MCC to trial "red cards" for bad behaviour

Quote:MCC, the Guardian of the Laws of Cricket, is to trial new on-field sanctions including penalty runs and the removal of players from the field in an attempt to arrest declining standards of player behaviour.

Leagues, schools and MCC Universities in the UK are being invited to take part in the trials this summer, with a variety of different suggested sanctions available for umpires to use.

MCC has used the ECB’s Code of Conduct Levels of 1 to 4 as a guide to what behaviour constitutes what level of breach, with some minor alterations, but is also encouraging flexibility in order to gain a broad range of feedback.

The trials are part of a thorough review of the Laws of Cricket being undertaken by the Club with a view to publishing a new Code of the Laws (the first since 2000) in October 2017.

Following a global consultation in 2015, the majority of umpires felt they would be better empowered to deal with poor on-field behaviour if they had more power to tackle the problem during the match, rather than through a retrospective reporting procedure.

https://www.lords.org/news/2016-2/februa...behaviour/

If this were to be introduced at the international level at some point, you have to fear for the possibility of an Ashes match either ending with all 22-players being sent off or one side finishing with a negative score  ;D

I do like the idea of eliminating time wasting and also trying to cut back on excessive/intimidating appeals.

Very bad idea in cricket. If they send off a bowler then the team would get affected really bad. Not all 11 players on the ground are equal in cricket, so sending off one important player for supposedly "bad" behaviour is crazy. Not to mention that the lines of bad behaviour are not clearly defined in cricket and even perfectly legal acts like mankading and not walking after a dismissal are called out to be against the "Spirit of Cricket". I don't even see why this is important; tempers do flare every now and then but a bit of aggression is very important, especially in Test cricket.

[quote author=dillinger10 link=topic=102597.msg677791#msg677791 date=1455084055]
If this were to be introduced at the international level at some point, you have to fear for the possibility of an Ashes match either ending with all 22-players being sent off or one side finishing with a negative score  ;D
[/quote]

Haha!!  ... especially in OZ !!

Good Idea : Matthew Wade would have been sent off for cussing Elliott !

[quote author=thedeatheater1410 link=topic=102597.msg677794#msg677794 date=1455099139]
Very bad idea in cricket. If they send off a bowler then the team would get affected really bad. Not all 11 players on the ground are equal in cricket, so sending off one important player for supposedly "bad" behaviour is crazy. Not to mention that the lines of bad behaviour are not clearly defined in cricket and even perfectly legal acts like mankading and not walking after a dismissal are called out to be against the "Spirit of Cricket". I don't even see why this is important; tempers do flare every now and then but a bit of aggression is very important, especially in Test cricket.
[/quote]
Isn't imposing such a strong deterrent the only way that these types of incidents are going to be eliminated from the game? It seems pretty obvious that a slap on the wrist and a minimal fine has done nothing to curb these misdemeanors. At present, however, it would seem that these proposed changes are aimed more at schoolboy, youth and club cricket.

As to the uncertainty of what is or isn't legal, the article linked to in the opening post outlines the punishment(s) for every offense.

Quote:MCC's guidelines to Umpires for trial sanctions

Level 4 offences:

(a) threatening an umpire or referee;

(b) physical assault of another player, umpire, referee, official or spectator;

© any act of violence on the field of play;

(d) using  language  or  gesture  that  seriously  offends, insults,  humiliates,  intimidates,  threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race,  religion  or  belief,  colour,  descent,  national  or ethnic origin, age, disability, gender, sexual orientation or background.

Suggested sanctions:

• [li]Player is sent off the field for the remainder of the match.  If he refuses to go, the captain will be warned that it would constitute a refusal to play.[/li]
  [li]Additional 5 run penalty and report.[/li]
  [li]If it is a batsman who committed the offence, he is Retired out; and if 9 wickets are down, his team are all out.[/li][li]Umpires instruct captain to remove player, or vice-captain/senior player if it is the captain who is the offender.[/li]
  [li]NB If the captain is already suspended, then his nominated deputy on the field is to be used.[/li]
  

Level 3 offences:

(a) intimidating an umpire or referee;

(b) threatening to assault another player, team official or spectator;

©using language or gesture that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another  person  on  the  basis  of  that  person's  race, religion  or  belief,  colour,  descent,  national  or  ethnic origin,  age,  disability,  gender,  sexual  orientation  or background;

(d) deliberately bowling a high full pitched ball which is deemed dangerous and unfair as defined in Law 42.6(b).

Suggested sanctions:

• [li]Player is sent off for 10 overs of playing time or 20% of that innings’ overs, whichever is fewer.[/li]
  [li]Any unexpired penance time is carried forward to next innings.[/li]
  [li]Additional 5 run penalty and report.[/li]
  [li]If a fielder, he can bowl immediately upon his return.[/li]
  [li]If a batsman, he is Retired not out, and if 9 wickets are down his team is all out. He may return at the fall of the next wicket after his suspension has been fully served or if one of the current batsmen is Retired out.[/li]
  [li]Umpires instruct captain to remove player, or vice-captain/senior player if captain is the offender.[/li]
  

Level 2 offences:

(a) showing serious dissent at an umpire's decision by word or action;

(b) inappropriate and deliberate physical contact between players in the course of play;

© deliberate distraction or obstruction of another player on the field of play, regardless as to whether such conduct is deemed unfair under Law 42.5;

(d) throwing the ball at or near a player, umpire or official in an inappropriate and dangerous manner;

(e) using language or gesture that is obscene or of a serious insulting nature to another player, umpire, referee, team official or spectator;

(f) causing avoidable damage to the pitch that results in a 5 run penalty being awarded under Laws 42.13 and/or 42.14.

Suggested sanctions:

• [li]This process would be wholly umpire led.[/li]
  [li]The umpires must agree, and report all incidents in the post-match report.[/li]
  [li]Immediate 5 penalty runs on first and all subsequent occasions.[/li]
  

Level 1

(a) time wasting by either the fielding side or the batting side which results in a 5 run penalty or the bowler being disallowed from bowling any further in that innings.

(b) abuse of cricket ground, equipment or fixtures/fittings;

© showing dissent  at  an  umpire's  decision  by  word or action;

(d) using language  that  is  obscene,  offensive  or  insulting and/or making an obscene gesture;

(e) excessive appealing;

(f) charging or advancing towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing.

Suggested sanctions:

• [li]This process would be wholly umpire led.[/li]
  [li]The umpires must agree, and report all incidents in the post-match report.[/li]
  [li]First and final warning to Captain, which applies to all members of that team throughout the match.[/li]
  [li]5 penalty runs on all subsequent occasions.[/li]
  

https://www.lords.org/news/2016-2/februa...behaviour/