Guernsey Cricket Association

CAREY OLSEN GCA CHAMPIONSHIP & WEEKEND LEAGUE DIVISION 2

GENERAL

1.1 The Championship and League Division 2 will be formed annually from teams applying to the GCA.

1.2 There will be no automatic promotion to the Championship from League Division 2. The winners of League Division 2 may apply for promotion to the Championship for the following season provided that the club in question does not already have a team in the Championship. The Management Committee will consider any such application strictly on its merits and will have absolute discretion in relation to its decision. The overriding factors to be considered by the Management Committee will be to consider whether granting promotion would weaken the overall playing standard of the Championship and whether the resulting number of teams in the Championship could be accommodated by the number of available grass wickets. There will be no relegation from the Championship at the end of the season.

1.3 The eligibility to play shall be as stated in Rule 10 of the main GCA Rules. All players must register for the Club they wish to play for in the Championship and League Division 2 and registrations will be considered separate to the Evening Leagues. Where a club has more than one weekend side, its registered sides must be provided to the GCA by no later than 30th April each year.

1.4 Any team which fields an unregistered player shall forfeit all points earned in the match, whether abandoned or not. The opposing team will be awarded 20 points in Championship matches (10 points in League Division 2 matches) plus any bonus points earned during the match, and shall be declared the winners. In addition, the defaulting team shall have points deducted from their Championship or League Division 2 points at the discretion of the Management Committee.

1.5 Players registered for League Division 2 sides may play up in the Championship for any one club in any one season without restriction.

1.6 A player may play for only one side in the Championship or League Division 2 in any one season, unless he obtains permission from the GCA to be transferred. (This rule may be relaxed for players aged 18 and under in the interests of young player development but only with the prior approval of the GCA Management Committee).

1.7 Only players who will attain the age of 14 on or before 31st August in the current season may participate in the Championship or League Division 2. No player under this age shall be eligible to play without prior permission from both the GCA Management Committee and the Guernsey Young Cricketers Development Committee.

CHAMPIONSHIP ONLY

1. Hours of Play & Intervals

1.1 Scheduled start of play is 12 noon.

1.2 One tea interval of 20 minutes will be taken between innings. The tea interval may be reduced at the discretion of the umpires, after consultation with the team captains, in a reduced overs match but to no less than 10 minutes.

1.3 Drinks breaks to be agreed between the team captains and umpires before commencement of play.

2. Appointment of Officials

Two umpires shall be provided by GACUS, wherever possible.

3. Balls

A new ball shall be used at the start of each innings. The fielding side will provide a new standard Grade A four-piece ball (available from the GCA) and acceptable spares.

4. Toss

4.1 The toss to be carried out by the captains on the field of play not less than 15 minutes before the scheduled start of play and the captain winning the toss must inform the opposing captain and the umpires of his decision not less than 10 minutes before the scheduled start of play.

4.2 Before the toss the captains shall agree the following with the umpires:-

a) Boundaries of playing area and boundary allowances.

b) Clock or watch to be followed.

c) Special conditions or local customs.

5. Team Sheets

The captains of both teams must complete a team sheet of nominated players and hand it to the umpires before the toss takes place. It is also the responsibility of both captains to ensure that only the listed players participate in the game. The umpires should be advised of the names of any missing nominated players before the match starts.

6. Overs and Target Over-Rate

6.1 Matches will be 45 x 6 ball overs per side and are expected to start at 12 noon sharp. It is anticipated that with games starting at 12 noon, each side should take no more than 2 hours 50 minutes to bowl its allocated overs, this being the responsibility of the captain.

6.2 The umpires are required to note the start time and the completion time of each innings on the scorecard. Teams who fail to complete the bowling of their 45 overs within a maximum of 3 hours (in the absence of any valid reason for taking more than 10 minutes longer than the allotted time, e.g. a serious injury) are to be reported by the umpires to the GCA Management Committee and persistent offending teams may potentially incur Championship penalty point deductions. Teams are also reminded that the umpires also have the right to impose 5-run penalties under the MCC Laws of Cricket for deliberate time-wasting.

7. Restriction on Placement of Fieldsmen

7.1 Two semi-circles shall be drawn on the field of play. The semi-circles have as their centre the middle stump at either end of the pitch. The radius of each of the semi-circles is 30 yards. The ends of each semi-circle are joined to the other by a straight line drawn or marked on the field on the same side of the pitch. The field restriction area should be marked by a continuous painted white line or dots at 5 yard intervals, each dot to be covered by a white plastic or rubber (but not metal) disc.

7.2 Throughout the whole game there must never be more than five fielders on the leg side from the instant of delivery until the striker has played at, or had the opportunity to play at, the ball. In the event of an infringement, the square leg umpire shall call No Ball.

7.3 For the first 14 overs only two fielders are permitted to be outside the field restriction marking at the instant of delivery. In the event of infringement, the square leg umpire shall call No Ball.

7.4 For the remaining overs, 4 fielders plus the bowler and wicketkeeper must be inside the field restriction marking at the instant of delivery. In the event of infringement, the square leg umpire shall call No Ball.

7.5 Two inner circles shall be drawn on the field of play. The circles have as their centres the centre point of the popping crease at either end of the pitch. The radius of each of the circles is 15 yards (13.72 metres). The field restriction area shall be marked by �dots�. The segments of the circles reserved for the slip positions shall not be demarcated. (The final mark of the 15 yard radius shall be a line placed at an angle of 45 degrees, measured from the popping crease at a point level with the middle stump).

7.6 For the first 14 overs at the instance of delivery, there must be a minimum of two stationery fielders within this inner fielding restriction area. When a fast bowler is bowling the two stationery fielders may be permitted to stand deeper than 15 yards (13.72 metres) (in the undemarcated area) provided only that they are standing in slip, leg slip or gully positions.

7.7 In circumstances where the number of overs for the team batting first is reduced, the number of overs in regard to the restrictions in 7.3 and 7.6 above shall be reduced in accordance with the table below.

Total overs in innings

Number of overs for which fielding restrictions in 7.3 and 7.6 will apply

20-25

7

26-30

9

31-35

10

36-40

12

41-44

13

7.8 Where the number of overs for the team batting second is reduced the aim will be to maintain the restrictions in 7.3 and 7.6 for the same proportion of the second innings that they were maintained for the first innings (fractions to be ignored).

8. Points

8.1 20 points will be awarded to the winning team, plus all bonus points earned during the match.

8.2 If the scores finish level (in all matches where Duckworth-Lewis is not applied) then the side losing the fewest wickets will be declared the winner. If still level then the side with the most runs at the end of the 20th over will be declared the winner, and if still level the side having lost the fewest wickets at the end of the 20th over will be declared the winner. Finally, if still level then the match will be deemed a tie and each side will receive 10 points plus all bonus points earned during the match.

8.3 When Duckworth-Lewis is applied and the adjusted scores result in a tie, no countback of lost wickets or runs scored at various stages of the game will be carried out and the match result will be deemed to be a tie with each side receiving 10 points plus all bonus points earned during the match.

8.4 A maximum of 10 batting points may be earned - 1 batting point for reaching each of 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, 160, 180, 200 and 220 runs.

8.5 A maximum of 10 bowling points may be earned - 1 bowling point per wicket taken. In the event of the team batting first being bowled out for under 220 runs, additional batting bonus point/s are available to sides batting second, but only to a maximum of 10 points in total.

8.6 Additional points available for reaching a second innings target :-

Loss of wickets	Points
0	10
1	9
2	8
3	7
4	6
5	5
6	4
7	3
8	2
9	1

For example, a side chasing 160 to win which then scores 161 for 1 would gain 7 batting points for 161 runs and 9 points for the loss of one wicket. Sixteen points are potentially won but only the maximum of 10 are allowed.

9. Bowling Restrictions

9.1 No bowler shall bowl more than 9 overs in an innings.

9.2 If the start of the match is delayed and the overs are reduced for both teams, no bowler may bowl more than one-fifth of the total overs allowed. Where the total overs is not divisible by 5, one additional over shall be allowed to the maximum number per bowler necessary to make up the balance.

9.3 In a match where the innings of either or both sides is reduced after the start of the match, then the maximum number of overs allowed per bowler shall be set at one-fifth of the revised total number of overs for that innings (rounded up as per 9.2. above where the revised total number of overs is not divisible by 5). In the event of the innings being reduced after an interruption and any bowler having already bowled (prior to the interruption) more overs than the maximum permitted following the interruption, then those surplus overs bowled by that bowler will remain valid.

10. Delayed Start to Match

One over per side shall be deducted per each 8 minutes or part thereof after the scheduled start time, but the match may not be reduced to less than 20 overs per side. The latest permitted start time in the event of a reduced overs match shall be 3.30 pm.

11. Rain-Interrupted Match

Duckworth-Lewis to be used to resolve rain-interrupted matches. A minimum of 20 overs per side must have been completed in each innings for the match to be resolved under Duckworth-Lewis, otherwise the match will be deemed a No-Result.

12. Bonus Points in Shortened Matches

Where either or both innings of any completed match are reduced (and where a result has been achieved with or without using Duckworth-Lewis), the actual bonus points earned by either side in each reduced innings shall be grossed up by recalculating the bonus points on a pro-rata basis as if the innings had consisted of the full 45 overs (i.e. actual batting points gained x (45/n) and actual bowling points gained x (45/n) where n is the no. of overs played in that innings). In the case of fractional points resulting from the re-calculation, the points shall be rounded up or down to the nearest full number, and in the case of the recalculation resulting in 0.5 of a point, the points shall be rounded up to the nearest full number. (Note that in no circumstances can any team earn a total of more than 10 bonus points from any one innings).

13. No-Result Matches

Matches unable to be played due to weather will not be rearranged. Matches unable to be played for any other reason will only be rearranged in exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Management Committee. Average points system to apply to No-Result matches. This is based on the total points earned by that team during the Championship programme, divided by the number of Championship matches actually completed by that team

14. Dangerous and unfair bowling

Law 42.6 of the MCC Laws of Cricket shall be replaced by the following:

14.1 A bowler shall be limited to one fast short-pitched delivery per over.

14.2 A fast short-pitched ball is defined as a ball which passes or would have passed above the shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the crease.

14.3 The umpire at the bowler's end shall advise the bowler and the batsman on strike when each fast short-pitched delivery has been bowled.

14.4 In addition, for the purposes of this regulation and subject to 13.6 below, a ball that passes above head height of the batsman that prevents him from being able to hit it with his bat by means of a normal cricket stroke shall be called a Wide.

14.5 For the avoidance of doubt any fast short-pitched delivery that is called a Wide under this playing condition shall also count as the allowable short-pitched delivery for the over.

14.6 In the event of a bowler bowling more than one fast short-pitched delivery in an over as defined in 14.2 above, the umpire at the bowler's end shall call and signal No Ball on each occasion.

14.7 A ball that passes above waist height to the batsman (irrespective of speed) standing in his usual stance having not pitched shall be deemed a no-ball

In the above case the no-ball will be called by the bowlers end umpire( Strikers end umpire may indicate to the bowlers end umpire)

15. No-Balls

1 run will be awarded for a No-ball.

16. Match Results

The captain of the winning team in each match (or of the designated home side in the event of a tie) is responsible for filling in an individual scorecard and depositing it in the scorecard box at KGV by not later than 8.00 pm on the day following the match with the full result and match details.

17. Teas

Each side shall be responsible for providing its own teas, at its own cost. The team batting first shall be responsible for providing teas for the two umpires, at that team's cost.

SEE SEPARATE PAGE IN COMMITTEE AND RULES FOR SPECIFIC DIVISION 2 RULES