Middlesex have been exonerated of any improper conduct following a disciplinary hearing by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC). The Lord’s-based club had faced charges under England and Wales Cricket Board’s Directive 3.3, which pertains to conduct deemed improper or potentially harmful to the reputation of cricket, the ECB, or any cricketer or group of cricketers. Middlesex consistently denied any wrongdoing and have now been cleared by the CDC’s ruling.
The charges are believed to stem from complaints regarding the alleged behavior of a staff member. According to ECB regulations, the club is held accountable for such complaints rather than the individual involved. The Cricket Regulator, an independent disciplinary and compliance body established by the ECB in response to criticisms following the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal, oversees and enforces the game’s regulations.
The regulator’s charge, brought in June, was dismissed by the CDC. Notably, the CDC panel decided against publicizing the reasons for their judgment, deviating from standard practice. “On 20 June 2024, Middlesex County Cricket Club was charged by the Cricket Regulator with a single breach of ECB Directive 3.3,” stated a Cricket Regulator release. “Following a full hearing before an independent panel of the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) on 17 September 2024, the CDC panel has found that the Cricket Regulator’s charge was not proven. The CDC panel directed that the details of the decision are not published.”
In a related development, the Guardian reported that a Review Group of the Cricket Regulator’s Board had expressed concerns about “the culture, behavior, and governance” at Middlesex in September but opted not to pursue further disciplinary action. Middlesex has declined to comment on the judgment.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
