CONSTITUTION
This combination of 48 clubs shall be called The All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League, hereinafter referred to as the League and for the season 2019 shall consist of: Adwalton, Altofts, Baildon, Bankfoot, Batley, Birstall, Bowling Old Lane, Bradford & Bingley, Brighouse, Buttershaw St Paul’s, Carlton, Cleckheaton, Crossbank Methodists, East Ardsley, East Leeds, East Bierley, Farsley, Gildersome & Farnley Hill, Gomersal, Great Preston, Hanging Heaton, Hartshead Moor, Heckmondwike & Carlinghow United, Hopton Mills, Hunslet Nelson, Jer Lane, Keighley, Lightcliffe, Liversedge, Methley, Morley, New Farnley, Northowram Fields, Ossett, Oulton, Pudsey Congs, Pudsey St. Lawrence, Rodley, Sandal, Scholes, Spen Victoria, Townville, Undercliffe, Wakefield St Michael's, Windhill & Daisy Hill, Woodlands, Wrenthorpe and Yeadon.
1 CONDITION OF MEMBERSHIP
All member clubs, their registered players and officials, agree to be bound and must abide by the league’s rules, disciplinary regulations, procedures and decisions at all times. Failure to comply with the rules, procedures and decisions will constitute a breach of rule 47. It may also invoke a charge under rule 46.
All clubs must run two elevens. Premier and Championship One clubs’ first elevens shall also take part in the Priestley Cup competition, while clubs in Championship Two and the Conference first elevens will compete in the Jack Hampshire Cup. Premier Division second elevens must enter the Priestley Shield. Other clubs may apply to enter in the Priestley Shield and where the number of entrants exceeds 32, an extra round will be implemented.
2 MANAGEMENT BOARD
The League shall be governed by a President and a Management Board consisting of: Chairman, Chief Executive, Admin Executive, Treasurer, League Secretary, Assistant Secretary plus a Communications & Data Officer; (The Officials) together with 4 club representatives and 1 Umpires Association member making 12 persons in total.
All club representatives shall be eligible to stand for election when the Management Board is voted for at the Annual General Meeting. Nominations for election should be in the hands of the League Secretary 28 days prior to the AGM.
The election shall be by ballot, in the case of a tie, a second ballot shall be taken.
In the event of a vacancy on the Management Board, the existing members have the power to co-opt personnel to fill any vacancy. In addition, they can co-opt up to two additional members who have skills which will enhance the board.
The Officials shall handle all urgent matters and deal with the day-to-day business of the League.
3 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Annual General Meeting shall be held in November. The notice of the meeting along with the agenda will be sent to all clubs 14 days prior to the meeting. The AGM will approve the reports, accounts, honoraria and elect the Management Board for the following year. All members of the Management Board, together with one representative from every club, shall have one vote each. Where a vote is required a straight majority will decide the outcome. The league official chairing the meeting will have a casting vote if required. Any club not represented shall be fined £50.
4 EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING
The Management Board have the right to call an EGM whenever they consider it appropriate and will give 21-days notice to all parties. An Extraordinary General Meeting may also be called on receipt by the League Secretary of a requisition signed by at least 16-member clubs. The business to be discussed shall be stated, and the meeting shall be called within 21 days from the receipt of the requisition. All members of the Management Board, together with one representative from every club, shall have one vote each. Where a vote is required a straight majority will decide the outcome. The league official chairing the meeting will have a casting vote if required. Any club not represented shall be fined £50.
5 LEAGUE MEETINGS
These will be held twice a year when all members of the Management Board are entitled to vote, together with one representative of each club. Where a vote is required a straight majority will decide the outcome. The league official chairing the meeting will have a casting vote if required. Any club not represented shall be fined £50.
6 ALTERATION TO RULES
The League Officials will review all rules annually and will publish these, following Management Board approval, no later than January 31st when they will come into effect. As part of the review, clubs may make suggestions for alterations to rules at any time provided they are sent to the League Secretary no later than September 30th for consideration.
7 FINANCIAL YEAR
The financial year shall end on the September 30 and the treasurer or his representative will provide audited accounts for approval at the AGM.
8 SUBSCRIPTION
Each club shall pay an annual subscription of £50 and purchase a minimum of 10 handbooks, Payment has to be made by March 31st. Non-payment of the annual subscription by the due date will result in the fee being doubled with immediate effect. In the event of the delay exceeding 14 days from the due date Rule 47 will applied,
8a FINES
Any fines imposed must be paid within one month of receipt of notification otherwise the amount will be doubled. If any fine remains unpaid two months after the date of notification, 10 league points will be deducted from each of the club’s teams. Rule 47 will be applied for any further delay or breaches.
9 ADMISSION OF CLUBS
Any club wishing to join must secure written permission from their existing league, before opening negotiations with Officials of the Bradford Premier League. New applicants will need to meet the league’s entry criteria, resign from their existing league by June 30th in the year before they intend joining and pay the entrance fee of £100.
10 CESSATION OF MEMBERSHIP
Clubs wishing to resign from the Bradford Premier League, must secure written permission from the League Secretary before opening negotiations with officials of another competition. Permission will not normally be refused if the procedure is followed correctly.
To complete the transfer of membership, the club must give notice in writing to the League Secretary by midnight on June 30thin the year before they intend leaving. If the deadline passes without the club completing a transfer to another league, they will remain a member of the Bradford Premier League and be required to fulfil fixtures and financial obligations for the following year. They will also need to reapply for permission to negotiate if they are still seeking to leave.
Any club which is expelled, or which ceases to be a member of the league, shall at once forfeit any rights to any share of the league’s assets.
11 LEAGUE SEASON
The playing season will be determined by the Management Board but will not start before the third Saturday in April. All matches will start at 1pm, except for those in September which will start at noon.
12 COMPLIANCE
All first team promotions are subject to criteria attainment. Criteria for the Premier Division and Championship One will be set in line with ECB Premier League criteria and clubs must be compliant with these requirements to be promoted to or remain in the Premier Division.
Clubs seeking promotion to the Premier Division must provide all requested compliance documentation by June 30th. On receipt of this documentation, the League Secretary/Compliance Officer will inform clubs of any areas of concern before compliance can be approved.
Clubs should be fully compliant by July 31st for the following season and no club can play in the Premier Division without the ECB Clubmark. Additional time may be allowed if waiting for ECB approval of a Clubmark application. This will be subject to the club being able to demonstrate its application is ready to be signed off.
13 PROMOTION AND RELEGATION
The Management Board are empowered to decide on the promotion and relegation of clubs. Where clubs finish level on points the following will apply to determine championship winners, promotion and relegation positions.
1 The team with most wins will occupy the highest position.
2 If the number of wins is identical, then the higher positions shall be decided by dividing their average runs per wicket for, by their average runs per wicket against.
3 In the event of teams still being level, the above method used in point 2 will be applied to the league matches between the respective teams to determine the outcome.
Failure to fulfil fixtures
Any club failing to fulfil a league fixture shall be penalised 20 points against both their first and second teams and fined £50 per offence. Their opponents will automatically receive 20 points (10 match points plus 5 batting and 5 bowling points). If the offending team are the visitors they may have to compensate their opponents for expenditure on teas, umpires and scorers provided the claim is submitted by the home side to the League Secretary within five days of the scheduled fixture and approved as meeting the requirements of this rule. On receiving the approved amount of costs, the offending team will be given seven days to reimburse their opponents. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a charge under Rule 47
15 EXTERNAL COMPETITIONS
The League’s competitions must take precedence and no club shall be permitted to postpone any cup or league fixture or field an under-strength side for the purpose of competing in any alternative competition organised by any outside body. Any Club representing the League in the ECB Clubs T20 Competition will, if the need arises, be given assistance by the Management Board to meet their commitments.
16 RESULTS SUBMISSION PROCEDURE
First XI matches and any Second XI matches scored electronically.
The result must be submitted from TCS (or the CricHQ App for 2nd XI games only) within 15 minutes of the conclusion of the match by pressing upload match. Before the match is uploaded both scorers must check that they agree with the result, scores and scorecard.
It is the responsibility of the home club to submit all results and to check that they are available on the league website before shutting down their computer. Please note that it can take 15 minutes from submission to appearing on the website. The computer should be left switched on and connected to the internet until the home club is satisfied that the result and scorecard displayed on the website are correct.
If, after checking the website any errors are spotted an email should be sent to results@bradfordcl.com immediately detailing any corrections.
If at any point there has been a computer failure and it is not possible to upload the match, then the procedure for manual scoring results as detailed below must be followed by the home club.
Matches not scored electronically.
A basic result must be submitted via CricHQ.com by 9pm on the day of the match. This must detail Runs, Wickets and Overs for both Innings.
A full scorecard must be submitted by midnight on the day of the match. This must detail names of all players playing in the game.
Instructions on how to enter manual scorecards can be found here:
https://www.bradfordcl.com/pages/manual-results-submission
Failure to follow any of the procedures above will incur a fine of £10 per offence. Any full scorecard not submitted by noon the following day will result in a deduction of 5 league points from the home team.
Abandoned matches
Where a game is abandoned without any play the names of all players from both sides who were to have been involved must be submitted on the scoresheet. Failure to do this will mean that the game will not count when considering appearances for eligibility purposes.
Cancelled matches
For cancelled matches (ie no players and match officials attend the ground) the game does not count for eligibility purposes.
Corrections
It is the responsibility of both clubs to check that the scorecard displayed on the league website is accurate. Clubs should check the results, points awarded and individual performances. Any corrections must be submitted to results@bradfordcl.com by 10am on the Tuesday following the match. Any corrections submitted after that time will not be considered.
17 REGISTRATION OF PLAYERS
It is each club’s responsibility to ensure that all registrations and transfers are bona fide.
A club shall not register a player from another club outside the league for occasional matches only. All players must be registered on the CricHQ system and cannot play in any league, cup or shield game until their registration has been approved.
17a INELIGIBLE PLAYERS
18 TRANSFER OF PLAYERS
Close season
All players from within or outside the league cannot move to any Bradford Premier Cricket League club until the necessary transfer form has been deposited with the Admin Executive and the transfer approved.
During the season
Players may only transfer once in any season.
Special Category
19 PLAYER QUALIFICATION
Any player who has played 10 or more first team games by August 23rd will be ineligible to play in the final four second team games of the season There will be no exceptions made.
For the 2019 season, one round of fixtures is being played acrossfour different dates.
To assist clubs in avoiding a breach of this rule the specific dates relating to each division are
set out below.
Premier first teams who will be playing on Monday May 27ththe corresponding second team dates are: Premier May 27th, Championship One April 28th, Championship Two May 19th
For Championship One first teams who will be playing on Sunday April 28th the corresponding second team dates are: Premier May 27th, Championship One April 28th, Championship Two May 19th
For Championship Two first teams who will be playing on Sunday May 19th the corresponding second team dates are: Premier May 27th, Championship One April 28th, Championship Two May 19th and Conference April 28th.
For Conference first teams who will be playing on Sunday April 28th the corresponding second team dates are: Championship Two May 19th, Conference April 28th.
There can be no exceptions to this rule.
20 LOAN PLAYERS
Clubs may register a loan player at any point of the season for second team cricket only. The player must be registered by noon on the day preceding the game. Only non-overseas players aged under 21 and over 50 are eligible to be loan players. When registering these players, the word LOAN must be added to the surname. Both clubs involved should notify details of the player(s) to the Admin Executive by noon on the day of the match.
21 OVERSEAS PLAYERS
Each club is entitled to register one overseas player in any season, and it is solely their responsibilityto ensure that their player is bona fide and meets the conditions and restrictions of the visa on which they enter the United Kingdom.
22 PLAYERS PLAYING OUTSIDE THE LEAGUE
Players contracted with a Country, County or Minor County are allowed to play in the League as long as they are registered with the league and play on or before Saturday, July 27th.
23 PLAYERS IN REPLAYED MATCHES
If the league orders a game to be re played for any reason only those players registered and eligible to play in the original game can play.
24 CONDUCT OF MATCHES
Matches shall be conducted in accordance with the MCC Laws of Cricket, except for matters specifically provided for in these rules.
25 LEAGUE POINTS
Points shall be awarded as follows in all league matches.
Win | 10 points plus bonus points |
Tie (scores level irrespective of wickets lost) | 5 points plus bonus points |
Abandoned no play | 3 points |
Abandoned during play | 3 points plus bonus points |
Bonus points
There are a maximum of 5 batting and 5 bowling points available in each innings
First innings batting points
RUNS | BONUS POINTS |
125 | 1 |
150 | 2 |
175 | 3 |
200 | 4 |
225 | 5 |
Second Innings
A side batting second and winning shall provisionally be awarded 5 batting points but 1 point will be deducted for each two wickets lost. However, they will gain a point at 125 runs and each 25 runs up to and including 200. A side can only obtain a maximum of 5 batting bonus points in an innings.
See table below:
WICKETS LOST | 124 or less | 125-149 | 150-174 | 175-199 | 200 |
1 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
5 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
6 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
7 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 |
8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Bowling: 1 point for every two wickets taken. If a team plays short or a batsman is unavailable and is all out then maximum bowling points will be awarded. If a team declares, the bowling side will only receive bonus points for the wickets they have taken.
WICKETS TAKEN | BONUS POINTS |
1 | 0 |
2 | 1 |
3 | 1 |
4 | 2 |
5 | 2 |
6 | 3 |
7 | 3 |
8 | 4 |
9 | 4 |
10 | 5 |
26 WEATHER CONDITIONS
The two captains shall decide if conditions are suitable for the match to start, and if they cannot agree, the umpires shall decide. After play has commenced, the umpires shall be the sole judges as to the continuation or resumption of the match.
If a prepared pitch is deemed unfit for the scheduled start of play by the captains and umpires they can request that another pitch is prepared, which must then be used provided weather conditions allow. All efforts should be taken to ensure that the game is played.
Delayed starts: Where weather delays the start of the match, overs will be deducted at one for every three minutes lost. The number of overs lost will be deducted from the total match overs and the balance split equally between the two teams. If the number of overs lost is an odd number, it must be rounded up.
Example: Delay 39 minutes, overs lost 13, so the match will be a 43-overs a side contest.
A match cannot commence if more than 60 overs have been lost. The the minimum length of game permissible is 20 overs per side after a delayed start.
Interruptions
Once play is under way in all games there is a cumulative allowance of 30 minutes for stoppages for rain, bad light or other adverse conditions when no overs will be deducted. Once the stoppages have exceeded 30 minutes overs will be deducted at the rate of one for every three minutes lost.
Example: Stoppages of 12 minutes, 13minutes and 17 minutes means a total of 42 minutes lost. After deducting the 30-minute allowance the time loss from which overs will be deducted is 12 minutes meaning four overs will be deducted.
No overs shall be deducted during the tea interval but any stoppage before the interval shall be added on to any stoppage after the interval should the same team be batting.
If any stoppage is for sun, no overs shall be deducted however long the interruption. The umpires shall remain on the field of play during the stoppage.
For Premier Division First XI only:
All other Divisions
27 PREPARATION OF THE PITCH
The preparation of the pitch shall be the responsibility of the home club and shall conform with the new MCC Laws. Pitches must not be watered within 36 hours of the start of a match unless written permission to do so is given by the Management Board. Where possible, pitches for first team games will be located towards the centre of the square.
28 COVERING OF PITCH
All clubs MUST have suitable covers available for use both before and during a match. Such covers MUST be used during interruptions for weather.
29 CHOICE OF INNINGS
The choice of innings will be determined by the toss of a coin. The toss must take place in the presence of the umpire(s) at least 15 minutes before the start of play.
30 NOMINATION OF TEAMS
Names of selected players must be stated on the official team cards and signed by the captains and handed to the umpire(s) for retention, before the toss. The ages of all junior players must be indicated.
After the first ball has been bowled no second team player may leave a match for the purpose of assisting their club's first team but any such request prior to the first ball must be granted, and the side concerned may be permitted a replacement by a duly registered player under rules 17 or 19.
Clubs must give preference to fielding a full 1stXI at all times. If a 2ndXI fields a full side and the 1stXI is short a ten-point penalty will be imposed on both sides.
31 RULES FOR MATCH PLAY
All first team matches shall normally consist of a maximum of 100 overs and each side shall bat a maximum of 50 (6 ball) overs, except as provided for in rule 26 and rule 33.
Second team matches will be as follows:
Premier: Maximum of 100 overs and each side shall bat a maximum of 50 overs.
Championship One and Two: Maximum of 90 overs and each side shall bat a maximum of 45 overs.
Conference: Maximum of 80 overs and each side shall bat a maximum of 40 overs except as provided for in Rule 26 and Rule 33.
Premier Division first teams only: If the team batting first is dismissed or declares its innings closed, before the end of its allotted number of overs, the side batting second shall NOT receive the balance of overs. This is to allow Duckworth Lewis-Stern to operate in the event of weather interruptions.
All other divisions: Transfer of any unused overs will take place when the side batting first is all out or declares before its full allocation expires.
Leg-side wides (Premier Division first teams only): When the batsman is in his normal stance any ball passing down the leg-side without making contact with the bat or any part of the batsman's person shall be called WIDE.
Fielding restrictions: For the duration of the innings the fielding side MUST, at the instant of delivery have four fieldsmen plus the wicketkeeper and bowler within a 30-yard fielding circle. In the event of an infringement the umpire will call "No Ball". The fielding circle is an area bounded by two semi-circles centred on each middle stump (each with a radius of 30 yards) and joined by a parallel line on each side of the pitch. The fielding circle should be marked by painted white dots at five-yard intervals, each dot must be covered by a white plastic or rubber (but not metal) disc measuring seven inches in diameter.
Practice: No practice may take place within the precincts of a ground after a game has commenced. Players may loosen up between innings or, during the tea interval on the outfield only.
32 CANCELLATIONS
Matches may be cancelled up to two hours prior to the scheduled start time provided that both clubs are in agreement. If this is the case the home club must email mailto:cancellations@bradfordcl.com copying in the visiting club prior to this time detailing the cancellation. The email must include the name of the person at the away club who has agreed to this cancellation. This must be the club secretary or team captain.
33 LATE STARTS
Unless eight players of any team are ready to play at the appointed start time, the umpires shall report the defaulting club to the League Secretary and the game shall not commence until the requisite number of players are present. If the match goes ahead with a late start the offending club will be fined £25 for the delay as indicated by the match umpire(s). Overs shall be deducted as described in rule 26 (one over for every three minutes)
If eight players from a side are still not available 45 minutes after the scheduled start time the umpires will abandon the match and report the matter to the League Secretary. The offending team will be deducted 20 league points and their opponents will receive 20pts (10 match points plus 5 batting and 5 bowling bonus points). If the offending team are the away side, they will have to compensate their opponents for eight teas plus any umpires and scorers’ fees, provided the claim is submitted by the home side to the League Secretary within five days of the scheduled fixture and approved as meeting the requirements of this rule. On receiving the approved amount of costs, the offending team will be given seven days to reimburse their opponents. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a charge under Rule 47.
34 OVERS & OVER RATE
First teams: No bowler may bowl more than 15 overs in an innings. If the start is delayed and overs are reduced, the maximum number of overs permitted per bowler will be adjusted as follows:
Innings Length | Bowler maximum | Innings Length | Bowler maximum |
20-21 overs | 6 | 34-36 overs | 11 |
22-24 overs | 7 | 37-40 overs | 12 |
25-26 overs | 8 | 41-43 overs | 13 |
27-30 overs | 9 | 44-46 overs | 14 |
31-33 overs | 10 | 47-48 overs | 15 |
Second teams
Premier Division: No bowler may bowl more than 15 overs in an innings. If the start of a match is delayed and overs reduced, the maximum number of overs permitted per bowler is indicated above.
Championship One & Two: No bowler may bowl more than 14 overs.
Conference: No bowler may bowl more than 12 overs.
Over rates
All First Team division and Second Teams Premier Division, 50 overs MUST be bowled in 3hours 10 minutes (includes all breaks).
Championship One and Two Second teams: 45 overs in 2hours 51 minutes
Conference Second Teams: 40 overs in 2hrs 32mins
Captains and players must be made aware of and observe MCC Laws of Cricket 41.9 and 41.10 which are shown below.
41.9 Time wasting by the fielding side
41.9.1 It is unfair for any fielder to waste time.
41.9.2 If either umpire considers that the progress of an over is unnecessarily slow, or time is being wasted in any other way, by the captain of the fielding side or by any other fielder, at the first instance the umpire concerned shall
- if the ball is in play, call and signal Dead ball.
- inform the other umpire of what has occurred.
The bowler’s end umpire shall then
- warn the captain of the fielding side, indicating that this is a first and final warning.
- inform the batsmen of what has occurred.
41.9.3 If either umpire considers that there is any further waste of time in that innings by any fielder, the umpire concerned shall
- if the ball is in play, call and signal Dead ball.
- inform the other umpire of what has occurred.
The bowler’s end umpire shall then
either, if the waste of time is not during an over, award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side and inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for this action
or, if the waste of time is during the course of an over, direct the captain of the fielding side to suspend the bowler immediately from bowling.
The bowler thus suspended shall not be allowed to bowl again in that innings.
If applicable, the over shall be completed by another bowler, who shall neither have bowled any part of the previous over, nor be allowed to bowl any part of the next over.
Additionally, the umpire shall inform the batsmen and, as soon as is practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has occurred.
The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.
41.10 Batsman wasting time
41.10.1 It is unfair for a batsman to waste time. In normal circumstances, the striker should always be ready to take strike when the bowler is ready to start his/her run-up.
41.10.2 Should either batsman waste time by failing to meet this requirement, or in any other way, the following procedure shall be adopted. At the first instance, either before the bowler starts his/her run-up or when the ball becomes dead, as appropriate, the umpire shall
- warn both batsmen and indicate that this is a first and final warning. This warning shall apply throughout the innings. The umpire shall so inform each incoming batsman.
- inform the other umpire of what has occurred.
- inform the captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has occurred.
41.10.3 If there is any further time wasting by any batsman in that innings, the umpire shall, at the appropriate time while the ball is dead
- award 5 Penalty runs to the fielding side.
- inform the other umpire of the reason for this action.
- inform the other batsman, the captain of the fielding side and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of what has occurred.
The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match, who shall take such action as is considered appropriate against the captain, any other individuals concerned and, if appropriate, the team.
Delayed starts
When the start of a match is delayed by weather, the ‘target times’ will be reduced as required. Once the game has commenced and further stoppages occur the ‘target times’ will not be affected. Similarly, any game which does start on time and is then interrupted by weather, the ‘target time’ as stipulated for each division in this rule remains unaffected.
OVERS | TARGET TIME | OVERS | TARGET TIME |
20 | 1hr 16min | 35 | 2hrs 13mins |
21 | 1hr 19min | 36 | 2hrs 16mins |
22 | 1hr 23min | 37 | 2hrs 20mins |
23 | 1hr 27min | 38 | 2hrs 24mins |
24 | 1hr 31min | 39 | 2hrs 28mins |
25 | 1hr 35min | 40 | 2hrs 32mins |
26 | 1hr 38min | 41 | 2hrs 35mins |
27 | 1hr 42min | 42 | 2hrs 39mins |
28 | 1hr 46min | 43 | 2hrs 43mins |
29 | 1hr 50min | 44 | 2hrs 47mins |
30 | 1hr 54min | 45 | 2hrs 51mins |
31 | 1hr 57min | 46 | 2hr 54mins |
32 | 2hrs 1min | 47 | 2hr 58mins |
33 | 2hrs 5min | 48 | 3hrs 02mins |
34 | 2hrs 9min | 49 | 3hrs 06mins |
Time limits: 50 overs 3hrs 10mins | 45 overs 2hrs 51mins | 40 overs 2hrs 32mins |
35 TEA INTERVAL
There shall be a tea interval between innings of 25 minutes which may be taken during an interruption for weather at the discretion of the umpires, in which case there shall be a further interval of 10 minutes between innings whilst rolling and pitch work takes place. Should a declaration be made during an interruption for weather, the umpires must be informed immediately.
Each club will provide teas for players, umpires and scorers. Teas for umpires and scorers are free of charge. Orders for players teas shall be organised in any form at the discretion of the home club. Visiting teams MUST order and pay for a minimum of eight teas.
During Ramadan, (May 5 to June 4 2019) this requirement is waived provided a visiting club with fasting players notifies their opponents by email and sends a copy of the request to the League Secretary no later than 9pm on the Thursday prior to the weekend’s games. Failure to provide the required notice will result in the club having to pay for eight teas.
36 REWARD TO PLAYERS
Collections may be taken during a match to reward a batsman making 50 runs, a bowler performing the hat-trick or a bowler taking five or more wickets. No player can have two collections in the same innings.
37 BENEFIT MATCHES
Any club wishing to play a benefit or memorial game for any current or past playing member of the League must seek written permission from the League Secretary.
38 SCORERS
A scorer MUST be provided by each team. If a team fails to provide a suitable scorer, a player must score instead of fielding. If a club is reported for breaching this rule they will receive a 10-point deduction suspended for the rest of the season for a first offence. A second breach will lead to the suspended deduction coming into force along with a further 10-point penalty.
Scorers must be provided with a safe environment and alcohol must not be consumed while scoring.
39 MATCH BALL
The fielding side shall provide a new A Grade ball, or a ball in good condition plus spares. Manufacturers currently accepted by the Management Board are Dukes, Readers and Oxbridge. Umpires must always notify the batsmen of the type of ball in use.
40 REGULATIONS FOR JUNIOR PLAYERS (under 19 at midnight on August 31 the previous year)
a. HELMETS (Batting & Wicketkeeping)
All players under the age of 18 must wear helmets with a faceguard or grille when batting against a hard cricket ball in matches and in practice sessions
Fast bowling restrictions for young bowlers
AGE | SPELL | DAY |
Up to 13 | 5 | 10 |
Under-14 and under 15 | 6 | 12 |
Under-16 and under-17 | 7 | 18 |
Under-18 and under-18 | 7 | 18 |
For the purpose of these Directives a fast bowler is defined as a bowler to whom the wicketkeeper would stand back to take the ball.
It is essential that the guidance is communicated to the parents or guardians of all young players through club coaches and officials, and that young players are not allowed to bat or stand up to the stumps when keeping wicket against a hard ball without wearing appropriate protection.
Fielding directives
41 CHILD PROTECTION
The Bradford Premier League has adopted the ECB Child Protection policy, “Safe Hands - Welfare of Young People in Cricket”. The policy provides Cricket with ‘best practice' guidelines in relation to Child Welfare and Protection. The aim is also to protect the interests of adults working with young players. The principles within the policy must be followed, but it is important that common sense is used in applying them.
All clubs (not just those with Junior Sections) must appoint a Club Welfare Officer (CWO), who must have a current Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) clearance (formerly know as Criminal Records Bureau (CRB check) through the ECB. Clearances through other sports or teaching, for example, are not valid for cricket. CWOs also need to atten two three-hour courses “Safe Hands Workshop for Club Welfare Officers” (formerly Time to Listen), and “Safeguarding & Protecting Children.” This is relevant to all clubs, even those who do not have an organised Junior Section; because they are likely to have players aged under-18 in their teams and will play against juniors from other clubs.
Criminal records check.
The roles in clubs that require ECB vetting are:
ECB DBS checks have now moved to an online system which is quick and simple to use.
For volunteers, The ECB will also enrol you onto the Update Service which will mean that for most people, you may never have to do another DBS application in cricket.
The application has to be started by someone within cricket who knows you and the role that you are carrying out. This provides the game with an extra level of security and prevents anyone from falsely obtaining an ECB DBS certificate if they are not actually involved in cricket.
Contact your Club Welfare Officer or another Officer of the club to request that your application is initiated. If they are unsure how to do this, the Yorkshire Cricket Board can help. Umpires and scorers should contact Philip Radcliffe by emailing: compliance@bradfordcl.com
Once your application is initiated, you will receive an email with easy-to-follow instructions to help you make your application. There is a helpdesk function within the system.
Lived abroad in the past five years?
You must provide a local Police check or certificate of good conduct to cover your period abroad.
Overseas applicants
Applicants from overseas must complete the Non-UK resident vetting form and will require a local Police check or certificate of good conduct.
What if my DBS check is not clear?
All convictions, cautions and other items of information provided by the DBS certificate are assessed for their relevancy in respect of safeguarding children and an individual’s suitability to work with children. The ECB may request further information from any individual who has a conviction which is deemed to be potentially relevant.
The existence of any previous conviction(s) and/or caution(s) will not necessarily prevent an individual from being involved in cricket; that will depend on the nature and circumstance of the conviction(s)/caution(s) or information provided in relation to the Disclosure.
The ECB has a policy statement on the recruitment of ex-offenders which can be found on their website.
Who will know about my criminal convictions?
If convictions are revealed through a Vetting Check only the ECB Safeguarding Team will be aware of these, unless there is a need to share information with others in order to protect children.
All information is kept confidential and managed within a secure environment, in accordance with the requirements of GDPR. Where information is shared, this is done in accordance with the requirements of ‘Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2015’.
Safeguarding Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure
The ECB is required to have in place arrangements for managing allegations and concerns regarding individuals and concerning the safeguarding and protection of children. These procedures are the Child Safeguarding Complaints and Disciplinary Procedures and operate in conjunction with Safe Hands – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children.
The procedures provide a fair, robust and transparent procedure and systems for investigating allegations and concerns, and for managing potential risk in a proportionate manner.
Concerns may be brought to the attention of the Safeguarding Team in a number of ways, including through the DBS application process, resulting in the application of these procedures.
Strict confidentiality will be upheld with regard to any individual(s) involved in disciplinary proceedings unless there is an overriding obligation in the interests of child safety or enforcement to share information with other interested parties.
42 UMPIRES
The Umpire Appointments Secretary will, wherever possible, appoint two umpires to every first team game. Appointments made to second team fixtures will be as agreed with clubs prior to each season. Should an appointed umpire be unable to officiate he/she must notify the Umpires Appointments Secretary immediately, the latter shall then appoint a substitute.
Clubs will be notified during the week prior to the game (via the WTU system) of appointed panel umpires.
Procedure for clubs and umpires
Payment to umpires
43 UMPIRES ASSESSMENT SHEETS
The required procedure will be notified before each season and training provided. The completed form, which needs to include the names of both umpires, MUST be received NO LATER than Wednesday for a Saturday fixture, Thursday for a Sunday game and Friday for a Monday match.
Any club failing to conform in returning the completed forms in the correct manner will be fined £5 for each form not received in the time stipulated for the first three indiscretions, and fined and deducted 1 League point for each indiscretion thereafter.
44 ANTI-RACISM AND RACE EQUALITY
The league does not condone abuse or discrimination of any kind. All those involved in the game of cricket are to be treated with respect at all times. Using language or making a gesture that offends, insults, humiliates, intimidates, threatens, disparages or vilifies another person on the basis of that person's race, religion, colour, descent or national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation or disability must be reported in writing to the League Secretary. Reports may be submitted by umpire(s) or a club on behalf of any individual(s) subjected to alleged abuse or discrimination. This will be considered as a disciplinary matter and dealt with in line with League Rule 45. Any action which may bring the League, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute will lead to the application of Rule 46.
45 DISCIPLINE
All Participants, by virtue of their registration with the League (whether directly or via a club) and/or participation in cricket-related activities under the auspices of the League, agree to be bound by the Bradford Premier League's Disciplinary Regulations apply in ALL league and cup matches, plus any representative games under the League’s jurisdiction. The regulations will also apply if the organisers of any external competition request the league to act solely on its behalf. Where the league is not acting solely, the Disciplinary Recorder will advise those running the competition of the Bradford Premier League's Disciplinary regulations, but the final decision will rest with the competition's organisers.
If an appeal is to be made by a player or a club against the decision of the Disciplinary Panel, it must be made in writing to the Disciplinary Recorder within seven days from the date of the hearing, stating the reason(s) for the appeal, along with a deposit of a further £100 to be paid into the League’s bank account.
The appeal will be heard by a different panel, appointed by the League Chairman. The appeal panel must consist of three people, none of whom should be connected with the individual or the club or their opponents, or a club which might directly benefit from any disciplinary action (eg by the deduction of points).
View then ECB Code of Conduct and Spirit of Cricket: https://www.bradfordcl.com/pages/spirit-of-cricket
View the tariff of disciplinary penalties: https://www.bradfordcl.com/pages/punishments
View the rules for disciplinary hearings and appeals: https://www.bradfordcl.com/pages/hearings
45a CONDUCT
Clubs are expected to maintain and promote the highest levels of behaviour and respect in line with the ECB Code of Conduct and Spirit of Cricket. Captains are responsible for the conduct of their players at all times when they are present on the ground.
Club officials are responsible for their players and spectators. Any club reported for failing to take responsibility for the conduct of its players and spectators by an umpire, will be subject to punishment under Rule 47 which may include a league points deductions.
46 DISREPUTE
No participant or club may conduct themselves in a manner or do any act or omission at any time which may be prejudicial to the interests of cricket or which may bring the Bradford Premier League, the game of cricket or any cricketer or group of cricketers into disrepute.
Punishments for a club may include
The level of punishmentwill be reduced if an admission of guilt and an apology to member clubs is submitted.
47BREACHES OF LEAGUE RULES
Procedure: After receiving a complaint the, League Secretary will notify the secretary(s) of the club(s) of any involved parties in the alleged breach by email giving full details, including details of any reports or statements. They will be given seven days in which to respond. If the allegations are accepted those involved will be informed of the decision and any sanctions to be imposed.
If those involved wish to challenge the allegation, they must inform the League Secretary in their response that they wish the matter to go to a hearing before a League Panel. They must pay a deposit of £100 into the league’s bank account at the time of their response which must be within the seven days specified.
In the event of no response being received within the seven-day period, those involved lose the right to a hearing and a subsequent appeal. The League Panel will make their decision and apply any subsequent sanctions.
Where a request for a hearing is made, the League Secretary will make the arrangements for a hearing. The involved parties must receive seven days-notice of the hearing which will take place within 14 days of the receipt of the request.
The League Panel can impose points penalties up to a maximum of 100 points, fines up to £200, order a match to be replayed and impose costs on the losing party.
RULES OF NATURAL JUSTICE
The rules of natural justice are the minimum standards of fair decision-making imposed on persons or bodies acting in a judicial capacity. The standard of proof shall be on the balance of probabilities rather than the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt.
The rules of natural justice consist of the following elements:
(i) The right to a fair hearing.
(ii) The rule against bias.
The right to a fair hearing
The right to a fair hearing requires that an individual or club shall not be penalised by a decision affecting their rights or legitimate expectations unless they have been given prior notice of the case against them and a fair opportunity to answer the case against them and to produce their own case.
(a) Prior notice of the hearing
The accused person(s) or club (s) should be given adequate notice of the allegations against them and of the procedure to be followed so that they may be in an position to make representations on their own behalf, to appear at the hearing, to prepare their own case and to answer the case against them. The time and location of the hearing must also be properly notified to the reported person or club.
(b) Opportunity to be heard
The reported person(s) or club(s) have a right to attend the hearing and be allowed to present their case. If the League Panel is satisfied that the reported person(s) or club(s) have been given adequate notice of the alleged breach and of the time and location of the hearing, they may allow the hearing to proceed if the reported person(s) or club(s) fail to attend. However, it may not be justifiable to proceed if the time or location fixed for the hearing is such that the person(s) or club(s) cannot reasonably be expected to attend.
The rule against bias
A person adjudicating on a dispute must have no pecuniary or proprietary interest in the outcome of the proceedings and must not reasonably be suspected, or show a real likelihood, of bias. The rule against bias also provides that a party should not normally be judged by his accuser.
CONDUCT OF A HEARING
H1 A Hearing is not a court of law and the decision of the Chairman of the Hearing on its procedure shall be final. The standard of proof shall be on the balance of probabilities rather than the criminal standard of beyond reasonable doubt.
H2 The League Chairman will appoint a panel of three persons. No-one connected with the individual or the club, or their opponents, or a club which might directly benefit from any disciplinary action (eg by the deduction of points), can be a member of the Panel.
H3 The club (s) and or person(s) involved are entitled to be supported by a colleague. There is no right to legal representation, but the panel would normally permit those involved in the allegations to be legally represented provided the attendance or otherwise of the legal representative is not used as a `delaying tactic' and that their attendance is notified to the League Secretary at least 48 hours before the hearing.
H4 In the case of a minor it is recommended that he should be supported by the club’s Child Welfare Officer or other appropriate adult.
H5 If the complainant will be requested to give evidence at a hearing.
H6 The Panel shall agree the general procedure prior to the commencement of the hearing and the Chairman shall explain that procedure prior to the start of proceedings to all parties.
H7 The Panel members will speak through its Chairperson only, unless they invite others to speak.
H8 Any reports and written evidence shall be presented and outlined.
H9 Witnesses may be called by parties involved in the hearing and they may be questioned by the Panel.
H10 The Chairperson and the Panel will deal with any points arising from the testimony and evidence given.
H11 The Panel will consider their verdict in private. They will ask the defendant(s) to return to the room and the Chairperson will deliver the verdict. This will be stated and later confirmed by email. The defendants will be informed by the League Secretary of their right to an appeal.
APPEALS PROCESS
A1 Notice of appeal against the decision of the League Panel, whether as to verdict or sentence, to be given in writing to the League Secretary within seven days of the decision of the panel together with a deposit of £75 payable into the league's bank account.
A2 The notice of appeal should record the decision or part of the decision against which the appeal is made and the grounds and basis of the appeal.
A3 Any penalty imposed by the League Panel should not take effect until the appeal has been heard.
A4 The appeal will be heard by a different Panel appointed by the League Chairman. The Appeal Panel must consist of three people, none of whom will be connected with the individual or the club or their opponents, or a club which might directly benefit from any action (e.g. by the deduction of points).
A5 An appeal against the verdict will take the form of a complete re-hearing. The involved parties shall have the same rights of attendance and representation and the ability to call witnesses as they did at the first hearing.
A6 At an appeal against the sentence, the involved parties shall have the same rights of attendance and representation as they did at the first hearing.
A7 Decisions of the Appeal Panel shall be by majority vote with the Chairperson having a casting vote where necessary. The decision of the Appeal Panel is final and binding.
A8 The Appeal Panel can confirm the League Panel's decision, vary it or reverse it. It has the power to increase the penalty and award costs.
A9 The decision of the Appeal Panel and if appropriate the sanction will be communicated to the involved parties once the Panel have concluded their deliberations. This verdict will be confirmed by email within 48 hours and will be final and binding on all parties.
A10 Any sanction (s) will come into force.
48 PROTESTS
Any club lodging a protest, an objection, or wishing to call a special meeting of the League Panel shall inform the League Secretary by email and deposit a sum of £100 in the league’s bank account within five days of the completion of the match concerned, specifying in detail the reason(s) for their request. The League Panel has the power to impose fines, deduct points, order a match to be replayed and impose costs on the losing party. Nobody with a connection to either club or have anyone who has had any involvement in the issue under consideration, will be eligible to hear the protest If the protest is unsuccessful the deposit will be forfeited. If the protest is upheld the deposit will be refunded.
49 CLUBS' GROUNDS
The Management Board shall organise visits to clubs on an official basis as and when considered appropriate. All grounds must meet the criteria for each division. All clubs' grounds shall be at the disposal of the League for matches organised or controlled by the League
50 MATTERS NOT COVERED BY RULES
In the event of any question arising which is not specifically covered by league or cup rules, the Management Board shall have the power to deal with it and impose such penalties as may be considered necessary.
51 CLOTHING
All Bradford Premier League matches shall be played in predominantly white clothing except where directed otherwise by the Management Board. Advertising on clothing will be allowed. however all items must have white as the dominant colour. The wearing of shorts is not allowed under any circumstances in any of the league’s competitions.
52 BOARD DECISIONS TO BE FINAL
All decisions made by the Management Board in the interpretation of all rules, or on other matters concerning the business of the Bradford Premier League, shall be final and binding on all parties.
53 ADMISSION CHARGES
Maximum Admission charges shall be as follows:
First team matches: Adults £3, Children & Senior Citizens £1.50 Disabled drivers: Free.
All clubs can set their own admission prices up to the maximum shown above.
The home club shall retain the whole of the gate money. Clubs may be permitted to take up a collection instead of making a charge for admission should they so desire.
54 REPRESENTATIVE MATCHES
Priority over league and cup commitments must be given when a player(s) are selected to play for matches under the control of the Yorkshire Cricket Board or the Bradford Junior Cricket League.
55 ANNUAL DINNER
In the event of the Management Board having decided to hold an Annual Dinner, then each club must purchase a minimum of five tickets.
56 HONORARY LIFE MEMBERSHIP
To be awarded to all winners of the Sir Leonard Hutton Trophy and may be conferred on any other individual by the Management Board for outstanding service to the league. The Management Board may invite a Life Member to a board meeting to advise on a particular area where they have expertise, but they will not be able to vote.
57 PRIVACY
The league takes your privacy very seriously and we ask that you read this privacy policy carefully:
Communication Data: If you communicate with us through our website, we may process the information contained in your communication. This information may include your name and contact information, the content of your communication and any metadata our website generates where you communicate with us using the contact form available on our website.
Categories of personal data: Full name, address, date of birth, contact number email address, picture and club name
Sources of data: Player and club officials
Purpose of processing your data: The All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League will process your personal data for the purposes of:
1 Administration and identification purposes.
2 To enable communication.
3 Registration and disciplinary measures.
Who we will disclose your personal data to: For players, Play Cricket, CricHQ ,TCS and other leagues in the case of a disciplinary issue. In the case of a player under-16 to a parent or guardian
For club officials: Yorkshire Cricket Board and ECB.
Legal basis for processing your personal data: Administration, identification and effective league communication.
Location of your personal data: The details of club officials and registration data for Play Cricket is stored in the EU. Personal data supplied to CricHQ for player registration is processed in the US (where criqhq.com is hosted) in India (where its support team is located) and in New Zealand (where its development team is located). All of these locations are outside the European Economic Area (EEA). They may also have to transfer your data to other suppliers who are based outside of the EEA. In order to do this, they have ensured appropriate safeguards are place in accordance with data protection legislation.
How long will we keep your data: It will be retained for two years after you cease to be a club official or a player with the league
Your rights in relation to your data: You have the right of access to your personal data and, in some cases, to require us to restrict, erase or rectify it or to object to our processing it, and the right of data portability.
Complaints: If you have any concerns or complaints about how we are handling your data please do not hesitate to get in touch by emailing us at privacy@bradfordcl.com or by contacting the Information Commissioner’s Office.
Privacy policies:
CricHQ
Play cricket
TCS: