Rules of Play

1. A team will consist of not more than 11 players. (Under 9 and Under 11 teams comprise 10 players per side.)

2. Senior matches will consist of 15 eight ball overs per innings and junior matches 20 six ball overs per innings. The number of overs may be reduced at the agreement of the captains.

   No bowler may bowl more than 4 overs, or 3 overs in a reduced match. A bowler must not take more than a 12 yard (11 metre) run from the wicket and the ground should be marked if possible.

   If a bowler should be unable to complete an over then another bowler may do so, but that part of an over will count as one of his 4 permitted overs, or 3 overs in a reduced match.

3. 6 points will be awarded for a win and 3 points for a tie. In the event of a tie the number of wickets lost by each team is not significant except for bonus points. See Rule 4.

   6 points will be deducted from a team fielding an ineligible player or failing to fulfil a fixture on a mutually agreed date, with 6 points awarded to the opposition in the former and 8 points being awarded in the latter case.

   An offending team, with regard to ineligible players, will not be awarded any points from a fixture in which an ineligible player has appeared.

   For senior matches, if a match is abandoned due to bad weather then 3 points will be awarded to each team and the match will not be replayed in such circumstances.

   For junior matches, if a match is abandoned due to bad weather and it is not possible to rearrange by mutual agreement then 3 points will be awarded to each team.

4. A team will be awarded one batting bonus point for scoring 100 runs or more in an innings.

   A team batting second in a match will be awarded one batting bonus point if it wins the match with a total score less than 100 runs provided that fewer wickets have fallen than in the opposing team's innings.

   A team will be awarded one bowling bonus point for taking 7 wickets or more in an innings.

5. Points will not be awarded for matches that are not played, except in the case of failure to fulfil a fixture. (See Rule 3)

6. If teams tie on points in the League then positions will be decided on the following basis: games won, then tied games and finally bonus batting points.

7. If a team is withdrawn from the League without having played more than half its matches then the record of that team will be expunged and one fewer clubs will be relegated from the division at the end of the season.

When a team is withdrawn after playing more than half its fixtures then the Committee will decide an appropriate course of action.
8. Where a club has more than one team in the senior divisions it must inform the Secretary of its best nine players in the first team at the start of the season, and these players will then be ineligible to play in the lower teams at any time during the season.
If an ineligible player appears then the penalty shall be stipulated as in Rule 3, provided the opposition team provides a written complaint to the League Secretary.

9. A member club may not have more than one team in a division, even if that division is split into regional zones. No player shall appear for more than one club during the season, unless the written agreement of the League Secretary is obtained.

10. The Management Committee has the power to make or amend rules of play.

League results must be submitted to the league website at www.admcl.co.uk by the winning captain or manager within 24 hours of completion of the match. The notification should contain details of the scores, wickets lost and points gained together with any individual performances where at least 3 wickets were taken or 30 runs scored. Failure to submit a result may lead to the loss of 2 points for the side not submitting the result.

11. Senior matches should be arranged midweek (Monday to Friday), and junior matches midweek and Sunday mornings, with matches to be completed by the second week of August, except when there is a divisional or county play-off in which circumstances all matches must be completed at least 5 days before the date reserved for the play-off.

The League Secretaries will instruct Clubs before the season of the week in which matches should be played and their permission is required to arrange games for another time. The day of play is the choice of the home team. In exceptional circumstances the Senior League Secretary may approve a senior fixture at the weekend.

12. When teams have to meet twice in the League, then they can by mutual agreement, and with the prior permission of the League Secretary, play one match and double the points obtained by each side. The League Secretary will grant his permission only in the circumstances of fixture congestion for matches not played by 31st July.

13. Matches should commence no later than 6:30pm (10:00am on Sunday mornings). However, for evening matches teams should endeavour to start by 6:15pm. In any event the toss should take place at 6:15pm.

Teams not ready to toss up at 6:15pm shall forfeit the right to do so. Teams not ready to start at 6:30pm shall forfeit one over of their innings for every five minutes play lost.

14. Under 9 and Under 11 competitions will be played according to the pairs rules as issued by the Bucks Cricket Board (to be found in this handbook).

15. For junior matches players must be under the age stipulated for a division on the 1st September of the previous year.

Recommendation

Guidelines for what will constitute a wide in junior cricket and how wides and no-balls will be scored should be agreed between the umpires on a match-by-match basis and advised to team managers and scorers prior to commencement of play. For example, it may be decided that a wide and/or no-ball will be scored as 2 runs and no extra ball will be bowled in the over.

Bucks Cricket Board Regulations

Under 9 and Under 11 Competitions

1. Players are eligible by age for competitions as follows:

• For Under 11: if they have not reached their 11th birthday by 31st August of the year preceding (e.g. for the 2007 competition for example they must have been under 11 on 1st September 2006).

• For Under 9: if they have not reached their 9th birthday by 31st August of the year preceding (e.g. for the 2007 competition for example they must have been under 9 on 1st September 2006).

2. The Competitions will be played under ECB "Ken Barrington" regulations in this age group, except that each side shall comprise of 10 players. Outside of these regulations the normal Laws of Cricket shall apply. 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 & supporters. The BCB expects all clubs at these age groups to educate their players in the "best traditions of the game".

3. Club umpires are requested to apply the LBW, wide and no-ball laws with sympathy, understanding and tolerance. Club umpires should discuss and agree how they will apply these laws prior to each match and communicate their policy to both team managers.

4. The ECB Fast Bowling Directives will be observed.

5. The Laws of Cricket shall apply subject to the following playing conditions:

• The pitch should be 19 yards long. The BCB recognises the practical difficulties faced by Clubs in preparing pitches of non-standard length and the length of the pitch may be mutually agreed in advance between two competing Clubs.

• For Under 9 matches a 4¾oz Easton Incrediball junior ball should be used and shall last for both innings.

• For Under 11 matches a new or re-polished 4¾oz junior cricket ball should be used and shall last for both innings. • Stumps should be 27” above the ground and 8” wide.

• Each team shall commence their innings with 200 runs.

• 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.

• The batting team shall be divided into five pairs of batsmen and each pair shall bat for four overs.

• 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.

• The umpires shall not call "time" after the last ball of any innings until the ball has indisputably become dead.

• The umpires shall not allow play to proceed if any player is within 11 yards from middle stump at the striker’s end except behind the wicket on the off side.

• 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 more 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 agree on the numbers of runs scored each over throughout the match.

6. In the event that the umpires being 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 any over due to be bowled by the injured player shall be bowled by another player without exceeding their quota. 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.

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.

Regulations redrawn in February 2006