1. The table below sets out recommended sanctions to be applied on Respondents in respect of On-Field Breaches. However, the Adjudicator or Disciplinary Panel will not be limited to imposing the recommended sanctions and can impose greater or lesser sanctions as appropriate in the circumstances of each case. 

2. Unless the Adjudicator or Disciplinary Panel stipulate otherwise, bans will apply to all cricket, be effective immediately and, for the purpose of totting up the number of breaches within a specified period, will remain on the Respondent’s record for 24 calendar months from the date of the breach. 

3. If Disciplinary Panels prefer, they can stipulate that bans cover: 

(a) a specific time period, e.g. one week; and/or 

(b) a specific number of days of cricket. 

However, it is important for decisions to be clear about the scope of any ban, including when a specific time period starts and ends. See Appendix 4 guidance note 11. 

4. The Adjudicator or Disciplinary Panel will take into account all aggravating and mitigating factors when determining the appropriate sanction. The Adjudicator or Disciplinary Panel will determine whether, and to what extent, to depart from the standard sanctions and/or to impose additional or lesser penalties as they deem fit, including (but not limited to) the following, which may be suspended (in full or in part): 

(a) Caution or reprimand 

(b) Letter of apology 

(c) Fine of no more than £500 

(d) Ban of a period of matches or weeks 

(e) Expulsion of the cricketer from a League or competition 

(f) Deduction of a Club’s league points 

(g) Expulsion of a Club from a League or competition 

(h) Relegation to a lower division of a League 

The sanctions described in paragraph 4(a) to 4(h) above can only be imposed on a Club if this is consistent with the rules in place for the relevant League or competition. 

5. The Adjudicator or Disciplinary Panel will give consideration to the following aggravating and mitigating factors, as appropriate, to include but not limited to: 

a. The ages of the Respondent and any victim at the time of the offence, particularly where the victim was a minor and the Respondent was not. 

b. The profile of the Respondent, including whether they hold a position of responsibility within their Club (e.g. Club captain, Chair or member of senior management). 

c. Poor previous disciplinary record. 

d. Failure to cooperate with the Disciplinary Officer and/or Relevant Disciplinary Body. 

e. Any attempt to conceal the breach. 

f. The extent of any premeditation or planning. 

g. The level of harm and/or distress incurred. 

h. The public nature of the offence (such as commission of the offence in a public place, via broadcast media or a social media platform). 

i. Use of discriminatory language or conduct, or any other behaviour that breaches the ECB’s Anti-Discrimination Regulations, whilst also carrying out a separate offence under the Regulations. 

a. Good previous disciplinary record. 

b. The age of the Respondent at the time of the offence. 

c. Admission at the earliest opportunity, where the factual conduct forming the basis of the charge would be capable of being disputed. 

d. Demonstration of genuine remorse. 

e. Co-operation with the Disciplinary Officer and/or Relevant Disciplinary Body. 

f. Inexperience of the Respondent by reference to their age or background at the time of the offence. 

g. In respect of social media posts, the age of the post and the Respondent’s age at the time 

of the post. 

On and around the field of play 

Any cricketer will be in breach of these Regulations, at the relevant level of offence detailed below, if they do not conduct themselves fairly and properly on and around the field of play and otherwise in accordance with the Laws of Cricket or the Spirit of Cricket. Such conduct which will result in a breach of these Regulations will include any misconduct of a cricketer on any match day as specified in Law 42 of the Laws of Cricket, namely: 

a. wilfully mistreating any part of the cricket ground or any equipment or implements used in the match; 

b. showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action; 

c. using language that, in the circumstances, is obscene, offensive or insulting; 

d. making an obscene gesture; 

e. appealing excessively; 

f. advancing towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing; and/or 

g. any other misconduct, the nature of which is, in the opinion of the umpires, equivalent to a Level 1 offence; or 

a. showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action; 

b. making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with another cricketer; 

c. throwing the ball at or near a cricketer, umpire or another person in an inappropriate and dangerous manner; 

d. using language or gesture to another cricketer, umpire, team official or spectator that, in the circumstances, is obscene or of a seriously insulting nature; and/or 

e. any other misconduct, the nature of which is, in the opinion of the umpires, equivalent to a Level 2 offence; or 

a. intimidating an umpire by language or gesture; and/or 

b. threatening to assault a cricketer or any other person except an umpire; or 

a. threatening to assault an umpire; 

b. making inappropriate and deliberate and/or dangerous physical contact with an umpire; 

c. physically assaulting a cricketer or any other person; and/or 

d. committing any other act of violence. 

e. Using language or gestures that seriously offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify another person on the basis of that person’s (or that person’s perceived) age, race, religion, sexual orientation, colour, descent or national or ethnic group. 

f. Failure to comply with the decision of a Disciplinary Panel. 

g. Failure to pay any league invoice. 

h. Any form of language or gestures that seriously offend, insult, humiliate, intimidate, threaten, disparage or vilify a league official. These can be verbal, written, or via social media. List is not exhaustive. 

A cricketer will also be in breach of these Regulations on and around the field of play if they: 

a. commit any breach of Law 41 of the Laws of Cricket (Unfair Play); or 

b. act in a manner contrary to the ECB’s Anti-Discrimination Regulations; or 

c. conduct themselves in a manner or act in a manner which is improper, or which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket, or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute. 

Any coach, match official or Club Official will be in breach of these Regulations if they fail to 

conduct themselves fairly and properly at any part of the cricket ground on any match day. 

Conduct which is not fair and proper and will therefore result in a breach of these Regulations 

will include, but not be limited to: 

a. making inappropriate and deliberate and/or dangerous physical contact with, threatening to assault, physically assaulting or committing any act of violence towards any other Participant (including an umpire or league official) or any member of the public; 

b. showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by language or gesture, advancing towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing or intimidating an umpire by language or gesture; 

c. using language that, in the circumstances, is obscene, offensive, insulting or seriously insulting; 

d. making an obscene or seriously insulting gesture; 

e. conducting themselves in a manner or acting in a manner which is improper, or which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket, or which may bring the ECB, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute; and/or 

f. acting in a manner contrary to the ECB’s Anti-Discrimination Regulations. 

If an umpire considers that there has been an On-Field Breach, they must 

(i) make reasonable efforts to inform the individual (or their captain or a Club Official) before they leave the ground and 

(ii) make a Disciplinary Report to the Disciplinary Officer of the Relevant Disciplinary Body. 

 

This Disciplinary Report will be made irrespective of any action the umpire may have taken on the field of play. Other individuals can also report On-Field Breaches either to the umpire, in which case the umpire will make a Disciplinary Report, or to the Disciplinary Officer directly by way of Written Complaint (for example, if the On-Field Breach relates to a match official). If there is no umpire appointed to a particular match, individuals can report On-Field Breaches to a captain or Club Official who can then make a Disciplinary Report on their behalf.