Lincolnshire County Cricket League Official Handbook 2002

'.''-. - ~ 1. 2. 4. 6. 7. 8. 9. LINCOLNSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET LEAGUE RULES FOR DISCIPLINARY PROCEDURES The League Management Committee may convene a disciplinary hearing, if a player and/or club contravenes the cricket laws or Lincoln County Cricket League rules or contravenes The England and Wales Cricket Board "code of conduct" or fail to play the game within "the spirit of cricket". For the purpose of these rules, a player may be defined as any member or official or appropriate person belonging to a Club of the Lincolnshire County Cricket League. Any alleged breach of Rule 1 (to be known as a "complaint") shall be notified in writing to the League Secretary. Upon receipt of such complaint, the League Secretary shall ask for written statements from all parties concerned, including the Umpires. Failure to provide the League Secretary with a written statement may result in further disciplinary action. After the written statements have been received, the League Management Committe,'3 shall consider the complaint and resolve either to take no action except to record the complaint and notify the Club or to refer the complaint for a disciplinary hearing which shall be convened by the Chairman of the League as soon as practicable. The player and/or club accused of the alleged offence(s) shall be given at least 7 days notice of a disciplinary hearing. The League Secretary shall do this, in writing. Any adjournments may be granted at the discretion of the Chairman of the League. The player and/or club will be expected to attend the hearing. Officials and witnesses can be called upon to support the player and /or club. The Chairman of the League shall conduct the hearing. The disciplinary committee shall consist of the Chairman of the league and not less than two other persons. No person on the disciplinary committee shall be connected with the player, the Club or other parties connected with the alleged complaint. If at the hearing the disciplinary committee finds the alleged complaint proved, it shall have the power to impose one or more of the following penalties, together with such order as to costs as it deems appropriate: (i) To require the player and/or club to submit appropriate letter(s) of apology within a specified time (ii) To record a reprimand to the player and/or club and to give a warning as to future conduct (iii) To impose a fine on the player and/or club (iv) To suspend the player for one or more matches, or for stated period of time or indefinitely (v) To deduct league points from the club's team(s) (vi) To relegate the club's team(s) to a lower division (vii) To expel the club's team(s) from any competition of the league (viii) To expel the club from the league. 10. The disciplinary committee shall have the power to suspend the operation of any part, or all of the penalty it imposes for such period and subject to such terms and conditions it deems appropriate. 11 . Decisions of the disciplinary committee (a finding that a complaint is proved or not proved or decision on penalty) shall be by majority vote; where necessary the Chairman shall have a casting vote. 12. A player and/or club shall have the right of appeal. Notice of appeal setting out the grounds must 13. be given in writing to the League Secretary within seven days of the decision of the disciplinary committee, together with a fee as defined league rule 8.1 . If notice of appeal is given, the penalty shall not take effect pending the hearing of appeal, which shall take place as soon as practicable. 14. The appeal shall be by way of re-hearing before a different committee. The composition of the appeal committee shall include the Chairman of the League and not more than two other persons, excluding those persons on the disciplinary committee, chosen by the Chairman of the League. No person on the appeal committee shall be connected with the player and/or club or their opponents at the time of the alleged breach. The player and/or club shall have the same rights of 15. 16. attendance and representation, and to call witnesses as they had before the disciplinary committee. The appeals committee may confirm, vary, or reverse the decision of the disciplinary committee and it shall have the power to increase the penalty and award costs of the appeal hearing. Decisions of the appeal committee shall be by majority vote; where necessary the chairman shall have a casting vote. The decision of the appeals committee or, if no appeal, of the disciplinary committee shall be final and binding. 105