Bye-Laws/Constitution
Contents
Article 1: THE NAME..
Article 2: MEMBERSHIP
Article 3: GENERAL MEETINGS
Article 4: VOTING
Article 5: AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
Article 6: FEES
Article 7: THE BOARD / EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Article 8: THE CAPTAINS
Article 9: CODE OF CONDUCT
Article 10: SELECTION
Article 11: VIOLATIONS and PENALTIES
Article 1: THE NAME
The name of the Club shall be “SPARTANS CRICKET CLUB”, hereinafter referred to in these rules as “The Club". This applies to all the teams under SPARTANS CRICKET CLUB.
Article 2: MEMBERSHIP
Membership shall be open to players and other individuals who agree to abide by the rules of the Club. It is the policy of the club to ensure that no participant will receive less favorable treatment on the grounds of age, gender, marital status, employment status, social class, color, race, ethnic or national origin, religious belief or disability, or will be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which are not relevant to performance.
Membership shall be open to all. Admittance to membership shall be determined by the Board.
Article 3: GENERAL MEETINGS
3.1 The Annual General Meeting (AGM):
The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the club shall be held at the end of every cricketing season (currently set from Jan - Dec) and by 30th of June every year at the latest. The business of the AGM shall include:
Annual Report by the Board / Executive Committee.
President, Captain’s Comments.
Statement of Accounts and Treasurer’s Report.
Notified Amendments to the Constitution.
Election of the New Board.
Awards and Banquet
Other business duly notified to the Board.
3.2 Extraordinary General Meeting:
By simple majority of the club membership an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) shall be convened by the Board giving at least fourteen days email notice to all club members specifying the business to be transacted
Article 4: VOTING
At all meetings of the club including AGM and EGM each properly recognized member shall be entitled to one vote. In the event that a member is unable to attend the meeting, such member may cast their vote by secretly sending their votes electronically via their personal email to a designated Board member’s mailbox but before 2 days of voting. Such votes will not be counted until the votes are counted at the club meeting. In the event of an equal vote the President of the club shall have a second vote.
Article 5: AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION
Amendment(s) shall only be made at the AGM/EGM with the specified notice in writing together with the proposed amendment(s) at least one week prior to the meeting. An amendment to the Constitution will take effect only if two-thirds or more of the votes cast are in favor. Also the amendment made shall take effect from the day of AGM/EGM and will not be applied to any issues before this date.
Article 6: FEES
6.1 A person shall only be deemed as a bona fide member of the club upon payment of fees (listed below under article 6.2 & 6.3) as specified by the Board. A list of members shall be maintained by the Treasurer.
6.2 Membership Fee: All players are obligated to pay a quarterly membership fee of ₹250. This is apart from the match fees that they may need to pay for the matches they play. The membership starts from the calendar quarter any new member has joined the club. This membership fee helps to cover the expenses related to team kit, health and safety aids, organizing club events, purchase medals / trophies to reward performers and any other expenses not fulfilled from the regular contribution from club members.
6.3 Cash Wallet System: Effective, June 1st 2023, to address the challenge of cash reserves and ensure club’s long-term financial health, a cash wallet system is introduced. This system will enable the club to build cash reserves for future expenses and contingencies. Under the cash wallet system, a minimum cash wallet balance requirement of ₹500 is encouraged for every player. This balance will act as a reserve fund, safeguarding the club’s financial stability and enabling us to cover immediate expenses. Match fees will be debited from each player’s cash wallet. Players will be responsible for maintaining their cash wallet balances at or above the minimum requirement. They can top up their wallets by making additional payments whenever their balances are low or when they owe money for the matches they play. The Spartans Cricket Club – Bengaluru spreadsheet will maintain all the payments received from each player and all the expenses that each player took part in.
6.3.1 – Debiting Cash Wallet: All expenses related to matches including ground/match fees, tournament advances and ball fees if applicable will be equally split among the number of participating players and equal share will be debited from the Cash Wallet Balance of all the participating players for the match. Any other expenses incurred towards the match that is not listed here should be brought to the notice of the EC members by the captains and deliberated further for settlement.
6.3.2 Exempted Members: Active Students who are not working / not started work yet and Players who don’t have a salaried job / not earning any salary will be exempted from this share split and the total expenses will be split among the rest of the players participated. The Club reserves the right to verify / validate the genuineness of this exemption from time to time and may act accordingly.
6.4 Cash Wallet Balances – The treasurer would update the cash wallet balances of all players for their remittances of cash advances / dues and also debits the match fees as mentioned in 6.3.1. The players are obligated to verify their cash wallet balances by end of every Wednesday, clear any dues and top up if needed to maintain the recommended cash wallet balance. If for some reason, any club member is unable to make the fee payment before a match that they have opted to play next, it is their responsibility to duly notify the Treasurer/Captains about the delay in payment and also provide the assurance to make the payment as soon as possible.
6.5 Defaulters and Disqualification of membership: Any club member who have negative cash wallet balance (past match fee dues) pending for more than 2 months will be marked as inactive and they will be expelled from the club membership, if the dues are not cleared by end of 3rd month. If there is a genuine reason for the delay in payments such as out of station/country for long time, medically unfit etc. and the club member has duly notified the Treasurer / Board, the Board will take into consideration of such cases and make a decision to approve / reject such requests after careful review.
6.6 Any member of the club authorized to collect funds on behalf of the Club shall pay the collected funds to the Treasurer within seven days.
Article 7: THE BOARD / EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
7.1 Definition
The Board / Executive Committee, henceforth called EC, shall consist of five elected officers as described below:
President
Vice-President
General Secretary
Joint Secretary
Treasurer
The EC conducts Executive Committee meetings and in these only the above have right to vote. Appointment of captains, vice captains and all administrative duties are part of EC meetings.
7.2 Jurisdiction
The EC shall have complete jurisdiction over the affairs of the club.
All administrative powers shall remain sole and EXCLUSIVE privileges of the EC. The EC is solely responsible for appointing the Captains and the vice captains for all the teams in the club.
7.3 Term
The EC shall normally be elected for a term of one year or until such time as the new EC takes over. A normal term should commence on the day when AGM of the first/current year held and shall terminate on date when the next AGM will be held during the second/next year or after 365 days from the start date whichever comes first. Should, due to unavoidable reasons, be it not possible to elect a new EC, the term of the incumbent EC shall be automatically extended, till elections take place.
7.4 Accountability
The EC shall be accountable to the General body (all club members) and shall abide by its (general body's) resolutions. In the case where a resolution of the general body constitutes a deliberate violation of any of the articles of this constitution, the ENTIRE Executive Committee may step down, leaving the affairs of the club in the hands of the general body, which may name an interim board to govern. The interim board shall call for general elections within sixty days (from its date of appointment).
7.5 Duties of the EC
The duty of the EC shall be to conceive, execute and administer all activities to run the club and attain its aims and objectives.
It will also be responsible for the enforcement of the constitution.
7.6 Obligations
The EC shall be obliged to:
Be well versed in the Constitution
Keep notes of the proceeding of meetings
Keep copies of minutes of meeting
Act in accordance with the provisions of this constitution
NOT to act in a manner deemed harmful to the club
Report quarterly, on budgets and expenses.
In addition, to the above, all members of the EC shall be obliged to:
Not to dispute, challenge or contradict the resolutions of the EC in public
Comply with the directives of the President assuming that they are within the stipulations of this document
7.7 Functions of the Executive Committee
The EC's function shall be to identify, approve and execute tasks approved by the general consensus among members of the EC. The respective functions of the members of the EC are described below:
7.7.1 President
The president's primary function shall be to provide leadership in the realization of the objectives of club. On his own initiative the president will identify short and long term goals and would formulate plans towards their attainment. The president would activate the EC to execute prioritised tasks. The president may delegate the responsibilities of overseeing the execution to the Vice-President thus being free to devote entirely to the primary function.
All members of the EC shall comply with the president's directives providing such are in accord with the specifications of this constitution.
The president shall:
preside the meetings of the EC.
form liaison among the Executive Committee.
have the right to authorize the expenses for club related activites.
represent the club with all external parties.
govern by consensus.
be entitled to 1 vote in meetings.
be entitled to a tie-breaking vote in case of a tie.
7.7.2 Vice-President
The Vice-President’s function shall be Overseeing Operations, note that the operations of the teams as such will be captain’s responsibility; the Vice-President oversees those to check if they are satisfactory. The Vice-President is also responsible for enforcement of the constitution. At the option of the president, the Vice-President may be delegated the responsibility to oversee the execution of specific tasks. In the absence of the president, however, the Vice-President shall function as the president and shall have the same rights, privileges and obligations as that of the former.
The Vice-President shall:
Oversee ALL teams functioning.
Oversee Selection of Squads and Teams.
Be Responsible of enforcing the disciplinary rules of the club.
be entitled to 1 vote in meetings.
7.7.3 General Secretary
The General Secretary shall be the Communications Officer. Club related Communications from EC will be mostly via the General Secretary (except Team Announcements which will be done by respective Teams Captains).
The General Secretary shall:
Participate in Tournament Squad Selection Meetings for all teams and provide recommendations / suggestions while selecting squads for all teams within the club.
Evaluate the new members and advice captains on the best possible fit for these members.
Gather player perspective ideas and grievances periodically and address them taking entire EC and Captains into consideration.
Schedule / Arrange games or Nets after checking with organizers / cricket facility owners / managers On or before Tuesday EOD every week.
Facilitate/Coordinate all activities/communications within the club and ensure day-day club activities are taken care of without any impact/delay.
be entitled to 1 vote in meetings.
7.7.4 Joint Secretary
The Joint Secretary shall assist the General Secretary in day-to-day affairs. In his absence he will function as the General Secretary.
Additionally, the Joint Secretary shall be responsible to:
Plan and Organize all events of the club( Banquets, Family outings)
Scout new players to find where they can fit in best.
Participate in Tournament Squad Selection Meetings for all teams and provide recommendations / suggestions while selecting squads for all teams within the club.
Request for Availability for games/nets session from the club members before Wednesday EOD every week.
Ensure all Captains announce the Playing XI/XII for the weekend by Thursday EOD every week.
be entitled to 1 vote in meetings.
7.7.5 Treasurer
The Treasurer shall act as Chief Financial Management officer for the Club. The Treasurer shall be responsible to manage the income/expenses for the club and act as a watchdog over all aspects of financial management for the club.
The Treasurer shall:
Collect One-time membership fees from new club members.
Collect match fee share from all participating players except exempted players (see 6.3)
Collect Corpus Fund / Annual Fee / Any other authorized Fees from all club members.
Handle all Collections / Payments / Settlements on behalf of the club.
Budget and Manage Income / expenses for the club.
Maintain Accounts of Funds and Publish Account Statement with income / expenses for the club by end of every Quarter.
be entitled to 1 vote in meetings.
Article 8: THE CAPTAINS
8.1 The Captain
The captain is the most important member of the team. He calls the shots on the field, directing the fielders and bowlers. His acumen is vital to the team's success. As in other sports, the captain is usually an experienced player with good communication skills whose place in the team is usually guaranteed. The captain is aided by the vice-captain. Cricket is a complex game and a captain's knowledge of the game and his shrewdness in the field are vital to the team's success. The roles of a captain include but not limited to toss, setting up the field with input from the bowler, shuffling bowlers, and deciding the batting order.
Additionally, the captains would be responsible for coordinating with organizers for scheduling matches for any ongoing tournaments. He is also encouraged to look for newer tournaments to enroll.
The captain is fully empowered to field the best possible squad considering tournament / practice games, opponents, skill mix etc.
8.2 The Vice Captain
The VC's role is to take over the captain's responsibilities in his absence. Also, a captain may consult the vice captain or the vice captain may approach the captain with any ideas before, during or after the match. The VC's role is to support the decisions and game plan of the captain.
Article 9: CODE OF CONDUCT
9.1 The Players
The members of SPARTANS CRICKET CLUB are expected to conform to the following guidelines:
9.1.1 Play by the laws of the game.
9.1.2 Do not argue with an umpire. If you disagree, have your captain approach the umpire during the break or after the game.
9.1.3 Control your temper. Verbal abuse of officials, using foul language with your teammates and sledging of other players, deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent are not acceptable or permitted behaviors in Cricket.
9.1.4 Work equally hard for yourself and your team mates. Your team's performance will benefit and so will you.
9.1.5 Be a good sport. Accept winning and losing with respect. Applaud good play.
9.1.6 Treat all participants in cricket as you would like to be treated yourself. Do not bully or take unfair advantage of another player from either your club or another.
9.1.7 Cooperate with umpires, team mates or opposition players. Without them there would be no competition.
9.1.8 Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every player regardless of gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
9.1.9 Disrespectful or bad language is not acceptable.
9.1.10 A Player should avoid spreading rumors/comments of other team member(s) in order to gain unfair advantage and cause disharmony among rest of the team.
9.2 The Captains
The captains at SPARTANS CRICKET CLUB are expected to conform to the following guidelines:
9.2.1 Remember that players participate for pleasure and winning is only part of the fun.
9.2.2 Never ridicule or yell at a player for making a mistake or underperforming.
9.2.3 Be reasonable in your demands on players' time, energy and enthusiasm.
9.2.4 Operate within the laws and Spirit of Cricket and teach your players to do the same.
9.2.5 Ensure that the time that players spend with you is a positive experience.
9.2.6 Avoid overplaying the talented players; all players need and deserve equal time, attention and opportunities.
9.2.7 Display control and respect to all those involved in cricket. This includes opponents and umpires. Encourage your players to do the same.
9.2.8 Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every player, regardless of their gender, ability, cultural background or religion.
Article 10: SELECTION
The policy covers the selection of the teams within the club.
10.1 Selection Committee
The selection committee mainly consists of Captain and Vice-Captain, and the selection would be overseen by Vice President.
10.2 Policy
Availability of players are requested to be furnished in Spartans spreadsheet via daily reminders sent via WhatsApp official group. Team selection will be done by captains based on this sheet only.
Teams are selected on merit.
Balanced teams are to be selected, with the best combination for the game anticipated.
Players are encouraged to play at least a minimum of 2 games a month.
Only members in good standing are available for selection.
Disciplinary issues will be considered.
All players who post availability implicitly agree that they can be picked for any/either team within the club, if there are multiple teams within the club.
For all practice games, the teams will be balanced with equal/similar number of batsmen/bowlers/all-rounders across all teams within the club but when it comes to tournaments, the best possible XI/XII will be picked based on the current form, talent and skill of the players.
No player can be selected to play multiple games on a given weekend or day unless there are fewer than 11 available for that game.
Captains shall not select any player who has outstanding dues from previous matches and has not requested time to settle their dues from the Executive Committee members. This policy ensures that players with unpaid dues are given time to settle their financial obligations before being considered for selection.
The squads for the weekend games will be announced by captains no later than 10 pm every Thursday.
10.3 Merit
Merit is defined as a combination of performance, talent, commitment, contribution and potential. The selection committee is the sole judge of merit. However the decision of the selection committee is final and the committee has no obligation to justify their selection to any player. It is however expected of the captain/vice-captain to communicate the decision where required to the individual player and to offer council or encouragement if appropriate.
Article 11: VIOLATIONS and PENALTIES
The Board/EC/Captains may intervene immediately if the Board/EC/Captains believe there is any violation of the Code of Conduct, on or off the field. Following such an intervention, the Board/EC/Captains will make a written report as described below so that the normal violation review process may be observed.
In the absence of intervention by Board/EC/Captains, any violation to the Code of Conduct may be reported in writing by any member within one week of the incident to the board. The report should include the date and nature of the incident plus any witnesses if applicable.
The board after due deliberation will decide whether the reported offence classifies as a violation of the code of conduct. The process may include interviews of the parties involved.
All violations will carry for the entire year. Violation count will reset at the end of year.
The penalties will be as follows;
First Violation: A written warning will be issued to the guilty person(s) via club’s group email/communication channel. The offender may appeal the decision.
Second Violation: A written warning will be issued to the guilty person(s) via club’s group email/communication channel. In addition, a fine of Rupees 500 will be imposed. The fines must be paid before being considered eligible for selection to a match. The offender may appeal the decision.
Third Violation: A written warning will be issued to the guilty person(s) via club’s group email / communication channel. In addition, a fine of Rupees 500 will be imposed. One Match Suspension. The offender may appeal the decision.
Fourth Violation: The offender shall be expelled from club membership. The offender may appeal the decision.
APPEALS
A decision for the violation of code of conduct may be appealed by the guilty member. A board decision may be over ruled by two thirds majority of the membership. The appeal shall only address the violation verdict and not the penalties imposed by the board. If a decision by board is over ruled by two thirds majority of the membership, it would mean NO VIOLATON was committed by the guilty. Voting for appeals will be done in open via club’s group email / communication channel. The voter will only answer in one of two possible ways below; Agree with board’s decision OR Disagree with board’s decision