Decrease in charges a sign of change

Cricket Australia chairman Earl Eddings has hailed the improved behaviour of players, highlighting changes made by the governing body following last year’s independent cultural review.

The Ethics Centre released a 145-page assessment last October after polling 469 individuals in the industry, with CA enacting many of the report's 42 recommendations as it attempted to change both its approach and facilitate an improvement in the on-field behaviour of players.

Eddings highlighted a reduction in code-of-conduct charges as proof inroads are being made.

"With a stronger focus on values and behaviour, this past season saw a 74 per cent decrease in code of conduct charges from the national teams through to our national championships for country and indigenous teams," Eddings said.

"Everyone in Australian cricket is well aware that it’s not just winning that counts, but how we play the game, and the players have certainly embraced that spirit.

"While we can talk about the cultural change program underway, ultimately, we will be judged by our actions on and off the field."

Eddings commended Australia's coach Justin Langer and team performance boss Belinda Clark for helping the national side achieve zero code-of-conduct charges for the first time since 2011-12.

CA also reported reductions in the number of charges issued during women's domestic cricket (71 per cent), men's domestic cricket (43 per cent) and underage national championships (95 per cent).

"I would like to praise the male and female players from national teams, through to domestic competitions, youth and other championships for showing greater respect for the spirit of the game," Eddings said.

"Pleasingly, umpires report that there was a general improvement in respect for the game and their role, with match officials forming stronger relationships with players and coaches.

"While there is always room for improvement, these are very good signs which demonstrate meaningful change and will have a positive and lasting impact."

Eddings said Cricket Australia was working closely with the state and territory associations, as well as the Australian Cricketers’ Association, to ensure positive changes were happening across the country at all levels.

"After the events of Cape Town, and through the renewed leadership of Cricket Australia, we have quite rightly turned the spotlight onto each and every aspect of Cricket Australia to ensure positive change is reflected both on and off the field,” he said," Eddings said.

"Cricket Australia’s purpose is to unite and inspire communities through cricket, and all State and Territory Associations have embraced that purpose in a demonstration of unity at the top levels of cricket.

"This ongoing cultural change program has been subsequently informed by The Ethics Centre review delivered in late 2018, with a number of those recommendations already well progressed before we received the review.

"While we can talk about the cultural change program underway, ultimately, we will be judged by our actions on and off the field."

ACA President Greg Dyer said the players understood their role as ambassadors in growing the game and should be congratulated for the way they were conducting themselves both on and off the field. 

"On broader matters of cultural change, the ACA acknowledges the good faith in our partnership with Cricket Australia and we look forward to the implementation of The Ethics Centre's recommendations including the formation of the Ethics Commission and establishment of the Australia Cricket Council, all underpinned by a clearly defined set of goals and objectives for this important work,” Dyer said.