Player
Behaviour Trials
There is clear evidence that, in a number of different
leagues in different countries, the standards of player
behaviour on the cricket field are poor, to the extent that
the enjoyment of matches is ruined for players and umpires
alike. Whilst the majority of cricket is played in a
competitive but fair spirit, there are some players, or even
teams, whose behaviour is below what is expected for
cricket. Indeed, five matches in the UK had to be
abandoned in 2015, following outbreaks of violence.
Following a global consultation in 2015, the majority of
umpires felt they would be better able to control player
behaviour if they had more power to deal with the problem
during the game, rather than through a reporting procedure
afterwards. The benefit of this is that the offence has a
consequence in that particular game, rather than in the
following weeks, or even the following season.
MCC is currently undertaking a thorough review of the Laws
of Cricket, with a view to changes being introduced in
8
October 2017. It has decided to trial various methods of
attempting to improve player behaviour during the 2016
English summer, with sanctions ranging from penalty runs
to a player’s removal from the field. MCC’s main hope is that
this added power to the umpires will provide a deterrent to
poor behaviour in the first place. Certain leagues, schools
and universities are being invited to take part in these trials,
with feedback then to be provided to MCC before it makes
its final decision as to their suitability to becoming
enshrined into Law. Similar trials have taken place in New
Zealand, with positive impacts on player behaviour.
Below is a list of the offences and some suggested penalties
for them. There will not be a uniform application of these
suggestions, as MCC would ideally like different penalties to
be trialled in different environments.
MCC has used the ECB’s Code of Conduct Levels 1–4 as a
guide to what behaviour constitutes what level of breach,
with some minor alterations.
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