Middlesex cleared of improper conduct after discipline commission hearing

Middlesex have been cleared of improper conduct following a ­disciplinary hearing by the Cricket Discipline Commission (CDC).

The Lord’s-based club had been charged with a breach of England and Wales Cricket Board’s ­Directive 3.3 – conduct “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 groups of cricketers into disrepute”.

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Middlesex denied any ­wrongdoing throughout the process and have been vindicated by the CDC’s judgment. The charge is understood to relate to complaints made about the alleged behaviour of a member of staff. Under ECB regulations the club are held liable for such complaints rather than the individual concerned.

The Cricket Regulator is the sport’s independent disciplinary and ­compliance body that was set up by the ECB after its governance system was criticised by MPs following the Azeem Rafiq racism scandal, giving it responsibility for monitoring and enforcing the game’s regulations.

The charge brought by the ­regulator in June was found to be not proven by the CDC. In a ­deviation from standard practice the CDC panel also ruled that the reasons for their judgment should not be made public.

“On 20 June 2024, Middlesex County Cricket Club was charged by the Cricket Regulator with a single breach of ECB Directive 3.3,” read a statement from the Cricket Regulator.

“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 separate development the Guardian reported on Thursday that a Review Group of the Cricket Regulator’s Board had noted concerns about “the culture, behaviour and governance” at Middlesex in September but decided against taking any further disciplinary action.

Middlesex declined to comment on the judgment.