BY-LAWS

Amended 03-06-2020

By Laws

Article I: Name

We are a non-profit Club whose primary responsibility is to its members. Our priorities are:

  1. To promote social interaction of all with a common interest in the game of cricket;
  2. The organization and maintenance of an active cricket side in the Rhode Island area;
  3. To conduct ourselves and our play in the spirit of cricket and respect for our opponents;
  4. To encourage and improve the play of our members;
  5. Excellence in the game of cricket.

We accept the participation of all of our members, regardless of age, sex, religion or national origin.

Article II: Administration of the Club

1. Club Meeting: The Club shall be governed by the direct vote of all members in good standing at the annual Club meeting. All officers and members of the Club are bound by the decisions of the Club meeting. The annual meeting shall be held between January 1st and March 31st of the calendar year. A member in good standing, entitled to vote at the Club meeting, is any person who has paid the appropriate dues for membership for the preceding or current year, as certified by the Treasurer. Non-members may attend and be heard in the discretion of the President. The President shall preside the Club meeting. The Secretary/Fixture Coordinator shall keep the minutes, present questions for decision, conduct any votes or elections, announcing and recording the results. The Club Meeting decides which, if any, leagues to join for the year and the number of sides to enter in each league.

2. Executive Committee (EC): On all matters not decided by the Club meeting or these by-laws, the Club shall be governed by the Executive Committee. All major Club decisions, the expenditure of large sums of money, or the discipline of members must be decided by majority vote of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee shall consist of six Officers who are members in good standing of the Club.

 These officers are the President, the Secretary/Fixture Coordinator, the Treasurer, and the White Captains from all participating League divisions and the Red Captain. No person may hold more than one position at once. Each officer has one vote. Where there is a vacancy, the Executive Committee may, in its discretion, first, ask another non-EC member in good standing to fill the vacancy or authorize a by-election. Where there is a vacancy, the Executive Committee may also designate one of them to exercise the powers of the vacant position. An officer may delegate his duties, on a temporary basis, to another member. Participation in any Executive Committee decision may not be delegated.

3. President: The President shall make all day to day decisions for the Club, including but not limited to the scheduling of practices, the setting of dates for the Club meeting and other functions, and the appointment of any non-executive officers as they are needed. The   President shall preside at the Club meeting. The President shall be elected for One-Year Term at the Club Meeting. Their term of office begins after the close of the Club meeting and ends at the completion of the subsequent years Club meeting.

4. Secretary/Fixture Coordinator: The Secretary/Fixture Coordinator shall keep the minutes of the Club meeting. He shall prepare and present questions for decision at the Club meeting. He shall conduct elections and votes in such manner as he deems fair and proper. He shall record the results and incorporate them into these by-laws. He shall maintain the official copy of the by-laws and make them available to the members. He shall conduct by-elections. He shall record the decisions of the Executive Committee. The Secretary/Fixture Coordinator shall make and publish all match fixtures. Fixtures shall include date, location, time, opponents, color of the ball, and type of match. He may, in his discretion, cancel any fixture until midnight on the Sunday preceding the match. The Secretary/Fixture Coordinator shall be elected for One-Year Term at the Club Meeting. Their term of office begins after the close of the Club meeting and ends at the completion of the subsequent year’s Club meeting.

5. Treasurer: The Treasurer is responsible for the finances of the Club. He shall receive and keep all Club money. He shall pay the just debts of the Club. He shall examine all claims upon the Club and may authorize minor expenditures. Any expenditure in excess of two year’s dues for a full playing member requires the approval of the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may overrule his decisions on minor expenditures. He shall maintain all necessary financial records. These records shall be available to the members. He shall prepare and present a financial statement to the Club meeting. The Treasurer shall be elected for One-Year Term at the Club Meeting. Their term of office begins after the close of the Club meeting and ends at the completion of the subsequent year’s Club meeting.

6. Captains: White Captain for each League division shall be elected at the Club meeting by the playing members who were part of previous year roster for that respective division. Red Captain shall be elected by all playing members at the Club meeting. The White Captain shall direct Massachusetts State Cricket League matches. The Red Captain shall direct all other Club matches. The Captains, in their discretion, may cancel any fixtures after midnight the preceding Sunday, due to a lack of players. The Captains have full control of Club matches and members on match day between arrival at the pitch and close of play. All decisions concerning the conduct and circumstances of the match or of play, as well as relations with the opposing side, are in their discretion. In their discretion, they may require any member to leave the pitch or the field until the close of play. The Captains conduct any practice sessions in their discretion.

The White and Red Captains shall be elected on a Two-Year Term at the Club Meeting. Their term of office begins after the close of the Club meeting for the current year and ends at the completion of the Second year’s Club meeting from the Start date. The Individual team members has the right to conduct election before the Term ends as deemed appropriate by the Executive committee.

Article III: Non-Executive Officers

1. Vice-Captains: There shall be a White Vice-Captain to assist the White Captain. There shall be a Red Vice-Captain to assist the Red Captain. The White Vice-Captain for each League division shall be elected at the Club meeting by the playing members who were part of previous year roster for that respective division. Red Vice-Captain shall be elected by all playing members at the Club meeting. They are responsible for keeping the scorebooks and scoring the matches. If a Captain is physically absent at a match or practice, the Vice-Captain exercises the match day powers of the Captain. The White and Red Vice-Captains shall be elected on a Two-Year Term at the Club Meeting. Their term of office begins after the close of the Club meeting for the current year and ends at the completion of the Second year’s Club meeting from Start date. The Individual team members has the right to conduct election before the Term ends as deemed appropriate by the Executive committee.

2. Webmaster: The President shall appoint a Webmaster to maintain and update the Club’s website, including results and statistics. He shall act at the discretion of the President.

3. Social Secretary: The President shall appoint a Social Secretary who shall organize and direct the annual Club dinner and similar functions.

4. Tournament Director: The President shall appoint a Tournament Director who shall organize and direct the annual SCCC Invitational Tournament.

5. Coach: The President shall appoint a Coach to direct practice and training under the Captains.

6. Field Manager: The President shall appoint a Field Manager to preserve and maintain all Club Property; maintain Club fields and the physical preparation for matches.

Article IV: Committees

1. Selection Committees: The Selection committee shall include all White and Red Captains along with their respective Vice-captains. The Members of the Selection Committee will be responsible to pick the teams for each League division. If the Selection Committee is unable to arrive at a decision on selecting the teams; the Selection Committee members should  proceed with majority voting for  the  same. 

Once the players are assigned to a particular league team, Transfers between league sides require the agreement of both concerned Captains. Once the teams are finalized, the White Captains and Vice-Captains of the respective league team shall select and notify the playing side for Massachusetts State Cricket League fixtures. The Red Captain and Vice-Captain shall select and notify the playing side for all other Club fixtures. The Selectors may permit non-members to participate where needed, members have full priority at all times over non-members. Once selected and appearing on time to play, no member may be replaced without his consent. The Red selectors must select a member’s side based on Club commitment during the year for the annual SCCC Invitational Tournament. A Captain may select himself to play in any match. Where he is not selected, a Vice-Captain may select himself.

2. Awards Committee: The President, Secretary/Fixture Coordinator and Treasurer shall select the recipients of all Club awards.

Article V: Club Membership

1. Dues: Full playing dues are set at $350 per year for non-league and league matches and $175 for non-league matches only. Playing dues are set at ½ full memberships for novices to cricket and full-time high school or college students. Playing dues are set at ¼ full memberships for those under the age of eighteen. Non-playing social membership (entitled to vote) is set at ¼ full memberships. For those joining after July first, the Treasurer will establish a pro-rated dues table. The payment of less than ¼ of the full dues does not entitle that person to vote. Dues are payable by March 26th.

2. Duties:

  • Those wishing to play in a match shall inform the Captain. Those selected to play shall immediately inform the Captain if they become unavailable or will be late.
  • Those selected to play may share equally in any needed physical labor
  • Players must arrive before matches and stay after matches at the discretion of the Captain and the Vice-Captain
  • Those selected to play must share equally in the provision of lunch for players, opponents and friends, as established by the President
  • Those selected to play must wear proper cricket attire:
    • White cricket shirt (long or short sleeve)
    • Long white trousers
    • Cricket cap, white baseball cap, white outfielder’s hat (optional), or colored Club hat
    • White sweater (long or short sleeve; optional)
    • The President may specify that colored clothing must be worn where a white ball is used
  • Those selected to play are responsible for their transportation to the match whether home or away
  • Those selected to play share the responsibility to maintain and police the home field

3. Behavior: At any Club activity, members are required to conduct themselves at all time with

respect and consideration towards each other, our opponents, umpires, friends and neighbors, and to compete fairly, abiding by the Laws and Spirit of Cricket.

  • Improper language is forbidden at all Club functions
  • All players upon joining shall execute liability waivers in favor of the Club, the owner of the field and the other members.
  • Smoking at the home field is only allowed in the designated area (smoking zones).

Players may not drink alcohol during the match. Chewing tobacco is prohibited during the match. 

Article VI: Discipline

Any member deemed by a majority vote of Executive Committee to be in a violation of these by-laws may be ordered by the Committee to lose playing rights or other Club privileges, to be deprived of office and/or to be banned from presence at Club activities, for any period not further than the next Club meeting.

Article VII: Changing By-laws

These By-laws may be changed by majority vote of the Club meeting. Any changes to By-Laws outside the Club meeting can be done only if all the following conditions are met:

  • Executive Committee to approve for an ad-hoc Club meeting based on the conclusion that a change is necessary in the existing By-Law that cannot wait until the next AGM
  • The ad-hoc Club meeting has to be scheduled by the Secretary/Fixture Coordinator a month in advance giving member’s sufficient notice
  • Majority (51%) of the Club Members for that season have to be in attendance for this ad-hoc Club meeting
  • This proposed restriction applies only to the ad-hoc Club meeting outside the AGM