LEAGUE RULES 2008
2. The League shall conduct competitions as the occasion may require amongst the clubs in the city of Lincoln and district. The trophies for which competitions may be arranged shall be vested in the League and shall at no time become the property of any club or team. All trophies to be engraved with the winners names and returned by October 31st, failing which a fine of £5 shall be levied plus £5 for each additional month.
3. All cricket clubs with suitable grounds in the city of Lincoln and District shall be eligible for membership. Creosoting of pitches and boundaries is not allowed. Clubs with an artificial pitch, shall use the same only if no other pitch is available due to weather conditions and agreement of opponents is obtained before they travel. No club without a ground shall be admitted to membership and each ground shall be approved and inspected by the Executive Committee before a new club is admitted at the Annual General Meeting, after consideration by the Management Committee.
4. The League shall have a President and Vice-Presidents, who shall be elected annually. The affairs of the League and any cup competitions, shall be governed by a Management Committee consisting of Chairman,Vice Chairman, Secretary, Fixture Secretary, Treasurer, seven elected members and a representative from each club.
5. An Executive Committee consisting of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Fixture Secretary, Treasurer, and seven elected members shall be elected annually and shall be empowered to deal with business connected with the League, and shall be responsible for the running of the League.
6. Five members shall form a quorum at any meeting. Seven days notice shall be given of any intention to hold a Committee or General Meeting. Representatives shall not be allowed to vote on questions arising out of protests in which their own clubs are concerned. Each club shall have one vote for each team they enter in the League.
7. The Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the League shall be held before December 31st of each year, to receive reports etc, balance sheets, duly audited, make all necessary alterations and additions to these rules, elect officers and transact all business generally transacted at an Annual General Meeting. Proposed alterations to rules must be in the hands of the Secretary on or before October31st. Such alterations shall take effect from the day of the AGM of which fourteen days clear notice shall be given. League accounts shall close on October 31st and a copy of the Balance Sheet shall be forwarded to club secretaries before the AGM. All clubs must attend the AGM and failure to do so could incur a fine of £10 at the discretion of the Executive Committee
8. The Chairman shall be empowered to call an Extraordinary General Meeting at any time at the request of the Executive Committee or not less than two thirds of the clubs.
9. Any team entered in the League shall pay an entrance fee and any such fee shall be determined annually at the AGM, this fee to be paid by April 1st. Failure to comply with this rule shall result in a fine of not less than £5. Any club not making such payment shall be required to apply for re-election to the League. A rejoining fee of £5 will be levied.
10. Clubs entered into the League shall be divided into Divisions. The divisions shall consist of Sunday Divisions and Saturday Divisions. The number in each Division shall be decided at the AGM. The two clubs finishing first and second in a lower division shall be entitled to promotion to the next higher Division and shall take the place of the bottom two clubs in that division. In the event of a tie for promotion or relegation, the club winning most matches shall be placed higher in the League. In the event of clubs still being level, the club taking most points from the fixtures between tying teams shall be placed higher. If still level the club with the best difference between runs per wicket scored as against runs per wicket lost in matches between tying teams, and if still no result, shall be decided by the method over the whole seasons matches of each club. Any team withdrawing from the League after the AGM shall be automatically placed bottom of the League in which they were placed. Should any club withdraw a team from the League after fixtures have been made, then a fine of £25 will be imposed. The Management Committee have the power to prevent the promotion of clubs whose grounds are not considered up to standard and also to make demotions. The Executive Committee reserves the right to re-arrange Divisions as team numbers vary.
11. MCC rules shall be adhered to where no local rules apply, and all matches shall be decided on the first innings. Matches shall commence with the first ball bowled at or before 2.30pm, except during April and September when it shall be 2pm. Teams will play a maximum of 40 and a minimum of 24 over each, depending on the prevailing weather conditions, the number to be played to be agreed by the respective captains before the commencement of the game, and the umpires informed of the agreed number. If agreement is not reached the umpires shall decide. The team with the highest number of runs scored at the agreed number of overs shall be the winner. The interval between the innings shall be 10 minutes. Clubs desirous of having tea shall be allowed a further 20 minutes in addition to the foregoing. Umpires must start matches if either or both clubs have seven or more players available. In the event of a bowler, being for any reason unable to complete an over, the remaining balls shall be bowled by another bowler except the one who has bowled the previous over at the other end. Under “Special Regulations” after the toss for innings, the appointed umpires shall be the sole judges of the fitness of the ground, weather and light for play. Each team to provide their own ball, which is to be shown to the umpires before the start of play. The composite ball will not be used.
12. In a match of 40 overs no bowler shall bowl more than 10 overs. In matches of other lengths, the limit per bowler to be pro rata. Umpires must report any club who takes more than two and a half hours to complete 40 overs and they may be fined at the discretion of the Executive Committee. A player shall not be allowed to bowl in any match in the League unless he is dressed in whites, except when permission is obtained from the opposing captain.
13. Umpires will enforce MCC Law 2,that each captain shall nominate his players in writing to one of the umpires before the toss and also name those under
14. Punctuality is essential. Umpires must report to the League secretary any late starts, stating the number of minutes late and the offending club. A fine not exceeding £5 may be imposed upon offending clubs at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
15. The Executive Committee will make the Fixtures for the Leagues. All Saturday League matches will be played on Saturday, except where both reams agree to play on a Sunday or Bank Holiday. All Sunday League matches will be played on Sunday, except where both teams agree to play on a Saturday or Bank Holiday. All fixtures will be completed by September 30th. No alterations of fixtures to be permitted after March 7 unless by consent of the Executive Committee, seven days notice being given to the Fixture Secretary of any proposed changes.
16. The fixtures shall be made by means of Fixture sheets which will be sent to all clubs by September30th and should be returned by the AGM or clubs may be subject to a fine. Once a fixture has been made the home club is responsible for making sure that their ground is available. Once the fixtures have been sent out to clubs, they shall be returned to the Fixture Secretary by February 14th or clubs will be subject to a fine of £5.
17. All players eligible to play for a club in the League shall have signed a Registration Form, and in so doing, shall agree to abide by the ECB Code of Conduct. All forms shall be forwarded to the League Secretary as soon as possible. New players shall be able to sign on at any time right up to the start of a match, providing they sign a form, and their signature is witnessed by the opposing Captain or an umpire. These forms shall then be forwarded to the Secretary. A club which plays a player who has not been registered before the game starts, shall be fined the sum of £10, and may have points deducted by the Executive Committee.
18. The Executive Committee have power to transfer a player from one club to another providing the clubs are in agreement. No player shall be transferred more than once a season. The decision of the Executive Committee in all matters concerning transfers shall be final.
19. If the Executive Committee has any doubts as to the qualifications of any player, they shall have power to call upon such player and club to which he belongs and for which he played, to prove to their satisfaction that he is properly qualified according to the intention of these rules. Any club playing an ineligible player and subsequently being found to have played such a player, knowing he was ineligible, shall have ten points deducted from its total in the League Competition. They may also be fined a sum, not exceeding £15 at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
20. Every club shall be responsible to the Management Committee for the action of its players and officials. An umpire shall report to the Executive Committee any player or club for breach of the ECB Code of Conduct. The matter will be dealt with by the Disciplinary sub-committee.
21. All results shall be phoned to the Fixture Secretary by 9.30pm on the Sunday, otherwise clubs shall be subject to a fine of £5.
22. Score sheets are to be signed by the umpires and captains on completion of the match. The captains to be responsible for the umpires’ signature. The home club shall be responsible for sending to the League Fixture Secretary the full result in writing of each fixture. Score sheets to be sent to him no later than 3 days after the fixture according to the post mark. Score Sheets for every fixture including cancelled and abandoned matches are to be sent in. Clubs not returning score sheets, shall be reported to the Executive Committee and the offending club fined £5.
23. Any Club failing to deal with League business will be fined £5
24. Any Club lodging a protest or objection shall do so within 7 days after the match in question. Any such protest or objection, will be considered by the Executive Committee and action taken as they decide.
25. Umpires appointed by the Lincoln & District Umpires Association shall officiate at each match. In cases where no umpire is appointed or fails to arrive by the time appointed for starting the game, a substitute must be selected on the ground by agreement between the two captains, who shall be eligible to receive a match fee.
26. Umpires expenses shall be determined at the AGM, The expenses shall be an equal charge on the competing teams. An umpire standing on his own shall receive 11/2 match expenses, to be divided equally between the teams. Should a match not be played and the umpires arrive at the ground, they shall receive half match expenses. All umpires expenses shall be paid during the tea interval.
27. All clubs must have a First-Aid box on the ground or they will be subject to a fine of £5.
28. All home clubs to provide a white coat for the umpire.
29. In the League competition, teams shall play home and away matches with each other, and the choice of innings shall be decided on the toss of a coin. If any club fails to fulfil a fixture, then the following shall apply: For the first non fulfilment a fine of £25. For the second non fulfilment a fine of £25 and deduction of 10 points. For the third non fulfilment a fine of £50, a deduction of 20 points and shall apply for re-election. For a fourth non fulfilment a fine of £50 and a deduction of 30 points. For any further non fulfilment a fine of £50.
30. If any club with two teams playing on the same day has to cancel a fixture, then it shall be the second eleven match which is cancelled.
31. In the event of refreshments being supplied by the home club at an agreed charge, to be decided annually at the AGM, the visiting team shall make reimbursements to the home club for the supply of refreshments for not less than 11 people. All tea monies shall be paid during the tea interval. In the event of a visiting team failing to fulfil an engagement (not cancelled under League Rule 32- weather), full reimbursement shall be made to the home club of reasonable costs, including teas, travelling costs and umpires expenses.
32. Fixtures cannot be cancelled through weather before the morning of the day of the fixture unless by prior consent of both teams, and the fixture secretary notified accordingly. In the event of such cancellation, all necessary steps shall be taken to prevent the opposing team and the umpires from travelling. The League Fixture Secretary and appointed umpires shall be notified of any match cancelled because of the weather.
33. A win shall count 20 points
A tied game shall count 10 points each.
A match cancelled or abandoned shall count 5 points each. (a match may be cancelled either with the agreement of both sides or if agreement is not reached, the umpires shall decide.)
Bonus Points:
A losing team to get: 2 points for 2 wickets taken or 20% of opponents total
4 points for 4 wickets taken or 40% of opponents total
6 points for 6 wickets taken or 60% of opponents total
8 points for 8 wickets taken or 80% of opponents total
34. All fines for whatever offence shall be paid within one month of the fate imposed or they will be automatically doubled. Further fines are not paid by October 31st, then the Management Committee shall have the power to suspend the club concerned until all fines are paid.
35. The Saturday League whilst being administered under Lincoln League rules will allow a player for one club in the Saturday League, and a different club in the Sunday League, subject to the player filling in the appropriate Registration Forms for each club.
36. Every club to offer one e-mail address to the Fixture Secretary before the start of the season.
37. It is a condition of membership of the League that clubs are affiliated to the Lincolnshire Cricket Board.
38. Any matters not covered by these rules shall be dealt with by the Executive Committee whose decision shall be final.