As per section 8 of the LCC Constitution, the following are the Rules of the Club:
Rule 1: Membership
- The rate of memberships and match fees shall be fixed annually at the Annual General Meeting.
- Annual subscriptions shall be paid before end of May in each year. Half can be paid on the day of the players first game. A playing member whose membership remains unpaid after that date shall be ineligible for further selection save with prior consent of the Committee until their membership is paid. A member joining the Club after the season has begun shall pay their membership within two weeks of joining the club.
- All members must also be registered with Cricket Leinster as well.
Rule 2: Membership Rights
- All members of the Club shall be entitled to full use of the pavilion and its equipment.
- The Committee may make rules with regard to the use of the pavilion and its equipment in the interest of Members generally and may restrict the use as they consider desirable on particular occasions.
- All Members have a responsibility to ensure that this privilege is restricted to themselves and their guests and likewise that the utmost care is taken of all Club property.
- Members of visiting clubs and their guests shall have access to and full use of the facilities of the pavilion for the duration of their visit.
Rule 3: Conduct
- The club strongly upholds the Spirit of Cricket, as set out in the Preamble to the Laws.
- The club will not tolerate any form of behaviour that may be seen to bring the club, opposing teams, officials or the game itself into disrepute.
- Members are expected to show respect for fellow members, opposition players and officials at all times, both on and off the field.
- All players/members are expected at all times to act in a manner consistent with the Code of Conduct as set out by the Leinster Cricket Union.
- Membership of the club will be deemed to constitute a members acceptance of the Rules of the Club including the Code of Conduct.
- There is no place for any form of violence on or off the field of play. Anyone involved in violence will be subject to disciplinary action which may result in a ban from playing cricket or being expelled from the club. In such circumstances, the member clubs of the LCU will be informed of such action.
Rule 4: Disciplinary Procedures
Any breaches of conduct by members will result in disciplinary action in line with the LCU Disciplinary Code. The LCU Disciplinary Code sets out four levels of offence, the lowest of which are basic contraventions of the Spirit of Cricket. The other three levels contain successively more serious offences, with progressively greater sanctions
Level 1
- The penalty for a Level 1 offences shall be a reprimand, either verbal or written being issued to that player/member.
- Level 1 offences comprise:
- Abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fittings.
- Showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by action or verbal abuse.
- Using language that is obscene, offensive or insulting and/or the making of obscene gestures.
- Excessive appealing.
- Pointing or gesturing towards the pavilion in an aggressive manner by the bowler or other member of the fielding side upon the dismissal of a batsman.
Level 2
- The penalty for a Level 2 offence is a one or two match suspension.
- Level 2 offences include:
- Showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by action of verbal abuse.
- Inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play.
- Charging or advancing towards the umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing.
- Deliberate and malicious distraction or obstruction on the field of play.
- Throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or official in an inappropriate and dangerous manner.
- Using language that is obscene, offensive or of a seriously insulting nature to another player, umpire, team official or spectator. In this instance, language will be interpreted to include gestures.
- Changing the condition of the ball in breach of Law 42.3
- Any attempt to manipulate a match in regard to the result, net run rate, bonus points or otherwise.
- Repeat of any Level 1 offence within 12 months.
Level 3
- The penalty for a Level 3 offence is a suspension of four to eight matches.
- Level 3 offences include:
- Intimidation of an umpire whether by language or conduct.
- Threat of assault on another player, team official or spectator.
- Using language or gestures that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.
- Repeat of any Level 2 offence within 12 months.
Level 4
- The penalty for a Level 4 offence is a suspension of a minimum of 10 matches.
- Level 4 offences include:
- Threat of assault on an umpire.
- Physical assault of another player, umpire, official or spectator.
- Any act of violence on the field of play.
- Using language or gestures that seriously offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person’s race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin.
- Repeat of any Level 3 offence within 12 months.
- A Disciplinary Committee consisting of the President/Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary and Teams manager shall review offences and implement sanctions resulting from the offence.
- As well as the offences and sanctions aforementioned, the LCC Disciplinary Committee may order compensation to an aggrieved party as part of the penalty e.g. if damage has been caused to any property.
- The Disciplinary Committee will refer to the Cricket Leinster Guidelines on the Code of Conduct for further interpretative assistance.
- There shall be a right of appeal to the Committee against either the finding or the sanction imposed or both following disciplinary action being taken. The Committee shall appoint an Appeals Committee (a maximum of three) which shall not include members involved with the initial disciplinary hearing but may include non members of the club. The Appeals Committee shall consider the appeal within 7 days of receiving the appeal
Rule 5: Child Protection/Child Safeguarding
- LCC has adopted Child Protection and Child Safeguarding policies in compliance with the Children First Act 2015 and to ensure the provision of a safe, positive and nurturing environment where youths/children can develop and enhance their cricketing and social skills.
- LCC has developed these policies to ensure that the Club’s fosters and an ethos whereby cricket can be conducted in an enjoyable, friendly, safe, positive and encouraging atmosphere for all its members including children.
- All members should familiarise themselves with CIreland’s The Child Safeguarding Policy and our club policies.
Rule 6: Junior Players on Open Senior Teams
- The Committee of the Club and/or the Club Captains will decide on whether a child plays or not on Open Senior Teams. All communication to the player as per our Communication Policy. Relevant Safeguarding Course and Garda Vetting must have been completed by captains /leaders involved.
- See our Playing Regulations U 18 Policy which covers CRICKET IRELAND Code of Practice, Appendix 3 re Safety Regulations.
- See our Playing Overview which covers CRICKET IRELAND Junior & Youth Playing Formats.
Rule 7: Selection and Recruitment
- LCC is committed to exercising all reasonable steps to ensure that persons working with children and who have substantial access to children in the Club are selected and recruited according to a systematic recruitment procedure.
- LCC will deploy Cricket Ireland standards to ensure safe recruiting in terms of
- Job/Role specification
- Application forms with sufficient and suitable information requests
- Requesting photographic proof of identification
- Verification of qualifications and references, to include
- Vetting checks in line with the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012. See CRICKET IRELAND Garda Vetting & Identification Validation
- The Safeguarding Training must be done by coaches, captains & all those who have dealings with U 18. See CRICKET IRELAND Child Safeguarding Policy.
Rule 8: Rules of the Club
- The Committee shall have power to make and amend rules for regulating the conduct and affairs of the Club providing the same are not inconsistent with the clubs constitution.
- The rules of the club will be published on the Clubs website.
- The rules shall be appropriately circulated to and shall be binding on all members.
- All members will be subject to the Rules of the Club and by joining the Club will be deemed to accept these Rules, Club Regulations, Code of Conduct, disciplinary measures and any other such rules/codes/policies adopted by the club.
Rule 9: Interpretation of the Rules
- On any matters requiring interpretation of these Rules or not covered thereby the decision of the Committee, subject to any subsequent decision of an AGM, shall be final.
- These rules shall remain in force until amended or repealed at An AGM.