BUCKS CRICKET BOARD
REGULATIONS FOR THE 2011 SEASON
For the following Competitions:-
Under 10 Bucks Youth Cricket Trust Cup
Under 11 Leslie Smith Shield
Under 11 County League
Under 12 Cup
Under 13 Cup
Under 13 County League
Under 14 Marlow Park Trophy
Under 15 Jim Etchells Cup
Under 15 County League
Organisation
BCB Youth Organiser Martin Watts Tel. 01494-875019 Mob. 0787 9696346 Email Martinw@cellartrends.co.uk
Results Controller Cliff Pocock Tel. 01494 881716 Email cliff.pocock@buckscb.org
Website Controller Richard Burden Tel. Email richard_burden@btopenworld.com
Index
A Eligibility
Clubs
Players
B Organisation of Competitions
C Match Regulations
D National Stages of the Under 13 and Under 15 Cup Competitions
E Leagues - Teams finishing on equal points
A Eligibility
- Clubs
Only Clubs affiliated to the Bucks Cricket Board (BCB), either directly or through the Milton Keynes & District Cricket Association (MKDCA), may enter teams. (Clubs based outside Bucks may affiliate to the Bucks Cricket Board and play in the competitions. They may not however represent Bucks in any subsequent National stages of the competitions).
2. Players
a) All players representing any Club in the competitions must be bona fide members of that Club having paid all relevant Club subscriptions.
b) A player may only play for one club in any BCB competition in any one year (e.g. a player cannot play for Club A in the Under 14 competition and then for Club B in the Under 15 competition and so on). Players may however play for their Club at more than one age group, providing that they are within the relevant age limits.
c) If Clubs enter more than one team in any age group (as they are so entitled to do), then no player can play for Team B if he/she has already played for Team A at any stage of the competition in more than 2 matches. It is each Club’s responsibility to ensure that all players are eligible to represent both the Team and the Club.
d) If any Club fields an ineligible player in an age group then that team will be disqualified from the competition. If a Club enters two or more teams in one age group and any team fields an ineligible player, then all teams in that age group will be disqualified. The Cup and League competitions are regarded as separate competitions regarding player eligibility.
e) Players are eligible by age for the competitions if:
- For Under 10: they have not reached their 10th birthday by 31st August 2010
- For Under 11: they have not reached their 11th birthday by 31st August 2010.
- For Under 12: they have not reached their 12th birthday by 31st August 2010
- For Under 13: they have not reached their 13th birthday by 31st August 2010.
- For Under 14: they have not reached their 14th birthday by 31st August 2010.
- For Under 15: they have not reached their 15th birthday by 31st August 2010.
B Organisation of Competitions
- The competitions are organised by the BCB Youth Organiser. Any queries or disputes regarding the conduct of these competitions should be referred to him. His/her decisions will be final.
- The BCB Youth Organiser will conduct the draw for the competitions. Except in the Final and unless otherwise shown in the Draw, the first named team in the Draw shall be the home team unless a change in venue is mutually agreed between the Clubs.
- In the Inter-county stages of the Under 15 & Under 13 competitions, the ECB Competition Office at Lords stipulates the dates of matches and their venues. These will not be negotiable.
- The Competition matches will be played under the ECB 20 overs regulations (see C Match Regulations below). Outside of these Regulations the normal Laws of Cricket shall apply. (Please note that the Board, through the Bucks Association of Cricket Officials can, on request, organise short sessions on the Laws for parent helpers’ ).
5. Arrangement and Timing of Fixtures
a) The Home Club (see B 2) shall, at the Annual County Junior Fixture Meeting, provide the Away Club with at least two dates for the fixture.
b) All league-based fixtures must be played by the date nominated in the Draw and for Cup (knockout stage) fixtures, by the stated deadlines. Matches may be played earlier than the deadline dates but never later.
c) It is expected that all clubs shall fulfil the fixtures once made, with the only excuse for cancellation being adverse weather/pitch conditions; not having the strongest side desirable shall not be considered a valid reason for a fixture cancellation. After the commencement of the season, in the event that a Club fails to fulfil a fixture on the agreed date (other than for adverse weather), the Club shall forfeit the match, which will then be awarded to the opponent Club’.
d) Team Managers must consult the Youth Organiser in the event of any insurmountable problem.
e) Any Cup (knockout) fixtures not completed by their deadlines will be decided by the toss of a coin, except as in 10. below.
f) If any League or Cup (league) fixtures are not played by the specified deadlines, then one point will be awarded to each team. If one team concedes the match, then the other team will be awarded two points and the conceding team none.
g) Fixtures that are prevented from being completed due to the weather or other legitimate reason, may be replayed provided that they are completed by the stated deadlines.
- STRUCTURE OF COMPETITIONS
- The Board will run 3 types of competition.
- At U11, U13 & U15 there will be knockout (sudden death) competitions. The winners at U13 & U15 will procede to represent their Club and Bucks in National Competitions.
- At U10, U11, U12, U13, U14 & U15 there will be League competitions.
- The competitions will be based on 2 Conferences - North & South. Each conference will be divisionalised. The division that a Club is placed in will be based on its previous finishing position in the previous year’s Leagues one age group down – making allowances for Clubs entering a side for the first time – and using self assessment of playing strength and organisers knowledge to get the best optimal placement. Self assessment will be used by the organiser to structure the U10 competition, where no previous records exist.
- We will work to a 2 up/2 down promotion and relegation where possible.
- The top two teams in Division 1 South and Division 1 North will play off to decide the County Finalists.
- All sides will play 11-a-side 20 over cricket (see match regulations) except the U10’s, where 10-a-side Barrington rules cricket will be played (see match regulations).
- At U17 the Board will organise play off matches between regional winners put forward by the Mid Bucks and Aylesbury Vale Leagues and the Hair Moda competition. Matches will be played to ECB 20/20 rules. The organiser will decide on the initial play off eliminator basred upon known playing strengths.
7. League/ Knockout Basis
a) The matches in the Cup Competitions at Under 11, 13, and 15 and in the North/South play-off’s of the Leagues, will be on a “sudden death” (knockout) basis.
b) In the event of a Club withdrawing from any of the league competitions, then all points scored for or against that Club will deducted from that league.
8. Code of Conduct
The published Code of Conduct stipulated by the BCB and ECB shall apply to all matches - specifically it is required that all Team Managers ensure that in every circumstance the Umpires decision is unquestionably accepted as final by players, parents and supporters. The BCB expects all Clubs to educate their players and their parents in the "best traditions of the game". All coaches should refrain from trying to captain their sides themselves. If a coach is also umpiring, advice should be given to the captain between rather than during overs and this should be curtailed above the age of 11.
9. Umpires
a) In the preliminary league matches and earlier Cup Rounds, Clubs are expected to provide their own Umpires who should perform their duties with fairness and honour and within the spirit of the game as well as to the letter of the laws.
b) Clubs reaching the semi-final stages of the competitions are encouraged to seek independent umpires. Team Managers from other competing Clubs are often willing to undertake this task.
c) The BCB will arrange the umpires for the Finals.
10. Reporting Results
a) Results should be entered onto the Board’s result website by the winning team’s manager. The Website address is: www.buckscb.org. Anybody with difficulty entering the site contact Richard Burden on Richard_burden@btopenworld.com
b) Fixtures that are not played due to weather etc. must be reported on the results website by the Home Team's Manager.
c) Failure to enter results may result in:
(i) In the Cup competition, the award the match to the Away team by default.
(ii) In the Leagues, the match being treated as abandoned.
11. Semi-finals and Finals
a) The Organiser will require Semi-finals to be completed and may dictate the dates they are to be played or re-played, as well as the venue, if the Clubs involved cannot agree. This is to ensure a 'result on the pitch' is achieved and so that the Final can be played by the Competition's deadline. Also see 8.b) re umpires.
b) League Finals will be played at Stowe School on the 17th July. The Knockout Cup Finals will be played on one of the grounds of the participating Clubs; home advantage being given to the side with the highest net run rate (ie total runs per over in the semi final – your oppositions runs per over). All the Match Regulations below will apply unless the BCB advises the participating clubs otherwise before the nominated date.
C Match Regulations
The Laws of Cricket shall apply subject to the following playing conditions:
1 Pitches
a) Pitch Lengths shall be as proscribed by the Laws of Cricket for each age group. Namely: Under 10 - 20 yards; Under 11 – 20 yards; Under 12 – 21 yards; Under 13 – 21 yards; Under 14 and above 22 yards.
(The BCB recognises the practical difficulties faced by Clubs in preparing pitches of non-standard length and a different length of the pitch may be mutually agreed between two competing Clubs.)
2. Balls
a) At Under 14, 15, one 5 1/2oz re-polished or new ball should be used and should last for both innings.
b) At Under 10, 11, 12 and 13, one 4 3/4oz re-polished or new ball should be used and should last for both innings.
3. Wickets
At Under 10, 11, 12 and 13, the stumps should be 27 inches above the ground and the wickets 8 inches wide overall.
4. Fielding distances
The Umpires shall not allow play to proceed if any player is within 8 yards (Under 17) or 11 yards (Under 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15) from the middle stump at the striker’s end, except behind the wicket on the off side.
- ECB – Double Bouncing Ball Regulations (supplementary to the Laws of Cricket
These regulations shall not apply to matches played at Under 12 and below
5. 11-a-side 20 Overs Cricket
a) Matches shall consist of one innings per side.
b) The length of each innings shall be 20 six-ball overs. In the event of adverse weather this may be reduced to a minimum length of 10 six-ball overs. The number of overs permitted by each bowler shall be varied in proportion to the total overs bowled. The Semi-finals and Finals will be played to 20 overs per innings.
c) No bowler shall bowl more than 4 overs. If the number of overs in the match is reduced, the number of overs per bowler shall be reduced pro rata.
d) At Under 11, 12 and 13, when a batsman reaches or passes a total of 30 runs he must retire. Retired batsmen may not bat again. Batsmen at U14 upwards need not retire.
e) The Umpires shall not call "time" after the last ball of any innings until the ball has indisputably become dead.
- Wides, No Balls & LBW’s
In all competitions from U11 upwards, the Laws of Cricket relating to Wides, No Balls & LBW will be applied. Club Umpires should discuss and agree how they will apply the wide laws prior to each match to ensure consistency and communicate their policy to both Team Managers.
7. Results
The winner shall be the team with the greater score at the end of the match. If the match ends with the scores level, the winner shall be the side which has taken the greater number of wickets. If still equal, the side with the higher score at the end of the penultimate over shall win and so on back through the overs. If still equal, the side with the higher score at the end of the penultimate ball shall win (and so on back through the balls). It is therefore essential that those scoring accurately agree on the number of runs scored throughout the match.
When a match is played on a League basis and a result is precluded by bad weather or light, then the match shall be deemed a draw and the points shared. The match shall not be replayed.
In all matches when a result is precluded by bad weather or light, provided that 10 overs of the second innings have been completed, then the match shall be deemed to be concluded. The result shall be calculated by the scoring rate per completed over of the side batting second as compared with the overall scoring rate of the side batting first. In the event that the side batting first did not bat for their full allocation of overs, their scoring rate shall be calculated on the assumption that they did bat for their full allocation.
If the match is abandoned and cannot be replayed before the cut off point for the next round, the result will be decided on a toss of a coin.
- Under 10
These competitions will be played under the ECB “Ken Barrington” regulations, except that each side shall consist of 10 players.
a) Match Regulations 2.b), 3., 4., and 5.a) above apply plus the following:
b) Each team shall commence their innings with 200 runs.
a) Each innings shall consist of 20 six ball overs. Each player except the wicket-keeper must bowl at least two overs but not more than three overs.
b) The batting team shall be divided into five pairs of batsmen and each pair shall bat for four overs.
c) Batsmen shall have unlimited "lives" but SIX runs shall be deducted from the total every time a batsman is dismissed (including run outs). No batsman who is out should face the next ball; batsmen shall change ends after a dismissal if necessary to achieve this.
d) The Umpires shall not call "time" after the last ball of any innings until the ball has indisputably become dead.
e) In the event that the Umpires are satisfied that a player is incapacitated during the course of a match, his place may be taken by a reserve who shall bat and/or bowl in his place. If no reserve is available, another player shall, without exceeding his/her quota, bowl any overs due to be bowled by the injured player. The captain of the fielding side shall choose one of the batsmen in the batting side’s first three pairs to bat a second time in the fourth pair.
f) Should a side (for unforeseen circumstances) take the field with only nine players, then the captain of the opposing side may decide prior to each innings, which of the remaining nine players may bat again as the tenth man and which should be allowed to bowl the quota of overs of the missing player. It is expected that all Team Managers will use their best endeavours to prevent such events occurring.
g) Wides and No balls will be awarded 2 extra runs (plus boundaries if applicable). There will be no extra ball, excepting in the last over of an innings when extra balls shall be awarded.
D National Stages of the Under 13 and Under 15 Cup Competitions
At Under 15, the BCB Cup winner will be eligible and be expected to represent Bucks in the inter- county stages of the Under 15 National championship. At Under 13, the BCB Cup winner will be eligible and be expected to represent Bucks in inter-county stages of the Under 13 National Championship.
The National stages of the Under 15 Cup operates under slightly different rules to these Regulations.
E Leagues - Teams finishing on equal points
In the event that two or more teams finish on equal points after the full programme of (league) matches, the final placings will be determined as follows (in order of priority):
a) If one team has beaten the other(s), then they shall be the League Winners.
b) The team with the best "Net run rate less the net run rate of their opponents (in all completed matches)".
(i) Matches that have been won by the other team's default (ceded/ walkover) will not count in the net run rate.
(ii) Where a team has been "all out" when batting, their total number of runs scored will be divided by 20 overs (or the lesser maximum number where the match has been played to a reduced number of overs.