Cricket coach suspended for six months after serious misconduct on pre-season tour

London: A professional cricket coach has been suspended for six months following a Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC) decision concerning inappropriate conduct during a pre-season tour involving a men's and women's county team in March 2024.

The Cricket Regulator deemed the actions as serious misconduct, leading to the coach's removal from professional cricket duties.

The interim Director of The Cricket Regulator, Dave Lewis, emphasised the importance of maintaining a safe environment for all cricket participants. "The Cricket Regulator seeks to protect all participants from inappropriate behavior, particularly when perpetrated by those in a position of power or trust. We recognize the importance of participants feeling empowered to report such matters and will always strive to protect the identities of victims and vulnerable witnesses," said Lewis.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued a charge letter to the coach, referred to as "Coach A," on May 22, 2024. The charge cited a breach of Professional Conduct Regulation 3.3 of the 2023 regulations, which stipulates that participants must not engage in any actions deemed improper, prejudicial to cricket's interests, or capable of bringing disrepute to the game, the ECB, or its players. Coach A admitted to the charge in a letter to the CDC on July 25, 2024.

To protect the identities of all involved, including potentially vulnerable individuals, the CDC maintained strict anonymity for Coach A, "Player 1" (the primary player affected), "Player 2" (another player involved), and a senior county employee who provided testimony.

The evidence supporting the case included call logs, schedules of messages exchanged between Coach A and Player 1, and a transcript of Coach A's interview with the Regulator. The CDC chose not to reproduce the full facts of the case since the involved parties had already admitted to the misconduct.

The six-month suspension imposed on Coach A has been partially served, with three months deemed already completed due to the coach's absence from the professional game since March 2024. The remaining three months are suspended, contingent on Coach A's behaviour over the next two years. The CDC recommended that Coach A undergo appropriate training at his own expense and opted against a financial penalty, taking into consideration the financial impact on him and his family.