting.

2.   Deliberate damaging of a pitch.

3.   Unauthorised use of the square for pre match practicing.

4.   Dangerous or unfair bowling.

5.   Ball tampering.

6.   Any other action which they consider to be unfair or is in breach of the laws of cricket or the competition rules. 

 

d) Players have the responsibility to familiarise themselves with all rules and disciplinary rules and to act within their parameters. 

 

e) Players representing the club are expected to support their captain and respond to leadership in a positive fashion in order to ensure the good standing of the club.  

 

5. ACTION 

In the event of a suspected breach of disciplinary rules the following action will occur:       

a) An internal club enquiry will be set up in order to establish the facts and determine whether there is a case to be answered. 

b) The accused person or persons shall be informed of the charge and made aware of the evidence in support of the charge and advised of the disciplinary procedure to be followed. 

c) A date shall be set for a disciplinary hearing and the alleged offender shall be given a minimum of seven days notice of the hearing, in writing. The date and location of the hearing must give the alleged offender an opportunity to attend and any decision to proceed with the hearing during absence must be justifiable. 

d) The alleged offender may call a maximum of two witnesses and be represented by a friend or teammate, who shall not be a professional legal person and shall have a fair opportunity to answer and present a case. 

e) Members of the disciplinary panel must be totally free from bias and must have no pecuniary or proprietary interest in the outcome of the proceedings. Where insufficient persons who fulfil these requirements are available, the club committee may co-opt external personals to the disciplinary panel.  

 

6. PENALTIES  

If the misconduct be proved, the disciplinary panel may impose one or more of the following penalties:

1.   If the conduct constitutes gross misconduct, to terminate the member’s membership forthwith.

2.   To suspend the member’s membership of the club for a period. Any such suspensions shall apply to all forms of cricket within England and Wales.

3.   To impose a fine of not more than the amount of the maximum fine which any league committee may impose on the club or a player for a similar offence.

4.   To record a reprimand and to give a warning as to future conduct in the case of a first offence.  

 

7. RIGHT OF APPEAL  

Where a member has received any penalty there shall be a right of appeal and the penalty shall not come into force until the appeal has been heard. Any appeal hearing will be as soon as possible after the original disciplinary hearing and shall be heard by an entirely neutral consisting of a minimum three persons. If necessary the panel will consist of persons from outside the club. 

 

The appeals panel shall have the power to increase, decrease or confirm the original findings. The findings of the appeals panel shall be final and binding on all parties (or the disciplinary panel if no appeal is lodged)  

 

8. ACTION BY THE CLUB COMMITTEE 

The club committee shall be empowered to take appropriate action in the event of any issue not covered by these rules.

​

Westow Cricket Club management committee - 2024

Robin Kellock

Jamie Smith

David Coverdale

Chris Inman

Nathan Pratt

Johnathan Brown

Janes Wood

Club secretary – Julie Price