NPL CODE OF CONDUCT

Notes on terminology: The use of the male gender throughout this Code is for the purposes of brevity only. What follows applies equally to men and women, boys and girls. The words ‘league’ and ‘leagues’ are shorthand for any and all competitive recreational cricket played in Country under the auspices of the NPL.

Purpose

The Code of Conduct and Discipline (CCD) describes a procedure for dealing with disciplinary problems within the game, and gives general descriptions of unacceptable conduct from players. The Code fully endorses the ‘Spirit of Cricket’ Preamble to the 2000 Code of Laws. It is to be read in conjunction with the NPL Players’ Code of Conduct.

Role of umpires

Under the Laws of Cricket it is the umpires who are the sole judges of fair and unfair play. This Code extends that duty by empowering umpires to be sole judges of what is, or is not, acceptable behavior. Umpires shall exercise this duty from thirty minutes before the scheduled start of play until the scores have been agreed following the close. Players are reminded that their conduct will be under scrutiny and may incur penalties before the first or after the last balls have been bowled.

Standards of conduct

There is no place within the game of cricket for aggression, foul or abusive language to opposition players, umpires, scorers or spectators, for captains failing to set a good example to their team or failing to give necessary assistance to umpires, for verbal abuse of umpires or scorers, for disputing an umpire’s decision by word, action or both, for threats or acts of physical violence to another player, an umpire, a scorer or spectator. Scorers, players and others shall bring any concerns to the attention of the umpires, who alone determine whether, and to what level, a player’s conduct has fallen below the acceptable. In a game with player-umpires, the Captains are responsible for such reports to the MDC.

Role of Captains

Captains are responsible for ensuring that play is conducted within the Spirit, as well as the Laws of the game. Failure on their part to accept responsibility for the behavior of their players, whether batting or fielding, is regarded in itself as an offence, irrespective of what punishment may be handed out to the player concerned. If any player is punished for any reason then, after the first such offence, his captain shall also receive an automatic punishment. If the captain himself offends he may expect a punishment greater than that meted out to any of his players. Captains are reminded that they continue to remain responsible for the conduct of their team when it is batting. The captain, even if not on the field of play, is still be vulnerable to being penalized