TWENTY/20 RULES

 

T1     TITLE AND CONSTITUTION

 

a)       The competition shall be called the Examiner Twenty/20 Trophy (The Competition) and played under League Rules except as provided below

b)       It shall be played on a League basis with six group pools consisting of five teams. Each member club to provide one team. The group stages shall be followed by quarter finals, semi finals and the grand final.

 

T2    DRAWS AND TIES

 

a)       All games shall start at 6.30pm with the exception of the final which shall commence at 2.30pm.

b)       The group games to be played on a Tuesday evening in the week allocated by the Match Secretary

Points for group matches

Four points      Awarded to the winning team as described in Rule T5(d)

 

Two points      Awarded to each side in a tied match

 

One point        Awarded to each side where no play possible or game abandoned as Rule T5(j)

 

c)       The quarter finals shall be contested by the six group winners plus the two runners up with the highest number of points. In the event of there being sides with equal points the best runs scored per over rate will take the higher position. 

d)       In quarter finals where no play is possible on the allocated Tuesday the game may be played at any time during the next seven days. If no play is possible during that period of time the result shall be decided by a bowl out or the toss of a coin.

e)       The semi finals shall be played on a Friday in the week allocated by the Match Secretary. Should it not be possible due to adverse weather for a tie to be started or completed it shall be declared void and played during the following seven days as decided by the League Executive. If no play is possible during that period of time the result shall be decided by a bowl out or the toss of a coin

f)         Priority for deciding which clubs are at home in the semi finals and the final shall be based on the criteria of the highest runs scored in the quarter final and semi final ties.

 

T3    PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

 

       Shall be as Sykes Cup Rule C3

 

T4   MATCH PROCEDURES – GROUND MARKINGS AND EQUIPMENT

 

a)       The playing pitch shall be sited as near as possible to the centre of the ground, that may not necessarily be the centre of the playing square, as ground conditions will allow

b)       A fielding zone shall be drawn on the field of play. This shall consist of two semi circles having as their respective centres each middle stump and joined by a parallel line on each side of the pitch. The radius of each of the circles shall be 30 yards but where any part of this zone would impinge within five yards of the boundary line then it shall be drawn at that limitation. The perimeter of the fielding zone shall be marked by a series of coloured discs which, to maintain uniformity, shall be purchased from the League.

c)       Each team shall use it’s own standard red ball, not necessarily new, but of acceptable quality, (unless a League designated alternative ball is supplied). When provided sight screens shall be white. Coloured stumps are optional, provided these are not red in colour.

d)       The use of coloured clothing is optional provided that no item of such clothing is red in colour. The League directive on clothing advertising shall apply except that numbers and/or names may be used on the back of shirts. Should advertising, numbering or lettering be used all eleven players in the team shall be attired in the same design.

 

T5   MATCH PROCEDURES - PLAYI NG CONDITIONS AND RESULTS 

 

a)       Except as provided herein the Laws of Cricket (2000 Code, Second Edition 2003) shall apply

b)       The captains shall toss for the choice of innings ten minutes before the scheduled start of the tie and if a team is unable to toss at this time it shall forfeit the right of that choice.

c)       There shall normally be two sessions of play of one hour and fifteen minutes each, separated by an interval of ten minutes, during which time the pitch may be rolled at the request of the captain of the team batting second

d)       In an uninterrupted tie each team shall bat for 20 complete overs unless all out earlier. In the first innings, should the bowling team fail to complete the scheduled 20 overs in the time allocated of one hour and fifteen minutes, then the umpires shall declare the innings closed after the completion of the over being bowled at that time limit. The team batting second shall, in such circumstances, only be allowed to bat the same number of overs completed less one time penalty over. Should the team bowling second not have completed its overs within the time allocated play shall continue unless inclement weather or bad light intervenes.  If an innings is interrupted, as specified in Rule T5(e), the over rate penalty shall apply based on the revised cessation time for that innings.

e)       In delayed or interrupted ties one over shall be deducted for every full three minutes and 45 seconds of playing time lost. The number of overs shall be calculated so that both teams have the opportunity of batting for the same number of overs, with a minimum of five per side. In circumstances where, before the commencement of play, the prospect of inclement weather or bad light is a consideration umpires may reduce the number of overs as above.

f)         The umpires shall inform the fielding team captain when taking the field, and on any subsequent occasion if play is interrupted, of the cessation time for that innings. The umpire at the bowler’s end shall inform the fielding captain, the batsmen and his fellow umpire of any special time allowances as and when they may arise. The latter shall not be subject to retrospective negotiation.

g)       During any over, at any time, there shall not be more than five fielders on the leg side.

h)       The fielding zone, defined in Rule T4(b), shall apply as follows

1)      For the first six overs of each innings only two fielders shall be permitted outside the zone

2)      For each over following the sixth, only five fielders shall be permitted outside the zone. In the event of any infringement of this Rule the umpire at square leg shall call and signal ‘no ball’

i)         Law 31, timed out, shall apply except that the incoming batsman must be in a position to take guard, or for his partner to receive the next ball, within 90 seconds of the fall of the previous wicket. This amendment shall be strictly applied.

j)         A player, when bowling, shall only be allowed a run up of a maximum of ten yards and shall not be allowed to bowl more than four overs in an innings. Where play is delayed or interrupted during the first of a tie, and the total overs are consequently reduced for both teams, no player shall bowl more than one-fifth of the total overs remaining. In the case of the team bowling first in an interrupted tie this reduced allocation will be further restricted by any overs a player may already have bowled before this interruption. Where, in these circumstances, the reduced number of overs is not exactly divisible by five, not more than one additional over shall be allowed to each qualifying bowler in turn until the full revised total has been allocated. In the event of a bowler being unable to complete an over the remaining balls shall be bowled by another bowler but will count as a full over for that bowler’s allocation. Where the first interruption in play occurs during the second innings of a tie, and it is subsequently not possible to complete the full scheduled overs, the tie shall be deemed to be void under the provisions of Rule T2(b)

k)       In circumstances where the number of overs is reduced for either team, the fielding restrictions shall be reduced, proportionately, in accordance with the following calculations for each innings, ignoring any fractions: 1-2 overs reduction = 0,  3-4 overs = 1,  5-7 overs = 2,  8-11 overs = 3,  12-16 overs = 4,  17-19 overs = 5.              

               If on resumption the number of overs for the restrictions has been exceeded then the above should take effect immediately

          l)    The Law of Cricket 24.12 shall apply except that the penalty for a no ball shall be two runs. The delivery following a no ball

 called for foot fault shall be a free hit, for whichever batsman is facing. If the delivery for a free hit is not legitimate (no ball or wide) then the next hit also becomes a free hit, for whichever batsman is facing. For any free hit the striker may only be dismissed under the circumstances that apply for a no ball, even if the free hit delivery is a wide ball. All such penalties are in addition to any runs that may be scored otherwise

m)     If a ball passes outside the line of the batsman’s body down the leg side, with a batsman standing and  using his normal batting stance, the umpire shall call a wide regardless of where the ball pitches

n)       In the quarter finals, semi finals and final only, should the scores be level, the winners shall be determined by reference to the following criteria in order of priority:

1)     the team losing fewer wickets

2)     the team with the higher number of sixes

3)     the team with the lesser number of extras

 

T6     UMPIRES   

 

The provisions of Rule C5(a) shall apply, except that the all inclusive expenses shall be 50% of the standard rate, calculated to the nearest £1.00 above.

 

T7     TROPHIES

 

The team winning the Competition shall receive the Examiner Twenty/20 Trophy and are entitled to hold it until the start of the following year’s Competition.