THE NORTHERN CRICKET LEAGUE RULES 1 - Title and Constitution The League shall be called the "THE NORTHERN CRICKET LEAGUE". The First Division shall be constituted of not more than Twelve Clubs and the Second Division shall be comprised of the Second teams of the Clubs in the First Division. Subscriptions to be £5 to be paid before February 1st of each year, this being an inclusive fee for both first and second teams. Each Club shall pay an Entrance Fee of £5 2 - Management The League shall be managed by a Committee formed of ONE representative of each Club. Seven representatives to form a quorum. The League shall have an Hon. Secretary and a Hon. Treasurer who shall be elected and honorariums fixed at the Annual General Meeting. A Chairman and the League Committee shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting and such Chairman shall not be counted as a delegate on behalf of the club he represents, but shall have the power to give his casting vote. 3 - Annual Meeting and Accounts The Annual General Meeting shall be held not later than the end of November, when a Statement of Accounts, duly audited, shall be presented, A President and Officers elected, and such business transacted as may be appropriate to an Annual General Meeting. Notices of motion for inclusion in the Agenda must reach the Hon.Secretary not later than November 1st. Clubs shall be given 14 days notice of the Meeting. 4 - Amateur Players All Amateur Players must be registered 48 hours before taking part in any match No player may play with two Clubs in the League during the same season without special permission of the League Registration of all players must be made on the forms provided. 5 - Professionals The playing of not more than ONE professional shall be compulsory to each Club, such professional to be registered This Rule applies to the First Division only. In the Second Division no professional ia allowed In the event of a registered professional being unable to play either through accident, sickness or suspension for misconduct, a substitue may be engaged. Any inability of a professional to play, through suspension or otherwise , to be notified to the League Hon. Secretary within one day. A professional is defined as one who during the current year, has taken remuneration for his services as player, coach or groundsman, assistant or otherwise, for his own or any other Club or Team. 6 - M.C.C. Rules All matches must be played under the revised Rules of the M.C.C. and take place between April and September, both inclusive. Each over shall consist of EIGHT balls. 7 - Time of Play and Decisions re Play Matches must commence not later than 2-30 pm, and if either Club is not ready to start the offending club shall fofeit such sum as the League Committee may direct (maximum 25/-d) to the League : the Umpires to report any breach of this Rule within three days. Play shall continue until 7-30 pm if the match be not previously decided. The interval between innings shall be 15 minutes, any time lost at the commencement or during the interval (Other than through weather conditions) shall be added to the duration of the game. Where play, through inclement weather does not commence until 3-00 pm or later, play shall continue if necessary, until 8-00 pm.If the match is decided before 5-30 pm play may continue until 5-30 pm. The queastion of the fitness of the ground, and light, for play shall at the outset of a match be settled by the Captains. Should the Captains disagree, the Umpires decision shall be final. Once a match has been started, the Umpires shall be in complete control, deciding all questions of fitness of the ground, or light, for play. Where the match is spread over two nights wickets shall be pitched at 6-45 pm each evening and play shall extend from that time for 2 1/2 hours each evening, inclusive of 15 minutes interval between innings, the period of actual play therefore not to exceed 4 hours 45 minutes as on Saturdays. The time lost or gained during a match must be notified on the scoring board. Time lost during a two night match should be made up if possible , on the night it is lost. 8 - Cricket Balls The League shall supply cricket balls which shall be deemed the only official match balls in both First and Second Divisions, the League Committee to select a suitable ball for each season. Each side is to bowl its own ball, which, in the First Division must be a new one. 9 - Default in Fulfilment of Fixtures Any Club failing to turn up to play their League fixtures may be fined £5 for each offence and should the Umpires declare the ground fit for play, the Club turning up shall be awarded the points. Any Club fielding a team of fewer than eleven players in any match may be liable to a fine not exceeding £2 10 - Scorers and Score-Sheets The competing Clubs shall appoint their own scorers and the HOME Club shall be responsible for sending the score sheets of the matches to reach the League Hon. Secretary within THREE days of the conclusion of the game (Sundays included). A fine of 5/-d will be imposed in default In addition Clubs must telephone the result of each Home match to the Hon. Secretary as early as possible after the conclusion of the game. (BARROW-IN-FURNESS 2340) 11- Points in Championship Table The points to govern the competition will count as follows:- THREE points for a Win : ONE point for a Draw TWO pints for a Tie : and if the match cannot be started ONE point for each Club (A Tie means equal scores with both innings complete., i.e. the team batting first being all out, or innings declared and the team batting second all out.) 12 - Championship Cups The Clubs having the highest number of points in each division at the end of the season shall be considered the champions of their respective divisions for that year and entitled to hold for 12 months the League Championship Cups and Championship Flags. The officers as representatives of the winning Clubs to give a guarantee on their return in good condition to the League Trustees before taking possession, an allowance for the purchase of souvenirs will be presented to the Winning teams, such allowances and the League Championship Cups to be presented as the winning clubs shall desire. The League Trophies shall be vested in at least Two Trustees, who shall hold office during such committees pleasure and it shall be their duty to get the guarantees duly executed and to take whatever steps they may deem necessary for the safe custody and return to them of the cups, and they shall be empowered to act on behalf of the League in all matters concerning the Championship Cups. 13 - Championship "Play-off" In the event of two or more clubs at the head of the list being equal in points, they must play off for the championship. Time and ground to be fixed by the Committee. The net proceeds to be taken by the League 14 - Umpires Clubs shall nominate Umpires and the Committee shall then select from the nominations panels of Umpires to officiate as appointed. The Umpires to be notified direct monthly as to their appointments. Clubs shall also be notified of Umpire appointments to their Home matches monthly. Umpires shall report the time of starting matches, duration of interval, result also stating in the event of lost time how the delay arose. In the event of a selscted Umpire failing to attend the match, the Two Captains shall select a substitute and failing the Captains agreeing, the other Umpire must select a substitute in order to play the match. The Umpire remuneration shall be 20/-d and travelling expenses, by the cheapest available route and method, for each match in the First Division. In the Second Division any expenses may be paid by the Home Club. A return of Umpires expenses must be rendered to the League Hon. Secretary. 15 - Disputes The Committee shall have power to adjudicate in all disputed matters in the competition, and their decision shall be final, whether provided fro in these rules or not. Protests to be made with a deposit of £1.00 to the Hon. Secretary within 14 days and such deposit to be forfeited if the protest is considered trivial. 16 - Club Resignations Any Club leaving the League shall forfeit any claim to the League's assets. 17 - League Team SelectionAppeals to the Committee In all cases of appeal to the Committee the representatives of the appealing Club and the Club appealed against will not be allowed to vote. 18 - Applications and Withdrawls No Club in membership of the League shall negotiate with any other League for participation therein without first obtaining written permission from its own League Committee. Such permission shall not be witheld unless the Club concerned has not discharged all its obligations to the League and that its application is made to the League Hon. Secretary before July 30th in respect of the following season. Permission to negotiate shall not be interpreted as either resignation or dismissal. Any Club wishing to withdraw from the League for the following season musat notify the League Hon. Secretary, in writing, before the last playing date of the current season. 19 - Voting on Alteration of Rules Voting on motions for alterations to Rules shall require a clear majority vote before being effective. ------ NOTICE TO ALL CLUBS The attention of all Clubs is drawn to the existence of a "gentlemens" agreement between The Northern Cricket League and the Lancashire County Cricket Club whereby any negotiations between a League Club and any professional in the empolyment of the County Cricket Club from whatever source initiated are strictly forbidden until written consent of the County Committee has been obtained, and the League Committee has undertaken not to sanction any agreement obtained in violation of the above conditions. ------ A big thank you to Norman Ellis for letting me borrow his 1952 Hand Book

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