Cricket

A professional county cricket coach has been suspended for six months by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) for engaging in inappropriate conduct with a player under his care. The incidents occurred during a pre-season tour in March 2024, involving the men's and women's teams from an unnamed county.The coach, referred to as "Coach A" in the CDC's findings, was charged with breaching regulation 3.3 of the 2023 Professional Conduct Regulations, which prohibits improper conduct that may harm the interests of cricket or bring the game into disrepute. Coach A admitted the charge in writing on July 25, 2024.The identities of Coach A, the player involved ("Player 1"), another player ("Player 2"), and a senior county employee who provided witness statements were anonymized to protect victims and vulnerable witnesses.Evidence presented to the CDC included call logs, messages, and a transcript of Coach A's interview with the Cricket Regulator. The CDC deemed it unnecessary to disclose the full details of the incidents as they had been admitted by the parties involved.Coach A's suspension includes three months already served since the last incident in March 2024, with the remaining three months suspended for two years, contingent on his future conduct. The CDC recommended that Coach A undergo appropriate training at his own expense and did not impose a fine, considering the financial impact on him and his family.Interim director of The Cricket Regulator, Dave Lewis, emphasized the importance of protecting participants from inappropriate sexual behavior, especially by those in positions of power. The Regulator encourages reporting of such incidents and safeguards the identities of victims and vulnerable witnesses.Mitigating factors considered by the CDC in sentencing Coach A included his acceptance of responsibility, apology, and expression of remorse. The panel also noted his unblemished record prior to the incidents and his completion of safeguarding courses and an up-to-date DBS check.

Worcestershire County Cricket Club has received a suspended two-point deduction for the upcoming Vitality Blast season after their all-rounder, Josh Cobb, was found to have used an illegally-sized bat during a match against Durham in July.Cobb admitted to breaching ECB Directives 3.2 and 3.3 after his bat failed a bat-gauge test during the match. The Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) adjudicator initially imposed a straight points deduction, but this was amended on appeal to a suspended penalty, which will be imposed if Worcestershire commits a further breach of this nature.This is the second such penalty to be leveled in county cricket this summer, following the 12-point deduction that Essex received in the County Championship after Feroz Khushi breached the regulations during their opening fixture of the season.Worcestershire expressed dismay at the original verdict, arguing that the loss of two points could significantly impact their chances of reaching the Vitality Blast knockouts. The club's appeal highlighted the potential financial and sporting consequences of the penalty.In response, the adjudicator, Chris Tickle, reviewed his decision and imposed a suspended penalty instead. Interim Director of the Cricket Regulator, Dave Lewis, welcomed the collaboration between Worcestershire CCC, the CDC, and the Cricket Regulator in reaching this outcome.The Cricket Regulator emphasized the importance of educating participants and preventing future breaches of bat size regulations. The independent body enforces the rules for domestic professional cricket and investigates and prosecutes cases, while the CDC adjudicates on breaches and issues penalties.

Essex County Cricket Club's hopes of winning the County Championship have been dashed after the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) docked them 12 points for using an oversized bat in their opening match of the season. The sanction, which had been anticipated by the club, has been accepted but has also sparked fury behind the scenes.The issue arose during Essex's second innings against Nottinghamshire on April 6. Feroz Khushi's bat was found to be stuck in the measurement gauge used by the umpires. Essex went on to win the match, but the points deduction has left them trailing Surrey by 56 points with two rounds remaining.Essex lodged an appeal, but the CDC upheld the original charge. In its 31-page judgment, the CDC acknowledged that some of the gauges used to assess Khushi's bat did not comply with specifications. Khushi claimed he trusted his bat manufacturer to provide equipment that met regulations and never intended to use a non-conforming bat. He received a reprimand for his role in the issue.Essex has expressed disappointment with the decision and has vowed to write to the CDC, Cricket Regulator, and England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to highlight concerns about the inconsistencies in the testing process. Club president Keith Fletcher has accused the appeal panel of "trying to flex its muscles" and has criticized the penalty as unfair to the entire team.Essex chairman Anu Mohindru has also raised concerns about the lack of standardization in bat testing gauges. He believes that the club is being singled out and that the playing field is not level if different gauges are being used.The points deduction has effectively ended Essex's hopes of winning the County Championship. The club is now focused on upholding the integrity of the game and ensuring strict compliance with regulations moving forward.