Player Code of Conduct

The image and reputation of the Bentleigh Cricket Club is vital to its ongoing success and reflects the Club’s standing in the community.

Our “Player Code of Conduct” sets the standard of conduct required of our club’s members and officials as representatives of the Bentleigh Cricket Club. Club members and officials are expected to abide by our Player Code of Conduct. As a member or official of the Bentleigh Cricket Club your conduct while representing the club in any capacity must meet the standards set out below.

This information details Player and Official Standards that apply to all playing and officiating members - junior and senior. While all playing members and officials must adhere to these standards, the Player and Official Standards detailed here should be read in conjunction with the Member Code of Conduct, as both codes apply to playing members and officials.

These standards are guidelines only and a Disciplinary Committee of Bentleigh Cricket Club reserves the right to charge a member or official for conduct they believe is outside the spirit of these guidelines - whether it is explicitly covered in the Member/Player Codes of Conduct or not.

Player / Official Standards - Rules and Guidelines

As a playing member or official of Bentleigh Cricket Club you must adhere to the following Player/Official Standards. Each Rule below has a Guideline . The guidelines are intended as an illustrative guide only. If there is doubt as to the interpretation of any rule, the provisions of the rule itself shall take precedence over the provisions of the guidelines. Rule interpretations are ultimately decided by the Disciplinary Committee.

Player / Official Standards - Rules and Guidelines

RULE

Abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings.

GUIDELINE

Includes actions outside the course of normal cricket play such as deliberately hitting or kicking the wickets and actions which intentionally or negligently result in damage to advertising boards, boundary markers or any part of, or contents of, any building or structure at the ground.

RULE

Use language or gestures that offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate or threaten. Use language that is obscene, offensive or insulting and/or the making of obscene gestures of a seriously insulting nature to another player, official or spectator.

GUIDELINE

This includes swearing and offensive gestures which are not directed at another person such as swearing in frustration at one’s own poor play or fortune.

The extent to which such behaviour is likely to give offence shall be taken into account when assessing the seriousness of the breach

RULE

Use language or gestures that offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify another person on the basis of that person’s race religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.

GUIDELINE

This includes mimicking another player with the intention to insult, belittle, denigrate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify them on the basis of that person’s race religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.

RULE

Point or gesture towards the pavilion, or behave aggressively or derisively towards either batsman, upon the dismissal of a batsman.

GUIDELINE

Includes charging or running towards any batsman and getting “in his/her face”.

RULE

Threaten to assault another player, umpire, team official or spectator. Engage in inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with other players, umpires or officials in the course of play.

GUIDELINE

Without limitation, players will breach this rule if they deliberately walk or run into, or shoulder another player, official or match official.

RULE

Deliberately and maliciously distract or obstruct another player or official on the field of play.

GUIDELINE

Players will breach this rule if they deliberately attempt to distract a striker by words or gestures while a bowler is running in, or deliberately shepherd a batsman while running or attempting to run between wickets.

Umpire Specific Rules and Guidelines

RULE

Show excessive dissent at an umpire’s decision by action or verbal abuse.

Includes excessive, obvious disappointment with any umpires’ decision and obvious delay in resuming play or leaving the wicket.

GUIDELINE

This rule does not prohibit a bowler or team Captain involved in the decision from asking an umpire to provide an explanation for a decision. Further, it does not prohibit the Captain from commenting on the umpires’ performance in the Captains’ Report.

RULE

Show serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by action or verbal abuse.

GUIDELINE

Dissent should be classified as serious where the dissent is expressed by a specific action such as the shaking of the head, snatching cap from the umpire, pointing at pad or bat, other displays of anger or abusive language directed at the umpire or excessive delay in resuming play or leaving the wicket.

RULE

Engage in excessive appealing.

GUIDELINE

Excessive shall mean repeated appealing when the bowler/fielder knows the batsman is not out, with the intention of placing the umpire under pressure.

This rule is not intended to prevent loud or enthusiastic appealing. However, the practice of celebrating or assuming a dismissal before an umpires’ decision may also come within this rule.

RULE

Intimidate an umpire whether by language or conduct. Charge or advance towards the umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing.

GUIDELINE

This rule is not intended to prevent loud or enthusiastic appealing. However, a player should not aggressively approach an umpire on appeal.

Players must obey the Laws of Cricket and play within the ‘spirit of the game’. The Captain and Coach must use their best efforts to ensure that team members comply with this rule and all above.

Penalties

In the event the Disciplinary Committee decides that any person is guilty of breaching any of the rules of this Player Code of Conduct, they will normally apply a penalty within the normal range of penalties for each level of offence set out in the table below.

However, the Disciplinary Committee may also apply any or all of the penalties set out in this section where circumstances require a greater penalty due to:

The player having been found guilty of a previous offence or offences (whether in this or other competitions) or,
Where the offence is particularly serious.

When imposing a penalty upon a person who has breached this Player Code of Conduct, the Disciplinary Committee may take into account any circumstance it considers relevant, including:

The seriousness of the breach;
The harm caused by the breach;
The person’s seniority and standing in the game;
Remorse shown by the person and the prospect of further breaches;
The person’s prior record; and/or
The impact of the penalty on the person.

The penalty range below is a guideline only and the Disciplinary Committee may, at its discretion, impose different penalty outcomes and ranges.

Level of Offence and Penalty Range

LEVEL 1 Official reprimand and/or a ban of 1 multi-day match and/or 2 one-day matches

LEVEL 2 Ban of up to 2 multi-day matches and/or 4 one-day matches

LEVEL 3 Ban of up to 4 multi-day matches and/or 8 one-day matches

LEVEL 4 Ban of 5 or more multi-day matches and/or 10 one-day matches or a life ban