Westow Cricket Club and Community Pavilion

RYEDALE BECKETT CRICKET LEAGUE 2023 RULES

 

1.  Management of Competitions

• These rules apply to all RBL competitions. All decisions by the Committee are final.

 

2. Entry

• Entry into the RBL competitions shall be open to all clubs/teams in or around the Ryedale area. A majority vote will be triggered if there are any objections.

• Each club must provide details of 2 members (Name, Mobile, Email) for correspondence purposes.

 

3. Competition Rules

• Except as varied hereunder the MCC Laws of Cricket (current code) shall apply.

 

4. Code of Conduct

• All players, team officials, club supporters and umpires shall be bound by the MCC Spirit of Cricket and the ECB Code of Conduct.

 

5. Format of the Competition

• RBL and RDL - Divisions will be formed and each team will play each other home and away.

• Divisional Cup fixtures will be drawn at the AGM.

 

6. Fixtures

• Fixture dates for the season will be set by the Committee. All fixtures will be published on Play-Cricket by 1st April each season. If a league fixture is not started at all, or if one innings has not been completed, due to adverse weather conditions, then the game is automatically re-arranged for the following Monday, at the same ground. If, on the following Monday, a Ryedale Beckett League Cup fixture involving either side is scheduled, then the cup game must be played on another evening within 7 days. If a re-arranged game cannot be completed on the second date due to the weather, then each side will be awarded 1 point. If a cup fixture cannot be completed due to the weather, then it must be rearranged within 7 days, and must be played before the next scheduled round of the cup.

 

7. Registration of Players

• Players should be registered with the League Secretary before playing in the league. Clubs may be asked to provide a list of players 3 weeks prior to the first match of the season. The deadline for new registrations is 6pm on the day of the game the player is to participate in. Registrations can be made by email or text message to the Secretary. Transfer of players between RBL clubs require an agreement, in writing (email), between club secretaries, which must be shown to the League Secretary. The only grounds for rejection are for financial and disciplinary reasons as per YCB transfer and discipline guidelines. Any breach of the registration rule will result in a 2 point penalty deduction and may result in the forfeiture of any game the player has played in, subject to a committee decision.

• For cup fixtures, players must have played at least 2 matches during the current season (league and/or cup) to be eligible to play in semi-final or final ties. Players playing for a club with two or more teams will be cup tied when they play for either side in either Divisions’ cup. Players transferred who have played for other teams that season in the cup will also be cup tied.

• Overseas players are allowed to participate in the league.

• No player shall be paid for playing cricket in the league.

• Clubs with 2 teams have open registration for either team up to 30th June. Following this date, the 8 players who have played the most fixtures for the first XI will be tied to that team for the remainder of the season.

 

Loan Players

• Players from Division 2 can be loaned to either a Div 1 or Div 2 RBL clubs by email or text agreement with the club loaning and the League Secretary. The Secretary and League Committee will have final say whether the loan is in the spirit of the game and hold the power to authorize the loan.

 

8. Junior Players

• Teams must adhere to the current ECB Guidance on junior players in Open Age Cricket. This includes the wearing of helmets along with bowling and fielding restrictions.

 

9. Match Balls

• The home team are responsible for providing the match ball. This does not need to be new but should be of a reasonable quality. It may be red or pink. Spares should be on hand should the ball get lost.

 

10. Clothing

• Coloured clothing may be worn but is not compulsory. Avoid tops that are predominantly pink or dark red/maroon.

 

11. Umpires and scorers

• Each team is responsible for umpiring and scoring. This can be done by players from the batting team.

 

12. Start time and Duration

• Matches will start at 6:15pm prompt.

• One innings per side, each limited to 16 x 8 ball overs as a maximum and 12 x 8 ball overs as a minimum. If the captains cannot agree on the number of overs the match will be 14 overs as a default. Cup games will be played with full, 6-over, T20 format.

 

13. Bowling and Fielding Restrictions

• A) Bowlers may bowl a maximum of 4 overs a 16 over game. Restrictions on maximum overs for reduced games are as follows:

15 overs: Three bowlers may bowl 4 overs, the rest must bowl 3 or less

14 overs: Two bowlers may bowl 4 overs, the rest must bowl 3 or less

13 overs: One bowler may bowl 4 overs, the rest must bowl 3 or less

12 overs: All bowlers may only bowl 3 overs as a maximum

• B) Powerplay – A 25m fielding circle will be implemented. Only 2 fielders are permitted to be outside for the first 5 overs (reduced to 4 overs for games of 13 overs or less). 4 fielders must be in the ring (plus the keeper and bowler) at all times during the game.  

 

15. Match Result

• Results should be submitted by the home team onto the league's Play Cricket website before Saturday at 12 noon, with both teams confirming the result before 9am Sunday morning after a fixture (Thursdays for Monday fixtures).

 

16. Result and Points System

• When there is no interruption and when both sides have had the opportunity of batting for the same agreed number of overs, the team scoring the highest number of runs shall be the winner.

 

The points for the RBL Leagues are:

• 2 for a Win.

• 1 for a Tie – scores are level irrespective of wickets lost.

• If a team concedes, the opposition will be awarded 2 points for a win and the defaulting team will be deducted 2 points.

• 1 point will be awarded for an abandoned match due to weather. The match can only be abandoned without a replay if one full innings has been completed. Where one innings has not been completed, a replay should be arranged as per league rules.

• Any cancelled/abandoned matches should be notified by text/email to the secretary with the date for the rearranged match if applicable and updated on Play-Cricket.

• Should any teams in the Divisions be tied on points, teams will be separated using number of wins (win conceded counts as a win), then head to head number of wins, then net run-rate if number of wins is equal.

 

Cup games

• In the event of a tie, the team that has lost the fewest wickets will be the winner. If this is still equal the team with the highest score at end of 8th over will be the winner.

 

17. Promotion and relegation

• The team placed last in Division 1 will be relegated to Division 2 at the conclusion of the season.

• The Division 2 champions will be promoted to Division 1 at the conclusion of the season.

• There will be no promotion/relegation to/from the RDL, although teams are welcome to join via application to the league.

 

18. Proposals to rule changes

• Must be received in writing by the secretary by 1st November.

 

19. Breach of Competition Rules or Code of Conduct

• Any alleged breach of these rules must be reported to the Secretary at the earliest opportunity but within 3 days of the incident.

• All breaches will be dealt with by 3 members of the committee appointed by the Committee to act as a disciplinary panel. Committee members with a conflict of interest will abstain from such committees.

• Clubs or individuals have the right to appeal to the full Committee within 7 days of the decision being notified. A £20 deposit (returnable if the appeal is successful) must be submitted with the appeal.

• The decision of the appeal hearing will be issued in writing and is final.

• The YCB Disciplinary Guidance will be used as the basis for all decisions.