SELECTION PROCESS AND GUIDELINES FOR SENIOR MEN’S LEAGUE TEAMS
This document sets out the process for selection, the guidelines by which captains should pick their playing XI’s and certain rules in relation to selection.
1. Qualification for selection
To qualify for selection a player MUST:
- have registered to play in all of the Club’s league teams;
- have paid the Club’s and the Association’s subscriptions fees by the prescribed date (which is currently 31st May);
- have paid any outstanding match fees and/or fines;
- have indicated their availability of the Club’s website or on the weekly training session register;
- be available to play in any team for whom he or she is selected (unless for reasons of work or other reasonable prior commitment which has been previously communicated) he or she is available to play at ‘home’ only;and
- not be suspended for either Club or League disciplinary reasons.
If a player has not indicated their availability in the manner stated above, it will be assumed that the player is not available. It is the responsibility of each player to ensure compliance with these requirements and to provide the correct information.
Players will be expected to make themselves available as often as possible. It is expected that players will be available at least once over a weekend and that captains and players attend practice as often as possible. If you are not able to attend practice it is expected that you will contact the captain of the team for whom you have most recently played.
2. Process
Selection will be held on Tuesday evening at 8.45pm, or as near to that time as possible ahead of the weekends’ fixtures.
Teams will be posted on the website by 10pm on the Wednesday of that week, and it is only at this point that selection is finalised.
As soon as possible following the finalisation of selection, selected players must confirm their availability through the website.
If a player becomes unavailable after selection then that player must inform the applicable captain immediately.
If a player has not confirmed availability by Thursday night that player may be replaced by an alternative player.
The Club may vary the above days and times, and will notify playing members accordingly.
3. The Selection Panel and Conduct of Meetings
The selection panel will comprise the Captains, Club Coach (if one is appointed) and Club Captain (if one is appointed). The Chairman and/or Junior Section Manager may each attend as an observer. If a captain is not able to attend, the vice-captain of that XI shall attend in his place.
The Club Captain (if one is appointed) will chair the meeting or in their absence (or if a Club Captain is not appointed), the 1st XI captain. The chair shall ensure that the process and guidance contained in this document is followed.
The meeting will start with a brief summary of the weekend’s fixtures. Selection of the playing XI’s will then proceed in sequence - the first XI selected first, the second XI selected second and so on. The Panel members shall conduct themselves in a constructive and cordial manner and shall act at all times in the best interests of the Club and not in the interests of any particular team.
If consensus cannot be reached on the teams by the Panel, then the Club Captain (if one is appointed) or in their absence (or if a Club Captain is not appointed), the 1st XI captain, shall determine the teams.
4. Selection Criteria
Selection is, of course, in many respects subjective, and generates heated debate and, on occasion, disappointment. There is no fool proof system for a subject which is very much ‘view-based’ and which by necessity must retain flexibility. However, these criteria (which are guidance, not rules) are intended to provide a transparent and objective approach to selection, with the aim of reducing uncertainty and minimising perceived injustices.
The overarching obligation of the Panel is to select the best playing teams from those who are available for selection.
When selecting sides, the Panel should:
- give consideration to the balance of the side, individual form and the opposition;
- ensure that each player has a well-defined “role”;
- support the development of younger players;
- where a particular selection is ‘in the balance’, give priority(in this order) to those players who:
- maximise their availability (including for non-league fixtures) and attend practice regularly;
- make a wider contribution to the Club;
- have the greater length of service to the Club
- give consideration to balance across the teams – i.e. one team must not contain all the ‘bowling’ leaving none in the others.
A player selected one week will not normally ‘move’ 2 sides the following week i.e. plays 1st XI in week 1, then selected for 3rd XI in week 2 or vice versa, but may do so in exceptional circumstances.
If fewer than 55 players are available, priority will be given to juniors and then to women who are not fully paid members (A fully paid member is a person who has paid the full senior men’s subscription fees and the Association membership fee). If a shortfall remains captains may then contact part-time and/or social members.
5. Communicating Selection
If a player is dropping down a side (regardless of the number of games played) they should receive a message from the captain following selection.
If a player has either;
- been a regular in the side from which they are being dropped (playing 3 or more games for that side over the course of the season); or
- is being ‘moved’ more than one team,
then he or she should receive a call explaining the decision following selection. If the captain can't reach the player then they should then get a message with the offer of a phone call.
6. Rules in relation to availability
If, following selection, a player becomes unavailable for a game, that player will not automatically come back into the side for which that player was last selected (and may be dropped by more than one team). If a player becomes unavailable in such circumstances twice during the season, then that player will automatically be dropped by at least one team.
If a player becomes unavailable due to injury he or she will not be considered for selection until he or she attends nets/practice or provides demonstrable proof of fitness. Due to the circumstantial nature of these incidents the Chair of the Panel retains the discretion to determine the appropriate course of action.