1. Name.

1.1. The League shall be called the Newark and District Cricket League.

2. Objective.

2.1. To provide cricket in the evening or weekend for the enjoyment of all participants, bearing in mind that this can only be achieved by the full and reasonable co operation of all concerned.

3. Membership.

3.1. Membership shall consist of teams within a fifteen mile radius of Newark but twelve miles as the crow flies.

3.2. Should a team wish to join the League outside the distances in 3.1, membership will be subject to a vote of the League members. The vote will be taken at one of the meetings listed in rule 5.

3.3. Clubs not present at the vote as described in 3.2 will abide by the decision of that vote.

3.4. Clubs wishing to resign from the League shall notify the Secretary in writing as soon as possible, so as not to be included in the making of the fixtures in September.

4. Eligibility of players.

4.1. Age groups are based on the age of the player on the 31^st August in the year preceding the current season.

4.2. Under 12 year old players (year 7) can not play in open age competitive cricket.

4.3. Under 13 year old players (year 8) can play in open age competitive cricket provided Explicit written consent has been obtained from parent(s) or guardian(s) and participation is sanctioned by a qualified coach (minimum level 2) as appropriate for the players’ development.

4.4. No player shall play for more than one club in the League and in that club’s cup and trophy competitions in one season.

4.5. A player’s first appearance for a club shall deem him registered with that club for the remainder of the season.

4.6.A player may change club within a season with the permission of the Management Committee.

5. Management.

5.1. The League shall be governed by a Management Committee comprising of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, League Registrar, Cup Registrar, Website Manager and one club representative.

5.2. An Executive Committee will comprise of the Management Committee plus one voting member from each club and will hold jurisdiction over the meetings of rule 6.1.

5.3. Ex –officio members and members of the Management Committee will not be considered as voting members of the executive Committee.

6. Meetings.

6.1. Three meeting, other than any extraordinary meetings called, will be held each year. An End of Season Meeting in or around September, a Fixtures Meeting in or around October, and an Annual General Meeting (AGM) in or around January.

6.2. Clubs are obliged to attend all meeting in 6.1; clubs failing this obligation may be fined £20.00.

6.3. Failure to be represented at the FM will mean that; (i) League fixtures will be determined by your opponents, including home fixtures. (ii) Exclusion from cup competitions as the format of the three competitions requires entry on a voluntary basis.

6.4. Sanction in rules 6.2 and 6.3 are at the discretion of the Management Committee.

7. Subscriptions.

7.1. The annual subscription fee for each team shall be £40.00, which must be paid by the 1^st of May each year.

7.2. Clubs failing to comply with 7.1 will be fined £5.00 per month until paid.

7.3. Resignation from the League – see rule 3.4

8. Fixtures – The making of.

8.1. The League and cup competition format will be decided at the End of Season Meeting.

8.2. A Fixtures Meeting will take place each year on a date determined by the Executive Committee in accordance with rule 6 at the EOS meeting.

8.3. Clubs play each other in their respective divisions on a home and away basis.

8.4. Should the League format require the suspension of rule 8.3 due to numbers of clubs; the Fixtures Secretary will present a fixture list for approval or amendment to the Executive Committee at the Fixtures Meeting.

8.5. The Fixtures Secretary shall compile the League fixtures based on the agreed format and the cup competitions based on the draws and post these to the clubs prior to the Fixtures Meeting.

8.6. Clubs attending the Fixtures Meeting will agree dates and venues, making a copy of which will be returned to the Fixtures Secretary during the Fixtures Meeting.

8.7. The Fixtures Secretary will correlate the agreed dates and produce a fixture list with dates.

8.8. Any anomalies will be communicated to the clubs concerned for those clubs to correct and notify the fixtures Secretary for the compilation of the fixture list with dates. These will then be forwarded to the Webmaster for uploading on to the League’s website.

8.9. League games can only be cancelled due to bad weather

8.10. League games can only be cancelled by the home team captain or the groundsman.

8.11. League games can not be re arranged.

8.12. Cup games must be re-arranged within 7 days,

8.13. The Cup Registrar shall be notified of cancelled games.

8.14. Teams failing to agree on the new date for a cancelled cup game will play on a date determined by the Cup Registrar.

9. Ruling laws.

9.1. MCC laws shall be adhered to except for the five run penalty law which was introduced in 2003.

9.2. Any Club or Official feeling that a five run penalty should have been given should write a letter detailing the offence to be decided upon by the Management Committee.

10. Umpires.

10.1. Teams shall supply an umpire.

10.2. The match ball and spare shall be in possession of the umpire prior to the toss.

10.3. In the absence of an umpire the captain shall nominate a suitable replacement.

10.4. Captains shall advise each other before the start of the game of their players less than 19 years of age.

11. ECB fielding restrictions applying to youth players.

11.1. Captains are to make sure they adhere to the ECB fielding restrictions that apply to youth players.

11.2. No player in the Under 15 years of age shall field closer than 8 yards from the middle stump, except behind the wicket on the off side, until the batsman has played the ball.

11.3. For players in the Under 13 age group and below this is 11 yards.

11.4. Should a young player in these age groups come within these distances the Umpire must stop the game immediately and instruct the fielder to move back.

11.5. Players in the U16 to U18 age groups, who have not reached the age of eighteen, must wear a helmet and, for boys, a protective box when fielding within six yards of the bat except when behind the wicket on the off side.

12. Duration of play.

12.1. League and knock-out cup matches shall consist of each team playing a maximum of twelve eight ball overs.

12.2. Games will start no later than 6.30 pm.

12.3. By mutual agreement between the captains, a minimum of six eight ball overs can apply.

12.4. Each bowler to bowl a maximum of three eight ball overs in any game.

12.5. Fifteen minutes grace shall be given to teams arriving late at matches after which period the team being fully represented shall have the choice of innings.

13. Points awarded.

13.1. Four points for a win.

13.2. Two points per team for a draw.

13.3. One point each for a rained off match.

13.4. When two or more teams tie at the end of the season, the league positions will be decided by the difference between each teams average of runs scored per wicket lost and the average of the runs conceded per wickets taken, incomplete games to be included.

14. Deciding cup matches other than finals.

14.1. In the event of a cup match being tied, the team losing the least number of wickets will be the winner.

14.2. When both teams have lost the same number of wickets referred to in 14.1, the match is to be re-played at the away team’s ground.

15. Deciding cup final matches.

15.1. Cup finals will be held on grounds agreed by the Executive Committee.

15.2. In the event of a tied match, the team losing the least wickets will be the winners.

15.3. If both teams have lost the same number of wickets, the team scoring the most runs in the first six overs will be the winners.

15.4. Should each team have scored the same number of runs in the first six overs then a bowl out will take place.

15.5. The bowl out will consist of six nominated bowlers from each team who will each bowl alternatively one delivery at a wicket consisting of three stumps and bails pitched twenty two yards from the opposing bowling crease.

15.6. The winner will be decided by the team that hits the wicket the most times during the six ball per team bowl out.

15.7. If after the first bowl out the number of wickets hit is the same for each team, the same bowlers will bowl in the same order until a winner is achieved by a sudden death scenario.

15.8. The league will supply qualified neutral umpires for all finals whose decisions regarding all matters including fair play, suitability of ground and weather conditions, match regulations and interpretation of the Spirit of the Game will be final.

15.9. The league will supply a new cricket ball for each innings of each final but two suitable spares must be provided by each of the finalists and given to the umpires before the start of play.

16. Match reporting.

16.1. The home club shall be responsible for ensuring that a detailed, signed official score sheet is forwarded to the League or Cup Registrars within one week of the match being played.

16.2. The home club shall be responsible for ensuring the match result along with significant batting or bowling figures are either telephoned, texted or emailed to the Website Manager by Sunday following the match. See score sheet for details.

16.3. Rained off matched shall be reported as in 16.2

16.4. Clubs failing the obligation of rules 16.2 and 16.3 shall be fined £5.00.

16.5. Dates of all cup and trophy matched must be notified to the Cup Registrar as soon as arranged.

16.6. Clubs failing the obligation of rules 16.5 shall be fined £500.

17. Protest.

17.1. Protests will be made to the League Secretary in writing within five days of the match, together with a fee of £50.

17.2. Objections made under rule 17.1 if sustained by a quorum of three members of the Management Committee will see the fee of £50 be returned

17.3. A letter of protest concerning a match not played for reason other than bad weather must be copied to the club involved.

17.4. The Management Committee quorum will sit once the League Secretary has confirmed rule 17.3 has been met.

17.5. The quorums’ decision will be final.

18. Suspension of players and individuals

18.1. If any question shall arise in connection with the league competition, cup tournament or the players behaviour of conduct on or off the field of play towards another player, team or official, whether or not the same is dealt with elsewhere, either in these rules of any cup tournament or other competition the Management Committee shall have the full power to impose such penalties on both clubs and players as they see fit.

18.2. The decision(s) of the Management Committee in rule 18.1 shall be final.

18.3. Such penalties may be either a fine, number of points deducted or in the case of poor behaviour or conduct a period of suspension.

18.4. The period of suspension may apply to both the player and the captain concerned as captains are responsible for their players on the field of play under the MCC spirit of the game. Suspension of a captain in association with a team member will be at the discretion of the Management Committee.

18.5. This period of suspension shall be at the absolute discretion of the Committee whose decision shall be final Provided that before any such penalty is imposed the following applies:-

18.5.1. The play, captain and/or the secretary of the club against whom any complaint has been made shall be notified in writing of the complaint and shall be advised that in the event of the complaint being sustained the Committee may act in reliance of its powers as contained in the rule.

18.5.2. The player, captain and/or secretary of the club against whom any complaint has been made shall be notified in writing of the date, place and time when the Committee shall consider the complaint and shall be entitled to attend and listen to all the evidence given in support of the complaint, to question any person giving such evidence, to call evidence on their own behalf and to address the Committee and comment on all points raised.

19. Ground unfit

19.1. In the event of any ground being unfit for play due to bad weather, the home club shall notify their opponents as early as possible to prevent unnecessary travelling.

19.2. Only a home club can take such a decision. Visiting teams can not assume that a match will be cancelled because of the prevailing weather in their own locality. If in doubt, a visiting team should endeavour to contact the home club before setting out.

20. Promotion and relegation.

20.1. A basis of promotion and relegation will apply within the League when two or more divisions are in operation.

20.2. The number of teams to be promoted and relegated each season will be decided by the Executive Committee at the End of Season Meeting.

21. Up and down movement of players within one clubs’ teams.

21.1. In the event of one club entering more than one team in to the League in any one season, four ‘up and down’ players will be nominated by the teams.

21.2. The names of these players will be recorded by the Management Committee.

21.3. Names to be forwarded to the League Secretary by the 1^st of May each year.

22. Qualification of individual awards.

22.1. Batting; the qualifying number of innings for the batting award will be 2/3rds (two thirds) of the actual played matches with a minimum of 160 runs scored.

22.2. The best average obtained following this ruling shall be the winner of this award.

22.3. Bowling; the bowling award shall be awarded to the player who finished top of the bowling averages provided he has obtained a minimum of ten wickets and bowled a minimum of ten overs.

22.4. The names of the players qualifying for the league averages, together with the full details of a claim shall be submitted by their representative clubs, where possible, to the registrar.

22.5. The decision of the Management Committee shall be final and binding.

23. Alterations to the rules.

23.1. Notice of a motion proposing a rule change shall be put in writing to the Secretary prior to the AGM.

23.2. The Management Committee shall inform all clubs of rule changes made by the Management Committee without reference to the clubs.

23.3. Rule changes as in rule 23.2 shall be subject to review at the request of a club, if the review is unresolved the change will be rescinded and rule subject to debate and validation by the Executive Committee at the AGM.

24. Unforeseen matters.

24.1. Matters arising that are not provided for under the League Rules shall be dealt with by the Management Committee, whose decision will be final.

24.2. The Management Committee will, in dealing with matters in rule 24.1, refer such matters to the Executive Committee if timescales are appropriate.

25. Insurance of Trophies and awards.

25.1. Each team or individual awarded a trophy will be held responsible for insuring that trophy.

25.2. The value of each trophy can be obtained from the League Treasurer.

25.3. Details of loss or damage to the trophies must be forwarded to the League Management as soon as possible.

25.4. The teams finishing in first or second place in either the league or cup may receive a contribution towards the cost of their club trophies.

26. Signatures for trophies.

26.1. Each trophy winner will be required to acknowledge receipt of the trophy, in writing, and accept responsibility for safe keeping until required to return it to the League.

27. Club facilities.

27.1. The ground and facilities of any club must be of a standard acceptable to the Management Committee.

27.2. The ground must be accessible to emergency services and all of these items are subject to a Management inspection at any time.

28. Ball.

28.1. The home team shall be responsible for providing a proper seamed and quartered leather cricket ball in good condition.

28.2. The ball shall be presented to the opposing captain for approval. Such approval shall not reasonably be withheld.

29. Wide ball.

29.1. The following guidelines are to be used to help interpret what constitutes a ‘wide ball’. The ball will be considered as passing wide of the striker unless it is sufficiently within his reach for him to be able to hit it with their bat by means of a normal cricket stroke. Balls passing over head height of a batsman stood upright shall be called and signalled ‘No ball’.

29.2. Wide balls for cup final competitions only shall be any ball passing down the leg side of a batsman in a normal guard position.

Record of changes to the rules.

Rule changed	Description of change	Author of change	Date of change
General	Points of rule number referenced and wording rationalised and simplified.	MC	23/03/2010
3.	Election of league member.	MC	23/03/2010
4.1 - 4.3	Eligibility of players in line with ECB guidelines.	MC	23/03/2010
5.1	Constitution of Management Committee.	MC	23/03/2010
6.2 /6.3	Meetings fine from £10.00 to £20.00 and competition sanctions.	MC	23/03/2010
8.	Fixtures, amended in line with practice.	MC	23/03/2010
12.	Duration of play, respect of claimed privilege deleted.	MC	23/03/2010
15.	Deciding cup matches, complete addition.	MC	23/03/2010
16.	Match reporting, new process and fines.	MC	23/03/2010
17.	Protest fee increased from £10.00 to £50.00.	MC	23/03/2010
18.	Suspension of captains made discretionary.	MC	23/03/2010
23.	Alteration of rules, review reference to Exec Committee, and obligation of MC to inform clubs. Rule fo application to league deleted.	MC	23/03/2010
24.	Reference of unforeseen matters to Exec Committee.	MC	23/03/2010
30.2	Leg side definition of wide ball for cup finals.	MC	23/03/2010
12.	Duration of play, min overs to 6 form 8	MC	23/03/2010
General	Typo’s and font size	PM	01/04/2010