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LEAGUE RULES |
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Section I - Administration1. Title The combination of clubs shall be called ‘The Hunters` York & District Senior Cricket League', hereinafter referred to as ‘the League’.
2. Member Clubs a. Member clubs shall be elected by a simple majority. Membership will be in respect of the club’s first eleven other than those clubs who are members of the ECB County Premier League. There shall be no limit to the number of teams from an individual club but third, or subsequent teams may only be eligible for membership from a club whose alternative ground fully meets the laid down criteria in respect of Grounds & Facilities. b. The League Committee shall consider the position of those clubs which fail to meet the minimum required standards in respect of Merit Table Marks, Ground Marks, Facilities, Disciplinary Record and Administrative standards and shall notify any club of the requirement to seek re-election no later than 30th September. Such club will required to submit a written application no later than 7th October which shall contain a ‘Plan of Action’ designed at addressing the failure leading to the re-election situation. Failure to apply within the fixed time scale will be interpreted as resignation from the League by default. c. Applications for membership from new teams must be received 18 months in advance and be forwarded to the Managing Secretary by 10th September and shall be investigated by the League Committee whose recommendations shall be considered at the Annual General Meeting. No club shall be admitted to the League if they fail to fulfil the criteria set by the League in respect of playing surface, facilities, management structure, disciplinary record and promotion of junior cricket. Any new team being admitted to the league shall become members at the following year's Annual General Meeting and will then be allocated fixtures. All applications for membership from either new clubs or second teams of existing clubs must be accompanied by a fully completed YCB ‘Club Transfer Form’ and must be fully compliant with the YCB procedures relating to transfer of clubs. d. The League Committee shall allocate new teams to an appropriate division one year in advance and promotion and relegation within the lower divisions shall be adjusted accordingly. e. The acceptance of a new club shall be on a two-year probationary basis and subject to an end-of-season assessment. Failure to meet the league’s requirements may result in membership of the League being cancelled.
3. Officers & Committee a. The Officers of the League shall consist of President, who shall be elected for a period of three years, Immediate Past-President, Chairman, Honorary Managing Secretary, Honorary Deputy Managing Secretary, Finance Administrator, Honorary Disciplinary Secretary, Honorary Results Secretary, Honorary Fixture Secretary, Honorary Registration Secretary, Honorary Dinner Secretary and Honorary Assistant Secretaries. b. The League shall be administered by the Officers as listed in ‘a’ above, together with a supporting committee whose members shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. This overall group shall hereinafter be referred to as the ‘League Committee’. c. Members of the supporting committee will be allocated to various posts which have been previously identified as of sufficient importance to merit committee status and participation. Nominees for this committee must have the ability and commitment to perform specific roles within the administrative framework of the League and will be required to submit for re-election on an annual basis. The AGM nomination list will detail the proposed role for each nominee. d. The administrative requirements shall determine the size of the supporting committee which must have a minimum of SIX members but which shall have no numerical upper limit. e. In order for a meeting of the League Committee to be quorate a minimum of TEN members must be present, including a minimum of three Officers of the League.
4. Annual General Meeting a. The Annual General Meeting shall be held no later than November each year. Each member club must be represented and shall have one vote. Any club failing to attend the Annual General Meeting shall suffer a financial penalty, together with Merit Table deductions, as specified in the ‘Schedule of Administrative and Other Penalties’. b. At the A.G.M. and any other General Meetings, the Officers of the League as listed in Rule 3, together with the Honorary Life Vice-Presidents, shall have full voting rights save that any person holding more than one position shall only have one vote. Procedure at the Annual General Meeting i. Any club or team which is required to seek re-election at the Annual general Meeting as a result of adverse Merit Table or Ground Marks, pursuant to Rule 7, may circulate all member clubs in support of their application for re-election. ii. In view of the requirement for club delegates to vote on the basis of a mandate from their club’s committee, no representative of a club seeking re-election will be permitted to make a statement at the Annual General Meeting in support of his club’s application. The League Committee will not present any extra information other than for clarification purposes iii. Any decision to expel, or not to re-elect, a club or team made at the Annual General Meeting or an Extra-ordinary General Meeting shall be final and binding on all parties.
5. Convening of Meetings a. The Managing Secretary shall convene meetings at such time as deemed necessary, or within seven days of the receipt of a requisition from any seventeen clubs. Three clear days notice of all meetings shall be given by the Managing Secretary. b. Each club must be represented at any meeting that is designated as an ‘Extra-ordinary General Meeting’ and shall have one vote. At such meetings, the Officers of the League shall have voting rights as indicated in Rule 4. c. In order for an Annual or Extra-ordinary General Meeting to be quorate a minimum of THREE League Officials and a minimum of TWENTY clubs must be present d. Any club failing to attend the Pre-Season General Meeting shall suffer a financial penalty, together with Merit Table deductions, as specified in the ‘Schedule of Administrative and Other Penalties
6. Subscriptions a. Each team shall pay an annual subscription of an amount as agreed at the Annual General Meeting. This amount must be paid to the Finance Administrator by 30th November prior to the season. b. Teams in divisions covered by neutral umpires are required to pay a further amount, as agreed at the Annual General Meeting, in respect of neutral umpires' fees and expenses. This amount must be forwarded to the Finance Administrator by 1st July. Any club failing to make payment by the stipulated date shall suffer a financial penalty. c. The payment of League fees by a club indicates the acceptance by the club of the Authority of the League Committee and its Officers and represents the club’s commitment to abide by the League Rules and the League’s Disciplinary Rules and Procedures
7. Merit Table a. Clubs will be assessed and marked with regard to: · Ground Marks · Facilities · Submission of Results · Provision of Umpires and Scorers · Sportsmanship Marks (as awarded by Neutral Umpires)
Such marks will be incorporated into a ‘Merit Table’. Penalties will be imposed for Disciplinary transgressions and failure to comply with Merit Table requirements. Any club suffering deduction of Merit Table points in excess of 75 during a season, due to disciplinary issues, shall be required to apply for re-election at the Annual General Meeting and will be required to provide an undertaking of future good conduct. b. Clubs are required to ensure that the marking of grounds and umpires is undertaken by a responsible person using the appropriate Guidelines. c. The League Committee shall be empowered to require any club/team to seek re-election if such club/team is considered to be unable to function at a ‘Senior League’ level, and to make a appropriate recommendation to the AGM. In arriving at its recommendation, the Committee shall consider every aspect of the club’s performance in relation to grounds and facilities, administration, discipline, playing strength, sustainability and any other relevant aspect. The Committee will assess clubs during the season and will then work in partnership with those clubs who are considered to be below a standard of 65% with the aim of raising their profile to an acceptable level. In the event of any club remaining below standard, the Committee shall identify such clubs at the AGM and seek the backing of the member clubs for their recommendations which may include i. one year´s probation subject to improvements being made in specified areas ii. one year´s notice of termination of membership of the League iii. immediate termination of membership d. At the end of the season the League Committee shall assess the credentials of the 12 teams that have qualified to play Premier Division cricket in the following season. If, in there opinion, they consider that a club be inadequately equipped to compete at ‘Premier’ level such team shall be relegated or, if due for promotion from Division 1, not promoted. In such an event a team due for relegation shall retain its Premier Division status.
8. Allocation of Clubs a. Clubs shall be allocated into appropriate divisions of which the top four divisions shall cover the entire geographical footprint of the League and shall consist of a maximum of 12 teams per division. The remaining divisions shall operate in a zoned format with clubs allocated annually on a random basis in order to minimise travel time and distance and facilitate the compilation of fixtures. There shall be no upper or lower limit to the number of teams within the zoned divisions. b. Within the top four divisions, clubs shall play each other team twice on a home and away basis. Within the zoned divisions, clubs shall play each other team at least once but may meet opponents on two or three occasions in order to ensure a full and meaningful fixture programme.
9. Fixtures a. All matches shall be arranged by the officers of the League, and the Fixture List shall be maintained. b. In exceptional circumstances, games may be played on a ground other than that specified in the fixture list. The alternative ground and facilities must fulfil the criteria set down by the League Committee and the club wishing to re-locate a fixture must obtain permission, at least 7 days in advance, from the Managing Secretary. The only situation where a postponement of a fixture is allowable will be where a team is prevented from playing a game due to involvement in a recognized national knock-out competition final. In this instance the game will be re-scheduled, with the agreement of the opposing side, to the preceding Sunday unless otherwise agreed with the League Managing Secretary. In the event of no such agreement being possible, the game shall be regarded as conceded for result purposes but will not carry any financial or Merit Table penalty. The re-scheduled game will be subject to the normal rules relating to cancelled games and may not be re-arranged due to a weather cancellation. No venue switch may be implemented without prior approval. The re-location of a game solely due to unfitness of grounds will not normally be permissible. |
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Administration | Conduct of Competition | General Conditions |
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Section II - Conduct of Competition10. Distribution of Points A. Completed Games When a game is played to a conclusion, points shall be awarded in the following manner:- WIN 30 points no bonus points added TIE 15 points plus batting & bowling bonus points as earned WINNING DRAW 18 points plus batting & bowling bonus points as earned LOSING DRAW 1 point plus batting & bowling bonus points as earned LOSING DRAW – 75%** 5 points plus batting & bowling bonus points as earned LOSING DRAW – 90%** 10 points plus batting & bowling bonus points as earned DEFEAT 0 points plus batting & bowling bonus points as earned ** The 75% and 90% relate to the winning target (i.e. the first innings total plus one). B. Non-Completed Games Where weather conditions prevent the start or completion of a match, each team will be awarded 5 points plus a minimum of two batting points and two bowling points. Any bonus points in excess of the minimum award gained during the course of the game will be retained. C. Conceded Games The failure to fulfil a fixture due to any reason other than adverse weather or ground conditions will be regarded as ‘conceding the game’ and will result in the deduction of 30 league points. The offending club will be subject to penalties in accordance with Rule 15.b. Where a team is handed victory via a conceded game they shall receive 30 points providing at least 50% of the games, at the same divisional level, have been completed, otherwise they shall only receive the points relating to an abandoned game. The conceding team shall receive no points. D. Bonus Points During the course of the match, bonus points will be awarded as shown below. These will be retained whatever the result apart from a team recording a WIN who will be awarded 30 points as described in section ‘A’ above. The batting side will be awarded one point for attaining 100 runs and one point for each additional completed 25 runs. No side shall gain more than five batting bonus points. The bowling side will be awarded one point for taking two wickets with an additional one point at the fall of the 4th, 6th, 8th and 10th wicket. In the event of a side being dismissed when batting with less than a full side, the bowling side will be awarded full bonus points.
11. Promotion and Relegation a. Promotion and relegation shall operate throughout the League as follows: i. The bottom two teams in the Premier Division shall be replaced by the top two teams in Division 1 unless the Committee decide otherwise as specified in Rule 8. ii. The bottom two teams in Divisions 1 and 2 shall be replaced by the top two teams in Divisions 2 and 3 respectively. iii. Relegation from Division 3 and the subsequent promotion from Division 4 shall be agreed at the Annual General Meeting iv. The bottom two teams in each of the Division 4 sections will be relegated to Division 5 level and will be replaced by the top two teams in each of the Division Five sections. v. In the event of a new team, or teams, being admitted to the League, the Committee shall be empowered to vary the promotion and relegation procedure as required. b. Where teams are equal on points at the end of the season, league table precedence shall be determined by virtue of: i. the team gaining most outright victories ii. the team gaining the higher number of points, including bonus points, in the two league games between the two teams iii. the team gaining the highest total bonus points in the season iv. a play-off match arranged by the League Committee c. Where a second team is due for promotion to the same division level as the club's first team, promotion will not take place, In such circumstances the higher placed team due to be relegated in the normal manner shall retain its current divisional status. d. Where a first team is due to be relegated to the division in which the club's second team plays, relegation will take place and the second team will be relegated to the next lower division. In such circumstances the higher placed team due to be relegated in the normal manner shall retain its current divisional status. e. Where the relegation of a first team or the prevented promotion of a second team results in a club having two teams operating within the bottom division, the two sides will be allocated to different zones. The League Committee shall allocate the first and second teams’ zones. In such circumstances, the club will be required to observe the standard selection process in respect of first eleven players and will be fully subject to the rules relating to strengthening of a second team. f. Where a new club has been allocated to a division other than the bottom division, the committee shall decide how promotion and relegation will be effected. Clubs will be informed of the effect not later than the pre-season meeting
12. Duration of Match a. Matches shall consist of 100 overs in the Premier Division, 96 overs in Division 1 and 90 overs in all other divisions with the team taking first innings batting a maximum of 50% of the allocated overs b. Where the first innings is closed before the allocated number of overs has been completed, the remaining uncompleted overs will be added to the second innings. c. If a bowler be taken off through injury or unfair play before an over is completed, another bowler, other than the bowler who bowled the previous over, shall complete the over. d. Matches shall commence at 1.30pm except games scheduled to be played in April or after 20th August which shall commence at 1.00pm. Umpires are required to ensure that matches commence promptly and that the tea interval of 30 minutes is strictly enforced. Games to be played after 7th September in the Premier Division and in Division 1 shall commence at 12.30pm. e. Any team not ready to start at the appropriate time will forfeit choice of innings. Any team, having won the toss, who subsequently is not ready to start at the appointed time, will then forfeit the choice of innings. In this instance, overs will not be deducted for a late start.
13. Over rates a. Games in all divisions must be conducted within the specifications relating to Over Rates as set out in the League Handbook, which stipulates that 50-over innings must be completed in 188 minutes, 48-over innings in 180 minutes and 45-over innings in 169 minutes. Umpires and captains are required to co-operate in order to achieve these time specifications. b. If, during the second innings, there is an acceptance from the umpires by either, the Captain of the batting or fielding side for the uncompleted overs to be bowled in the innings, then the game will continue to a result or to the call of time by the Umpires. If, however during this time, the game is abandoned owing to adverse weather, light or ground conditions, the innings and game will be regarded as complete and the result be declared a draw.
14. Matches affected by Weather or Ground Conditions. a. Where it is impossible to commence a match due to adverse weather or the state of the pitch, light or ground, the game will be regarded as drawn. However, both teams must be prepared to begin, and continue the match until such time as the Umpires agree the state of the weather, pitch, light or ground makes play impossible. Any club failing to attend shall forfeit the game in accordance with Rule 10C. b. If play does not commence at the appointed time, or is suspended due to weather conditions during the first innings of the match, the following will apply:- i. For every 6 minutes lost, one over will be deducted from each innings ii. The match will be abandoned as a draw if stoppages prevent a minimum of 25 overs being bowled in the first innings unless the first innings is closed before 25 overs have been bowled. iii. At the discretion of the umpires, tea may be taken during a period when play is suspended or delayed because of the weather. In this event, overs will not be deducted for a period of 30 minutes and, upon subsequent resumption or start of play, the will be an interval of 10 minutes between innings. iv. If the tea interval has not been brought forward and the game has been prevented from starting for 120 minutes (150 minutes in the Premier and 138 minutes in the first division), the tea interval can then be taken thus allowing the game to commence no later than 2 hours 30 minutes after the appointed time. (3 hours in the Premier Division; 2 hours 48 minutes in Division 1). In such circumstances, there will be not tea interval between the innings and any further stoppages during the first innings, due to weather, totalling six minutes or more, will cause the game to be abandoned as a draw. v. Once the appropriate overs have been completed during the first innings, stoppages during the second innings do not affect the number of overs to be played and the game shall continue as long as the Umpires consider the conditions playable. c. Once the toss has been carried out, the Umpires are the sole judges with regard to ground and weather conditions. They have sole authority in deciding whether a game continues or is abandoned and will make their decision in line with their responsibilities under “Duty of Care”. In arriving at their decision they will have considered the safety of the players and, where appropriate, consulted with both captains and ground staff. Any inappropriate attempts to influence their decision will be regarded as a disciplinary issue and may result in penalties being imposed on the offending person or club.
See also Rule 13 and notes and procedures contained in Over Rates
15. Cancellations a. Any club wishing to cancel a game due to weather or ground conditions must obtain prior agreement from the visiting team and must not present their opponents with a ‘fait accompli’. The visiting side shall have the right to reject the cancellation and insist on travelling, in which case the home team must make every effort to stage the game. A club failing to comply with this requirement may be regarded as conceding the game and suffer the appropriate penalty.. b. No club shall cancel a senior team fixture because of non-availability of players, without first cancelling its second team fixture. c. Any club whose third or lower team plays in another league must not cancel their second team fixture in order to meet commitments of their lower team without obtaining the prior approval of both League Secretaries. d. Any club cancelling a fixture for reasons other than ground or weather conditions shall be deemed to have conceded the game and must take the following action: i. Personal contact must be made with the person listed as the opponents’ cancellation contact and acknowledgement of the cancellation obtained. (Note – The leaving of a message on an answer-phone or by text message, fax or e-mail is not acceptable) ii. In divisions where neutral umpires operate, the two appointed umpires and the Umpires Appointment’s Secretary must be personally informed of the cancellation and their acknowledgements obtained iii. The Managing Secretary must be advised of the concession, and the reason, at the earliest opportunity. iv. The offending club will suffer a financial penalty and will be required to pay compensation to their opponents in accordance with the League’s ‘Schedule of Penalties’
16. Covering of Pitches a. All Premier and First Division clubs must have adequate covers which must be utilized whenever rain interrupts play. The covers must be capable of covering the whole of the pitch and should cover a minimum of 81' x 15' (24.69m x 4.57m). b. Clubs in Divisions 2 to 6 must advise the Managing Secretary, by 20th February, if they intend to utilize covers during matches. Clubs registering covers must utilize them whenever rain stops play in a League game. Non registered covers must not be used to cover the pitch during the course of the game other than under Law 11 (3) which allows the covering of an area up to five feet (1.52m) in front of the popping crease in order to protect bowlers' run ups.
17. Entry on to the Field of Play a. The incoming batsman should enter the field of play from the pavilion area and cross on the field with the outgoing batsman. b. Players shall not enter the field of play at the commencement of an innings or following a break in play, in advance of the umpires.
18. Dress Code No player will be allowed to take part in a league game unless his/her clothing is of a predominantly white appearance. Umpires are required to enforce this rule and report any breach of the rule to the League Committee.
19. Balls a. The League Committee shall negotiate for the bulk buying of balls of approved standard on an annual basis and present their recommendations to the Annual General Meeting b. Clubs will agree, by a vote, which specific ball is to be regarded as the official league ball for use in the Premier Division and in Divisions 1 and 2. c. Each side taking the field shall use an official League-approved new ball in the Premier Division and in Divisions 1 and 2. In all other divisions each side taking the field shall provide its own ball, which need not be a new one, but must be a quartered leather ball, conforming, in all aspects, to the M.C.C. Law of Cricket No. 5 and must be a Grade ‘A’ ball of British manufacture, as approved by the League Committee. In the lower divisions, the use, or otherwise, of a new ball shall be left to the captain of the fielding side. d. Grade 'A' balls of British manufacture must be used in all League matches. Umpires and Captains will be held responsible for seeing that this rule is enforced. Each side must provide a spare ball which must conform with the specification operative within the division.
20. Grounds a. On all grounds in the League all boundary byes and boundary leg byes shall count as fours. It is left to Umpires and Captains to mutually agree, before each match, what shall constitute 4 or 6 hits. b. All boundaries MUST be clearly defined by a continuous white line or an adequate alternative at ground level. c. Popping creases must be marked to a minimum of 12 feet (3.66m) and the return crease to a minimum of four feet (1.22m) in order to comply with Law 9. d. The "protected area" into which a bowler, in completing his run up, must not encroach, must be clearly marked. This should be done by marking a line positioned five feet (1.52m) in front of the popping crease on each side of the pitch and by making marks on each side of the bowling crease one foot (0.30m) from the middle stump. e. Creases must be fully remarked between innings. f. Suitable sightscreens must be provided at both ends of the ground. Where a sightscreen is located within the field of play a rope must be placed in a crescent shape in front of the screen to define the boundary. The roped off area must be adequate to allow the screen to be moved from side to side without adjusting the rope. g. The captain of the team batting second must be offered appropriate pitch rolling facilities during the interval between innings. |
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Administration | Conduct of Competition | General Conditions |
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Section III - General Conditions
21. Laws of Cricket a. All matches shall be conducted under the Laws of Cricket currently in operation with the exception of any ‘Special Conditions’ imposed by the League Committee which shall be listed in the League Handbook. b. All Penalty Runs, as contained within the Laws of Cricket, shall apply throughout the League.
22. Player Categories a. Players Eligible to play for England Such players are eligible to play for England in accordance with the prevailing ECB Regulations governing the qualification to play for England. b1 Players NOT Eligible to play for England (Recreational Overseas Player = ROP) In order to be eligible to play in the League, players who are NOT eligible to play for England (ROP), as described in ‘a’ above are required to satisfy the following conditions: i. Has normally been resident in the UK from 1st September of the previous year. However, the League’s Registration Panel will be empowered to authorize the registration of a player who, due to justifiable circumstances, does not totally fulfil this requirement. ii. Presence in the United Kingdom is for a legitimate non-cricketing reason. iii. Is not receiving any financial reward or incentive, in cash or kind from any source, to play cricket iv. Is not being employed in an accommodative way in order to obtain his services as a player v. Has not appeared in a Test, First Class, One Day representative or T/20 representative game in the previous five years b.2 Registration Procedure i. All applications for the registration of an ROP will be considered by the League’s Registration Panel which shall consist of the League Managing Secretary, The League Registration Secretary and one or more other appointees. Their decision as to eligibility shall be final. ii. The registration form relating to an ROP must be accompanied by documentary evidence which adequately proves the player’s 1st September residency and his legitimacy as an ROP. Registration will not be effected until such evidence is verified and accepted iii. Clubs are required to register such players a minimum of 10 days prior to their first appearance in a League game. iv The registration of an ROP will not be accepted after the 11th League fixture v The onus rests totally with the club to ascertain the status of the player and, if required by the League Committee, to provide proof of the player’s eligibility as a ROP. b.3 Eligibility i. In the event of an ROP being found to have failed to satisfy the requirement set out in B.1 above, the player will be deemed to have been ineligible on each appearance and he, and his club, will be liable to suffer the penalties set out in the ‘Schedule of Penalties’ in relation to the inclusion of an ineligible player ii. An ROP will normally be regarded as a ‘regular first team player’ unless formal approval is obtained from the League Managing Secretary for him to play second team cricket. c. First Class Player (FCP) i. A “First Class Player” shall be defined as a player who has appeared in excess of seven games which have been designated as “First Class” world-wide and shall also include One Day Internationals ii. This restriction shall not apply to players whose last First Class appearance was in excess of five years prior to 10th April preceding the season or who have reached 50 years of age on 10th April preceding the season iii. Registrations must be accompanied by details of the player’s First Class record and registration will not be effected without the relevant documentation iv. No FCP may be registered after the 11th league fixture v. Any change in the status of a player during the course of the season will not affect eligibility d. Contracted Player (CP) i. An England qualified player who is contracted to a County or Minor County club. ii. No such player may be registered or make his first appearance after the 11th League game of the season e. Junior Players (JUN) i. A junior player is defined as a player who has not reached his 18th birthday by the preceding 1st September ii. Clubs registering a junior player are required to state both the age group and the Date of Birth iii. All junior players are subject to the ECB Regulations relating to junior players and Child Welfare
23. Eligibility of Players A. Eligible Players All bona-fide members of a club shall be regarded as eligible, irrespective of whether they receive financial or other reward for playing cricket, from any source, subject to the limitations stated elsewhere in Rule 23. B. Eligibility of Players (Non-England Qualified Players) a. Registration Limitations i. Clubs may register ONE First Class Player (FCP) ii. There is no limit to the number of Recreational Overseas Players (ROP) which may be registered by a club iii. Any Non-England Qualified player who has represented his country at either Test Match or One-Day International or T/20 International level in the five years preceding 10th April shall not be eligible to play in the League b. Player Limitations i. All teams in the Premier Division and Divisions 1 and 2 must include a minimum of TEN players who are qualified to play for England ii. Appointed Overseas Players (AOP) are only eligible within the Premier Division. First Class Players (FCP) and Contracted Players (CP) are not eligible to play in Divisions 3, 4, 5 & 6 iii. Recreational Players who are not qualified to play for England are not eligible in Divisions 3, 4, 5 & 6 except as in (iv) below. iv. A Recreational Overseas Player who was registered as a player with a member club as at 10th September 2005 will be regarded as an eligible player in all divisions unless deemed to be a ‘regular first team player’. Such players may transfer to another member club and retain their special status but will forfeit such status upon signing for a club in any other Saturday league C. Contracted Players In addition, clubs may register one player who is contracted to a County or Minor County club. No such player may be registered or make his first appearance after the 11th League game of the season.
a. Under 12 age group (School year 7) players* and younger can not play in open age competitive cricket. b. Under 13 age group (School year 8) players* can play in open age group competitive cricket, (i.e. players aged 12 and over) Under 13 players will need prior explicit written parental consent to play as this recognises the need for parents or guardians to be aware of the significance of allowing their young child to participate in open age competitive cricket rather than purely junior cricket. c. Over 13 year old players are free to play open age cricket. *Junior cricket age groups are set by the age of the player on the 31st August preceding the season of play. E. Transfers Regulations relating to players transferring between clubs as laid down by the Yorkshire Cricket Association shall apply throughout the year with the following additions: a. Any player who is a member of a club which is affiliated to the Yorkshire Cricket Association (Y.C.A.) or the England & Wales Cricket Board (E.C.B.) must obtain an official transfer from his existing club before playing for another Saturday league club. This transfer must be registered with the Registration Secretary in writing, before the player appears for his new club. Transfers must be on the approved League form for transfers from clubs who members of the York & District Senior League, on a Y.C.A. transfer form for clubs who are affiliated to the Y.C.A., or in letter form for transfers from other E.C.B. affiliated clubs. Transfers must be received by the Registration Secretary at least 48 hours before the player concerned appears in a League or League Cup game. b. Players wishing to change clubs at the start of a new season must obtain a transfer from their previous season's club. c. Clubs may only withhold a transfer request if the player has failed to fulfil all financial and contractual obligations. d. A player may not transfer to any other affiliated club if he has failed to pay any fines imposed by a league disciplinary committee. e. No transfer shall be permitted after the 17th fixture date of the season except with the specific permission of the League Committee. f. Players may play league cricket on any day other than Saturday, or any other League fixture day, with another club without requiring any transfer from their Saturday club. g. No affiliated League club, either through its officials or any person or society interested in the club, shall approach or negotiate with any player of any other club which is affiliated to the National Cricket Association, for the purpose of securing his services, without giving seven days notice of the intention to negotiate, in writing, to the Secretary of the player's club. h. Any objection to a transfer must be submitted in writing to the Managing Secretary within five days of the transfer request. A player shall have the right to appeal to the Managing Secretary if a transfer is refused or delayed without just cause. i. Transfer regulations shall be waived for players who have not reached their 17th birthday in order to allow them to play for another club, on a loan basis, with the written permission of the club holding their registration, who shall retain their first option on the player. The Junior Loan Scheme shall not apply to junior players who are considered to be regular first team members of the club holding their registration. Players from clubs outside the York & District Senior League may be utilised under the Junior Loan Scheme provided they are not regular members of their club’s first team. Such players will not be eligible after the 17th game of the season. Junior Loan players must be indicated on the result sheet whenever they appear. F. Nomination of Teams a. Before the toss for innings, the Captain of each side shall nominate his players, in writing, to the opposing Captain and the Umpires. Each Captain shall provide the list of nominated players to the Umpires. b. No Player may be changed after the nomination without the consent of the opposing captain. c. The opposing captain and the umpires must be advised of any unregistered players, whose names must be shown in the appropriate ‘box’ on the result sheet together with the reasons for inclusion in the team. (Note:- a player may only be included in the ‘Late Replacement Box’ once. Any subsequent appearances must be covered by a properly completed registration) G. Strengthening of Second Team a. No club shall strengthen its second, or lower, team, at any stage in the season, with a regular first team player without just reason. b. The inclusion of a regular first team player, for any other reason, may only be effected after clearance by the Managing Secretary, whose decision shall be final. A ‘regular first team player’ shall be defined as a player the majority of whose recent previous appearances have been in the first team. All players who fall in to the following categories will be regarded as ‘regular first team players’ and will only be allowed to play in second, or lower, teams with prior permission: i. First Class Players ii. Contracted Players Clubs wishing to include a ‘regular first team player’ in a second, or lower, team fixture must obtain prior permission from the Managing Secretary or his approved deputy. Clubs should seek this approval whenever any doubt exists or risk losing League points where they fail to do so. For the purpose of this rule the inclusion of regular Yorkshire ECB League players in York Senior League games will require prior approval. Any club deemed to be guilty of illegally strengthening their second, or lower, team will suffer a deduction of 30 league points irrespective of how many points were obtained in the course of the match. Their opponents will be deemed to have won the match and will receive 30 points. This penalty will apply for each infringement. A club shall select 11 players to represent the senior team and where its second or lower team plays with a numerically greater number of players than the senior team, this shall be regarded as prima facie evidence of ‘team strengthening’. H. Bowling Restrictions In Divisions 3, 4, 5 and 6 no bowler may bowl more than 12 overs in an innings.
24. Registration of Players a. Players are not eligible to appear in a League or League Cup game until they have been formally registered via the League’s ‘Player Registration Form’. Any ‘un-registered player’ will be regarded as ineligible and will attract a penalty which may be in the form of deduction of league points, a Merit Table deduction or a financial penalty or a combination of all three. b. Clubs are required to submit a list of registered players to the League Registration Secretary, upon request, prior to commencement of the season. Such a list must indicate the following: i. A revised list of all current players ii. Those junior players who have not reached their 19th birthday together with their dates of birth and academic age group (as at 1st September in previous year) iii. Players who have left the club since the previous season (NOTE – their new club should be indicated if known) c. Where it is necessary to utilise a last minute replacement, the players name must be entered in the appropriate space on the result sheet, together with the reason for inclusion and, in the case of a junior, the date of birth or age group. NO player can be shown in the ‘box’ on more than one occasion and must be formally registered before making any subsequent appearance.
25. Penalties for Inclusion of Ineligible Players a. The onus and responsibility for ensuring that all players are fully eligible to play in accordance with every aspect of League Rules rests totally with each individual club. b. Any club which knowingly or intentionally includes an ineligible player may have it’s membership of the League suspended and may be required to seek re-election either at the subsequent Annual General Meeting or specially convened Extraordinary General Meeting c. A club found to have played an illegal non-England qualified player will be deducted 30 points for every game in which the player appeared illegally. The offence will also attract a financial penalty and deduction of Merit Table points in line with the published Schedule of Penalties. d. A club which breaches the registration rules relating to England qualified players or includes an incorrectly transferred player will suffer a deduction of 30 points, plus financial and Merit Table penalties, and the game will be awarded to the opposition, save that the League may inflict reduced penalties where the club successfully proves that a genuine error had occurred.
26. Late Arrival of Players a. In the event of the late arrival of a team, or major part of a team, the following shall apply: i. Conditions relating to Law 12 must be applied (any team not available to make the toss 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start shall forfeit the choice of innings) ii. The game will commence when a minimum of 7 players per side are present iii. No overs are to be deducted where the start is delayed through late arrival of players b. When a player arrives after the official starting time, the following shall apply: i. Fielding Side A player arriving late will not be permitted to bowl until he has been on the field of play for an equivalent number of overs to that which had been bowled prior to him appearing on the field of play. ii. Batting Side A player arriving late will not be permitted to bat until he has been present at the ground for an equivalent number of overs to that which had been bowled prior to his arrival except upon the fall of the ninth wicket. The onus is upon the captain of the batting side to inform the umpires of the arrival of the player. c. 'Equivalent number of overs' shall be counted from the commencement of the match.
27. Junior Players a. The regulations issued by the England & Wales Cricket Board relating to junior players in respect of the wearing of helmets, fielding distances and bowling restrictions shall apply in all games played under the League’s jurisdiction. The Umpires shall be the sole judges, after consultation with the captain, as to whether a junior bowler is deemed to be ‘fast’ from a bowling restriction viewpoint. b. The age of junior players shall be determined by the academic year and shall relate to the 1st September preceding the season. Restrictions relating to the wearing of helmets shall cease upon a player’s 18th birthday. c. A Junior Loan Scheme will operate within the League and in conjunction with other responsive leagues in respect of players who have not reached their 18th birthday. Such players will be deemed to be eligible to play for both the loaning and borrowing club within the restraints of the completed Loan Form. The inclusion of a loan player must be shown in the ‘Late replacement Box’ on the result sheet and a photocopy of the completed Loan Form must accompany the result sheet.
28. Child Welfare a. Clubs must comply with the E.C.B. Child Protection Policy requirements relating to junior players. b. Each club is required to appoint an approved Child Welfare Officer who will ensure that the E.C.B.’s requirements are met within the club. Clubs must advise the League Child Welfare Officer of details of their CPO no later than 1st March each year. c. The League will appoint a Child Welfare Officer who will be a member of the League Management Committee and will have full voting rights. The officer will be responsible for: i. maintaining a Register of Club Child Welfare Officers; ii. arranging training for Child Welfare Officers; iii. all administrative duties relating to Child Welfare; iv. fulfilling the role of Child Welfare Officer for League Representative games and other League activities involving juniors.
29. Umpires a. Neutral Umpires, appointed by the York and District Umpires' Association, shall operate in the Premier Division and Divisions 1 and 2. In the case of any duly appointed umpire being absent, the captains of the respective teams shall mutually agree the appointment of an Umpire during such absence, and they shall be recognised by the League as Official Umpires. b. Clubs in other divisions shall be
responsible for providing an Umpire and must satisfy themselves as to the
ability of such an umpire. Where a club fails to provide a competent,
non-playing umpire, c. Clubs in divisions not covered by Neutral Umpires MUST designate a specific team member as Umpire and thus field with ten men. This person must be competent and will be required to umpire throughout the innings as a normal Umpire and will be permitted to bat. No substitute fielder will be allowed. Clubs exercising this option will not be penalised for the lack of an Umpire but will receive only a mark of 1/10 in the Merit Table. In these circumstances the umpire should be marked as normal by the visitors with a note to the effect that the player option had been implemented. Any club found to be guilty of falsifying, or helping to falsify, details of the the presence, or absence, of an umpire or scorer will suffer a penalty in accordance with the League’s ‘Schedule of Disciplinary Offences. d. All Umpires officiating regularly under the auspices of the League must hold a current CRB certificate.
30. Scorers a. Each team is required to provide a competent Scorer who must ensure that the match details are recorded accurately. b. Scorers must agree details of the first innings prior to the commencement of the second innings and ensure that the correct first innings total is correctly displayed on the scorebox, and agree details at the end of the match. c. Any discrepancies evident at the end of either innings must be resolved in conjunction with the umpires. d. All clubs are required to obtain their scorebooks via the League’s ‘Bulk-Buying Scheme’. e. In all League and League Cup games, the scoreboard must display the over in progress
31. Submission of Results a. Clubs shall ensure that a result sheet is accurately completed after every game, including cancelled games, and posted immediately after the match by first class mail or other approved method, to the address shown on the sheet to arrive no later than three days after the match. b. The result sheet must show full details of the match and points received by both sides. The relevant sections relating to umpires, scorers and grounds must be completed. Failure to complete marking requirements will result in a deduction of Merit Table points and, where inadequate marking is repeated, a financial penalty. c. Any club awarding a mark of less than five in any category must submit a report form to the appropriate officer within four days. Such reports must give specific details of the reasons for the low mark. d. All home teams must submit full match details to the Results Secretary to the specific phone number used for the division in accordance with the requirements published in the League Handbook. Failure to meet the deadline or to provide comprehensive details will attract a financial penalty.
32. Presentation of Trophies a. When the winning team of each division has been determined, arrangements for the presentation of trophies shall be made by the Committee and representatives of the clubs concerned. b. Any club or individual winning a League trophy is responsible for its safekeeping. and will be required to compensate for any loss or damage. Winners must arrange adequate insurance cover and must have the trophy appropriately engraved. Where a trophy is returned without being properly engraved, the League Committee shall make a charge of £25 to cover cost of engraving and associated costs c. Winners are responsible for ensuring that trophies are available for presentation at the League’s Annual Dinner.
33. Discipline a. The Disciplinary Rules of the York & District Senior League shall operate in all games under the jurisdiction of the League and clubs are required to ensure that all players, officials and members act within these rules at all times. This requirement also applies to compliance with the England & Wales Cricket Board’s ‘Code of Conduct’, Spirit of Cricket and Anti-Racism & Race Equality Statements. b. All clubs must possess an approved set of “Club Disciplinary Rules and Procedures” and must forward a copy to the Disciplinary Secretary by 10th April each year. c. In the event of an incident involving one of their members, clubs are required to conduct a Disciplinary Hearing within seven days after receiving notice of the alleged offence from the League’s Disciplinary Secretary. Any penalties imposed must be in accordance with the League’s Schedule of Disciplinary Penalties. d. Upon conclusion of the Disciplinary Hearing, the club must immediately advise the League Disciplinary Secretary of the decision and of the penalty imposed, and forward a copy of the minutes of the club’s disciplinary hearing. e. The League Committee will invoke a Disciplinary Hearing if they consider the action taken by the club to be inadequate. f. The League may impose a summary penalty in accordance with Disciplinary Rule 7b where it is considered such a penalty is both appropriate and adequate
34. Protests a. Any club lodging a protest (other than a disciplinary issue) against another club shall send such protest to the Managing Secretary in duplicate, and deposit with it the sum of £20. b. All protests will be considered by the League’s General Purposes Committee, whose decision shall be final. c. If the protest be not sustained, the deposit shall be forfeited, unless the Committee otherwise direct. All protests must be submitted not later than four days after the match, with a copy to the Secretary of the club against which the protest has been made. d. In the case of a dispute, representatives of the club, or clubs, concerned shall be eligible to attend the hearing but will not be allowed to vote. e. The League’s General Purposes Committee may call on any club to produce their Minute Book, Cash Book or Score Book to prove the bona-fides of any player against whom a protest has been made.
35. Ground Inspections a. The League Committee shall appoint Ground Inspection Sub-Committees who will inspect all grounds prior to the season in order to confirm that clubs’ ground are adequately prepared and will be empowered to suspend grounds which are considered to be unfit. b. During the course of the season further inspections will be made if clubs have received adverse ground marks or unfavourable reports. Clubs will be charged travel expenses for such extra visits c. The Grounds & Facilities Secretary shall inform the club concerned of any recommendations for improvement and a report shall be received from the club within one month regarding the carrying out of such recommendations. If such recommendations are not carried out, the matter shall be referred to the A.G.M. for its decision. d. All clubs’ facilities will be assessed during the season by League Appointed Assessors and marks will be incorporated into the Merit Table. Clubs will be advised of shortcomings at the end of the season.
36. Expulsion From and Re-admission to the League a. Expulsion due to serious breaches of League Rules or Disciplinary Rules The League Committee shall have the power to seek the expulsion of any club whom they consider to be guilty of a serious breach of the League Rules or the League Disciplinary Rules. In such a situation an Extra-ordinary General Meeting shall be convened at which clubs shall consider the Committee’s recommendation and the club’s defence and reach a conclusive decision by a majority vote which shall be final and binding on all parties. A club which is expelled from the League under such circumstances shall not be permitted to re-apply for re-admission to the League for a period of seven years.In order for the re-admission of a former club to be considered, the League Committee must be fully satisfied that the club will enhance the League and that all chances of a repetition of the original transgressions or shortcomings have been eliminated. b. Re-admission to the League i. Any club or team that fails to be re-elected due to inadequate ground or facilities marks shall only be eligible to apply for re-admission when such inadequacies have been suitably rectified ii. Any team that fails to be re-elected due to being placed in the bottom two in the lowest division may apply for re-admission at the following Annual General Meeting and, if elected, will regain admission providing there is no infringement of Yorkshire Cricket Board Rules relating to ‘Transfer of Clubs’ iii. Any club or team which is excluded from the League under Rule 7c may apply for re-admission at the following AGM at which time its application will be treated, on merit, as a ‘new applicant’ c. Freedom to Negotiate Any club or team that fails to be re-elected at an Annual General Meeting shall be free to negotiate with any other league and accept immediate membership, providing it has fulfilled all financial and disciplinary commitments to the League.
37. League Committee Action a. The League Committee shall be empowered to adjudicate on any alleged infringement of the League Rule and to inflict penalties in accordance with the Schedule of Administrative and Other Penalties. Such action shall be in accordance with the operative procedures, including a ‘Right of Appeal’, that are currently in effect. b. The League Committee shall be empowered to deal with any matter not determined by the League’s Rules and to take appropriate action, including the imposition of penalties.
38. Alterations to League Rules All propositions for the alteration of these rules shall be received by the Managing Secretary not later than 1st September.
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