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1) - Title and Constitution
2) - The Northern League Management Committee (NLMC)
3) - The Northern League Executive Committee (NLEC)
4) - Accounts
5) - Annual General Meeting (AGM)
6) - Extraordinary General Meeting
7) - Child Protection
8) - Websites
9) - Trophies
10) - Disputes
11) - Applications and Withdrawals
12) - Club Membership
13) - Registration and Amateur Players
14) - Professionals and Overseas Players
15) - Umpires
16) - Scorers
17) - Distribution of Results
18) - Promotion/Relegation
3) PLAYING CONDITIONS
Rules general to all competitions
1) - Young Players
2) - Cricket Balls
3) - Rolling Pitches
4) - Late Starts
5) - Default in Fulfilment of Fixtures
6) - Practice
7) - Boundaries and Boards
8) - Overs
9) - Drinks
10) - Drying the ball
11) - Ball Delivery
NPCL Championship Rules
1) - Fixtures
2) - Points
3) - Bonus Points
4) - Championship Winners
5) - Game Format
6) - Slow Over Rate Penalties
7) - Delays in Play
8) - Rain Delays
9) - Extreme Weather Conditions
The League Cup
The League Twenty/20 Competition
Discipline
1 - Title and Constitution
1 The League shall be called the "The Northern Premier Cricket League" (NPCL).
2 The NPCL will be the first teams of the member clubs.
3 The annual subscription to the League shall be £250.00 per club for all Lancashire based clubs - this includes £150 affiliation fee to LCF. For Cumbria based clubs the subscription shall be £175 per club - this includes £75 affiliation fee to the LCF.
This subscription is due on the 1st April of the season. If the subscription has not been paid by the 1st League game of the season a fine of £50 per League game will be applicable until the debt is paid. If the fine has not been paid before 1st June then the club will be subject to a deduction of 25 league points in addition to the outstanding fine
All NPCL balls must be purchased by all clubs through the direct supply chain
2 - The Northern League Management Committee (NLMC)
2.1
2.1. The NLMC shall consist of One representative of each Club.
2.2. Eight representatives are required to form a quorate.
2.3. There will be a minimum of a pre-season meeting in April, two meetings held in June and August, a pre-AGM (Annual General Meeting) meeting held in early November and an AGM held in December
2.4. Dates and venues for the NLMC meetings are fixed after the previous year's AGM and will be published in the Handbook (if printed) and on the npcl.play-cricket.com website.
2.5. An Agenda and minutes of the previous meeting are sent to each Club representative 7 days beforehand
2.6. Any Club that is not represented at a NLMC meeting shall be liable to have 3 points deducted for the first occasion a meeting is missed in any calender year and 5 points for missing any subsequent meetings in that year. If the meeting missed in that calender year after the end of the cricket season the points shall be deducted from the following season's points. Non-attendence at the AGM shall result in a deduction of 5 points from the following season's points
2.7. All matters other than the alteration of League rules and rules governing playing conditions shall be decided by a simple majority vote
2.8. The Chairman or his delegate will have the casting vote in the event of a tie.
2.9. The NLMC shall have the right to elect suitable persons as "Life Vice Presidents" in recognition to their services to the League
3 - The Northern League Executive Committee (NLEC)
3.1. The NLEC shall consist of the following officials who are elected at the Annual General Meeting.
President; Chairman; Vice-Chairman; Treasurer; Secretary; Registration Secretary; Safeguarding Officer, Youth Development Officer; Women and Girls Cricket Officer; Umpires Appointments Secretary; Publicity and Public Relations Officer; Chairman of the Discplinary Committee; Grounds and Facilities Officer; Fixtures Secretary; Results Secretary.
3.2. 6 representatives which must include two out of the Chairman, Vice Chairman and Treasurer are required for a meeting to be a quorate
3.3. The elected officials form the NLEC and will be responsible to the NLMC for the running of the NPCL.
3.4. Executive members cannot act as representatives from Clubs and vote at NLMC meetings
3.5. The NLEC can form sub-committees to deal with specific areas of League business such as Disciplinary matters, playing conditions, etc. Sub-committee meetings shall be chaired by a member of the NLEC and members of the NPCL with special expertise may be co-opted to the Sub Committee.
4. - Accounts
4.1. The Financial year ends on the 31st October and the AGM will be held as soon as practible after that date.
4.2. The NPCL will employ a Qualified Accountant to complete an Independent Examination of the NPCL accounts which shall be presented by the Treasurer at the AGM.
5. - Annual General Meeting
5.1. Notices of motion/s from the clubs and Executive for consideration at the AGM must reach the Secretary 14 days prior to the date of the AGM.
5.2. Proposals of clubs MUST be seconded by a different club
5.3. Notice of the AGM shall be sent to clubs and all NLEC members at least 7 days before the date of the meeting together with: an Agenda: the previous year's AGM minutes, Statement of Accounts for the previous year: motions from the Executive; and motions that have been proposed and seconded from the clubs
5.4. Any alteration to League rules and rules governing playing conditions considered by the AGM may only be carried by a two thirds marjority of the clubs participating in the NPCL.
6 - Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)
6.1. An EGM to consider rule changes playing conditions or other important matters can be called by the NLEC or on the petition of at least half of the Clubs in the NPCL.
6.2. Clubs must be given at least seven days notice of a EGM and provided with a notice of the business to be considered.
7 - Child Protection
7.1. Clubs are responsibile for complying with the laws governing Child Protection and abiding by any regulations issued by the ECB or LCF
8 - Websites
8.1. Club websites are the responsibility of each club Committee and they shall be be responsible for the content of the site.
8.2. Clubs must supply the Secretary of the NPCL with the name and contact details of the of the designated Webmaster, the web site address and associated email address
9 - Trophies
9.1. The Trustees have authority to act on behalf of the NPCL in all matters concerning the trophies.
9.2. The League Trophies shall be entrusted to two trustees from the NLEC whose duties shall be to collect any guarantees duly signed and to take whatever steps they deem necessary for the safe custody and return to them of the trophies.
9.3. The Officials of the winning clubs shall before taking possession of the trophies give a guarantee of their return in good condition.
9.4. All trophies must be returned to the Trustees of the NLEC clean and engraved by the August NLMC metting.
9.5. The NLMC shall decide on an allowance for the purchase of souvenirs for the winning clubs
10 - Disputes
10.1. The NLEC shall have the power to adjudicate in all disputed matters and the decision shall be final whether provided for in these rules or not.
10.2. A Fee of £25 shall be levied for any protest which is payable within 14 days of raising the protest.
10.3. The Fee of £25 can be forfeited if the protest is considered trivial by the NLEC
11 Applications and Withdrawals
11.1. No Club in membership of the NPCL shall negotiate with any other league for participation therein without first obtaining written permission from the NLEC.
11.2. Any club wishing to negotiate with another League shall make a written application to the NLEC. Permission shall not be withheld unless the Club has not discharged all its obligations to the NPCL and other Clubs.
11.3. Permission to negotiate shall not be regarded as either resignation or dismissal.
11.4. Any Club wishing to resign from the NPCL must submit a letter of resignation to be received by the Secretary of the NPCL no later than 5-00 pm on the 30th June in respect of the following season.
11.5. A Club resigning from the NPCL shall forfeit any claim to assets of the NPCL.
11.6. Attention must be directed to the procedure on the recruitment of clubs by a league as approved by the LCF whose procedure must be followed by both any club wishing to depart and the NPCL.
11.7. Sanctions may be applied to Clubs or Leagues who breach the procedure approved by the LCF.
12 - Club Membership
12.1. Clubs must operate an active "open door" policy whilst respecting player qualification regulations regardless of ethnicity
12.2. Clubs must also operate an "open door" membership policy regardless of ethnicity and gender.
13 - Registration of Amateur Players
13.1. All Players must be registered with the NPCL using play-cricket.com website.
13.2. Clubs who play an unregistered player in a match will be subject to a points deduction of 15 League points for the match and their opposition will receive 10 points unless they have achieved more points tham 10 in the game. In this case they will receive the League points they have achieved in the game.
There are 3 Categories of players as follows:
Category 1: A player who is either (1) a British Citizen AND was born in England or Wales OR (2) has been resident in England and Wales for a minimum of 210 days per year between 01April and 31 March following their first year of entry and are deemed to be 'Home Players' in England and Wales
Category 2: A player capped or uncapped qualified to play for England under the current ECB regulations and currently under contract to a First Class County Club or MCC Young Cricketers. For the purposes of clarification a contracted player is one who has a full playing contract. a summer contract or a development (scholarship) contract but not an Academy contract. (16-19 years).
Category 3: Players not deemed 'Ordinarily Resident'.
For further clariication pleas see Player Registration Protocols below
13.3. New Players to a club must be registered by 9-30pm on Thursday for a Saturday match and by 9-30pm for a Sunday match
13.4. The NPCL will not accept the registration of a player who is transferring from another club either within the League or from another League without confirmation on play-cricket.com from the 'releasing club' or League that the player has no financial or disciplinary matters outstanding.
This confirmation is required for transfers occurring at any time of the year.
13.5. No player may play for a NPCL first team in a League or Cup game after the second Saturday in July who has not already played in the current season for that club in any team including Juniors in any League or Cup fixture.
This Rule does not apply to any player who has been registered by the club in either the NPCL, Palace Shield, Eden Valley or Westmorland League prior to the commencement of the season:
i) who is in full-time or higher education; or
ii) is a former or first class cricketer who played for the club as an amateur before attaining 1st class status; or
iii) is a person who as played for the club as an amateur in any of the 4 preceding seasons.
Failure to comply with this rule will result ina deduction of 15 League points
13.6. Clubs may register as many Category 1 players as they wish.
13.7. Clubs may only register 1 Category 3 player (Overseas Player).
13. 8. The NLEC shall have the power to refuse to register any player. If this power is exercised the player shall be advised of the reason for the registration being refused.
13.9. Any player refused registration shall have the right to appeal, to attend a hearing and provide written submissions in support of their case.
Representative/s of the Club of which the player is a member/potential member have the right to attend the hearing and to speak in support of the player. No member of the Executive can attend the hearing on behalf of the player.
13.10. The Appeals Committee considering Registration shall be constituted in accordance with the disciplinary rules.
13.11. No former or current First Class Cricketer can play as an amateur in the NPCL except for the club where he played as an amateur before attaining first class status, unless his sole/main residence is within 20 miles in the NPCL. This rule does not apply to former first class players who have retired from first class cricket and who have not played first class cricket for four years immediately preceding the commencement of the coming season
13.12. No amateur player registered in the NPCL can play for a Club in a different League in the same season unless he transfers to that club
13.13. Any player registered as an amateur found to be receiving payments other than that approved by the NLEC will be banned from the NPCL.
The NLEC shall have authority to examine club accounts with regard to this matter.
Clubs who are found to be paying players registered as amateurs will be deducted 50 League points and banned from participating in NPCL Cup Competitions for 2 years".
13.14. All players including prossionals, amateurs and overseas players must agree to be bound by the rules of the NPCL at the time of their registration and agree to the disciplinary rules of the NPCL
14 - Professionals and Overseas Players
14. 1. Clubs do not have to employ a professional but they can do if they so wish.
A professional must be registered by the start of the season
A professional will not be deemed registered UNTIL.
a) the Registration Secretary (RS) or Chairman, has received a copy of the professional's contract signed and dated which MUST be received prior to the commencement of the season.
b) the RS has received a scanned copy of his current paasport (ID page), police clearance certificate or equivalent dated in the current calender year and his Visa (Tier 5).
c) No club may play a substitute professional unless their nominated professional's registration has been completed in accodance with 14.1. a) and 14.1. b) above
14.2. In the event of a professional being unable to play in a match or unable to complete his contract through injury, illness, compassionate grounds or recall by his County, State or National Organisations then a sub pro who has not played at a higher level than the professional can be appointed. In these circumstances the Club does not have to appoint a sub-professional.
14.3. No appointment of a substitute shall be made without the permission of the Chairman or Registration Secretary of the NPCL. Permission must be obtained prior to the match being played.
14.4. Substitution of a professional without permission shall result in a deduction of 15 points for a League game and forfeit of a Cup match.
14.5. Out of courtesy any club using a substitute must advise the opposition in advance of arrival for play and ideally midnight prior to the game
14.6. The NPC will support a Club with legitimate grievances should a professional break his contract by banning him from future engagements in the NPCL. They will also report him to County or National Authority.
14.7. A professional is defined as a player who has received payment from his own or another Club, Country or County for playing cricket during the year commencing 1st April prior to the commencement of the season.
14.8. No registered professional or registered overseas player can play for more than one NPCL Club during the course of a season.
14.9. An ex-professional shall not be reinstated as an amateur in the same season in which he has been registered and playing as a professional.
14.10. No NPCL professional can be approached by another club with a view to engagement for the following season before 1st August without the consent of his present Club.
15 - Umpires
15.1. The Umpires will have their own organisation with elected officials
15.2. The Umpires Appointments Secretary shall be elected to represent the intrests of the umpires on the NLEC wand shall attend NLEC and NLMC meetings.
15.3. The North West Associstion of Cricket Officials (NWACO) will be responsible for:
1) The recruitment of umpires.
2) The training and maintenance of the standards of umpires including gaining appropriate qualifications
3) Taking action on reports on umpires from Captains,Clubs or the NLEC.
4) Allocating umpires to games played under the NPCL's jurisdiction.
5) Nominating umpires for representative games
6) Any other matters concerning umpires in full consultation with the NLEC under the jurisdiction of the NPCL.
7) Umpires must jointly complete a "Match Report Form" and on Who's The Umpire.
15.4. The contents of the 'Match Report Form' will be agreed by the NLEC in conjunction with the NWACO and will include marking teams for the Fair Play Award.
15.5. In the event of a selected umpire failing to attend the match, the two Captains shall select a substitute.
If the Captains fail to agree, then the umpire present must select a substitute.
15.6. If the original Umpire officiates at both ends he will receive increased expenses which will be twice match expenses.
15.7. If both Umpires fail to turn up then the Captains MUST agree two substitute umpires and the match must be played.
15.8. Umpires will receive match expenses as agreed by the NLE and NWACO.
15.9. Captains of both the home and away teams must complete the 'Umpires Assessment Form' for each League and Cup match (Not Twenty/20) on Who's The Umpire within two days of the game who will forward it to the Umpires Assessment Panel.
Failure to complete the form satisfactorily or send the form in within two days will result in a deduction of 2 League points which will be suspended for the duration of the season for the first offence.
Should a club fail to comply on a second occasion during the season the 2 suspended League points together with 4 League points for the second offence shall be deducted immediately.
Any further offences will result in an immediate deduction of 6 League Points for each offence
16 - Scorers
16.1. Clubs shall appoint their own scorers who should be of a level of competence for the game being played.
16.2. Clubs without a scorer for a League or Cup match shall be liable to a points deduction of 3 points for the first offence and 5 points for any subsequent offences
17 - Distribution of Results
17.1. In order to maintain accurate League tables it is essential that the home team enters the summary of results and scorecard on npcl.play-cricket.com by 11-00pm on the day of the game even if the match is abandoned. Failure to comply will result in a deduction of 3 League points which will be suspended for the duration of the season for the first offence.
Should a club fail to comply on a second occasion during the season the 3 suspended League points together with 5 League points for the second failure shall be deducted immediately.
Any further failures to comply will result in an immediate deduction of 5 League points for each failure.
18 - Promotion/Relegation
18.1. Promotion A Club that is promoted is deemed to acceeded to full membership of the NPCL on the 1st of December in the year of promotion
18.2. A club that is relegated is deemed to have ceased full membership of the NPCL on the 30th November in the year of their relegation
19. Discipline
19.1. Discipline will be dealt with in accordance with the ECB Discplinary Regulations (as amemded) which have been adopted by the NPCL and can be viewed at Section 7 of this document.
20. Clubmark Accreditation
20.1. All clubs wishing to participate in the NPCL Competition, including those promoted from the Palace Shield (Premier Division), MUST have ECB Clubmark Accreditation and Safehands compliance in place by 30th September prior to the following season.
Failure to comply with this rule will debar such club from playing in the NPCL Competition
21. Anti Discrimination
All member clubs must provide open, welcoming, family-friendly enviroments.
The NPCL promote inclusivity, equality and respect for all.
It is a condition of membership of the NPCL that as members of an ECB Premier League, clubs adopt the ECB Anti- Discrimination code and embed it within their own clubs rules.
Clubs shall take all reasonable steps to ensure compliance with the ECB Anti-Discrimination Code of Practice.
2) Player Registration Protocols
Clubs must follow the procedures outlined below before a Player’s Registration can be accepted.
For general enquiries/advice Clubs should contact David Derham email duzzer66@hotmail.com (Registration Secretary).
All players must be registered with the NPCL using the play-cricket.com website.
1. Registration Categories
1.1. There are 3 Categories of players as follows:
Category 1:A player who is either (1) a British Citizen AND was born in England or Wales OR
(2) has been resident in England and Wales for a minimum of 210 days per year between 01 April and 31 March following their 1st year of entry and are deemed to be ‘Home Players’ in England and Wales.
Please note that a player with a British passport ( commonly referred to by a lot of clubs as a UK passport) CANNOT be registered as a Category 1 player UNLESS he was born in England or Wales i.e. a British passport is ONLY relevant IF the player was born in England or Wales.
There may be cases where a club wishes to register a player as a Category 1 player because he is a British citizen AND was born in England or Wales even though he ordinarily lives outside the UK.
In such cases registration will not be accepted until the Registration Secretary has received a scanned copy of his passport showing that he was born in England and Wales.
Should it come to light during the season that such a person has played without the Registration Secretary seeing his passport he will be treated as an unregistered player and the club will be subject to the sanction outlined in Rule 13.2 above of this document.
The penalty will be applied for each game that he has played.
NB a)For the purposes of ECB Premier League Cricket ‘Ordinarily Resident’ is determined by the Premier League Executive Committee or Premier League Registration Secretary on the basis that the player has been resident in England and Wales for a minimum of 210 days per year.
This information would be evidenced through bank statements and /or utility bills.
For additional evidence required for Category 1 players who are NOT British citizens and are NOT born in England and Wales please see below under 2.Category 1 players who are NOT British citizens and are NOT born in England and Wales
NB b)The ECB have confirmed that a British Citizen who is born in England or Wales but who has not been ‘Ordinarily Resident’ within England and Wales for 210 days between 01 April and 31 March because for example they have been working abroad or because as a young cricketer they have been abroad playing cricket and cannot get their 210 days in before the start of the season CAN play as a Category 1 player as they are British Citizens and born in England or Wales.
Category 2 : A player capped or uncapped qualified to play for England under the current ECB regulations and currently under contract to a First Class County Club or MCC Young Cricketers.
For the purposes of clarification a contracted player is one who has a current full playing contract, a summer contract or a development (scholarship) contract but not an Academy contract (16-19 years).
Category 3: Players not deemed ‘Ordinarily Resident’ ie Overseas players.
1.2. Clubs may register as many Category 1 players as they wish. Clubs may only register 1 Category 3 player.
1.3. A player transferring either within the NPCL from one Club to another or from another league MUST have confirmation on play-cricket.com from the ‘releasing club’ or league that the player has no financial or disciplinary matters outstanding.
This confirmation is required for transfers occurring at any time of the year.
New Registrations on www.play-cricket.com (excluding Category 3 players and Category 1 players who are NOT British citizens and NOT born in England and Wales and professionals).
These new players must be registered by 9.30pm on Thursday for a Saturday game and by 9.30pm on Friday for a Sunday game on www.play-cricket.com.
2. Category 1 players who are NOT British citizens and are NOT born in England and Wales.
There will be players who are Category 1 players by reason of the fact that they are deemed ‘Ordinarily Resident’ and have been in England and Wales for a minimum of 210 days per year between 01 April and 31 March even though they are not British citizens and not born in England and Wales.
In such cases the Registration Secretary cannot consider an application to register such a player without the following document being supplied:
1) his ECB Amateur Registration Form Cat 1 player who is NOT a British citizen and NOT born in England and Wales.
This is a NEW form and can be found on the play-cricket .com website under registration forms and described as Cat 1 For use by Amateurs who have been in the UK for a minimum of 210 days a year between 1 April and 31 March who are NOT British Citizens and NOT born in England or Wales ( Ordinarily Resident).
This form MUST be completed by the Player and the Club that he will play for. The ORIGINAL document duly signed by the club and player MUST be supplied together with a scanned copy of his passport showing the date stamp of his arrival in England or Wales and a scanned copy of his visa.
3. Category 3 players( Overseas Players).
3.1. The Home Office is the only agency that can determine whether a player is eligible to enter the UK and play under a particular visa.
Clubs are legally responsible for ensuring that the correct visa is obtained and they MUST make their own checks and not rely solely on information provided to them by any other person/s.
An employer (ie Chairman of the Club) who has not carried out the correct checks or chooses to ignore the requirements is liable to a fine of up to £20,000.
The Registration Secretary can not consider an application to register a Category 3 player without the following documents being supplied:
1) scanned copy of passport showing the image and personal details
2) scanned copy of the relevant visa( covering entry for the current season)
3) copy of the Police clearance certificate or equivalent( MUST be dated in the current year).
4) proof of his financial support. As from 10/1/19 any Category 3 player receiving payment, including payment in kind for playing or coaching that is covering all, or the majority of their costs for travelling to , and living in the UK, or who has received such payments in the past 4 years, will be regarded by the Home Office as a Professional Sportsperson and therefore not eligible to play in the NPCL
5) proof of the Club he plays for outside the UK, including the last year’s statistical evidence of the Category 3 Player’s record. In addition clubs will be expected to indicate whether the player
a):is currently registered to a professional or semi-professional sports team or has been so registered within the previous 4 years.
This includes all academy and development team age groups NB In cricket this is typically the outfits who have been awarded 1st class status- this currently includes ACT and Mpumalonga participation in the Africa T20 cup.
b): has represented their state or regional team within the previous 2 years including all youth and development age groups from U17 upwards.NB in cricket the majority of State and Regional outfits have First Class status and are therefore classed as semi-professional outfits so will be covered under the 4 year rule.
If the player is subject to a) or b) above evidence of the matches played in MUST be produced to the Registration Secretary. If there is such registration or representation within the past 4 years his registration as a Category 3 player will NOT be accepted.
6) proof of his address outside the UK
7) proof of his address in the UK
8) his ECB Accredited Premier Cricket League ‘Amateur Player Registration Form’ which can be found on the play-cricket.com website under registration forms and described as ‘Cat 3 For use by Overseas Amateur players who are not ‘Ordinarily Resident’.
This form MUST be completed by the Player and the Club that he will play for.The ORIGINAL document duly signed by club and player MUST be supplied- a copy will not suffice.
When ALL this documentation is complete submit them to the RS who, on behalf of the NLEC, will check them.
2.2. As indicated above the responsibility for ensuring that the Category 3 player has the correct visa, correct documentation and can satisfy the requirements for being an Amateur and not a Professional Sportsperson lies with the club.
In cases of doubt Clubs MUST take advice from the Home Office.
2.3. The RS will not accept the Registration of any Category 3 player where the correct visa, or correct documentation is not supplied.
In addition where the RS considers that the Category 3 player cannot satisfy his Amateur status because he is receiving payment, including payment in kind for playing or coaching that is covering all, or the majority of his costs for travelling to and living in the UK, then that player’s registration will not be accepted and he will not be able to play in the NPCL.
2.4. The Player MUST NOT play until his Registration has been accepted by the RS.
Useful Advisory Contacts for Clubs: Home Office: Immigration Enquiry Bureau/Sponsor and Employer Enquiries Phone: 0300 123 4699 e-mail: BusinessHelpdesk@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk ECB e-mail: managedmigration@ecb.co.uk
3. Professionals
3.1. A Professional MUST have a Tier 5 Creative and Sporting Visa unless he is a UK or EU passport holder.
This entitles him to play/and or coach for his main sponsor i.e. the Club.
He must not seek any other type of employment other than for that for which he was granted permission to enter the UK.
Registration of a Professional will not be accepted until the RS has seen a scanned copy of his Visa (Tier 5) where appropriate, a copy of his police clearance certificate or equivalent and a scanned copy of his passport.
In addition, the Chairman of the NPCL must receive a copy of his contract (details regarding pay may be redacted) which must be supplied at least two weeks before the commencement of the season.
3) Playing Conditions Rules General to All Competitions
All matches to be played under the latest edition of the MCC Laws of Cricket except as provided for in this section. ALL matters arising in the competitions not covered by the Rules and Playing Conditions of the NPCL shall be referred to the NLEC for a decision
1 - Young Players
1.1. The NPCL will operate the current version of any of the ECB's regulations that affect young players and it is the responsibility of Clubs through their captains to ensure that they are carried out.
1.2. The Umpires MUST be given a full team list before the toss takes place with the ages and restrictions on any young player.
2 Umpires Expenses
2.1. The Umpires MUST receive their match day expenses before the toss takes place
3 Cricket Balls
3.1. The NPCL shall supply cricket balls which shall be deemed the only official match ball in both League and Cup matches.
3.2. The NLMC to select a suitable ball for each season.
3.3. For all matches each side must provide an approved unused ball
4 - Rolling of Pitches
4.1. As MCC Law 9.1.1 shall apply to all matches
5 - Late Starts
5.1. The Club responsible for a "late start" or delay after the interval between innings will be fined £5.00 for up to 10 minutes lost and thereafter at the rate of £1 per minute up to a maximum of fine of £20.00.
5.2. Clubs can appeal against the imposition of this fine using the NPCL's Appeals Procedure.
5.3. Umpires shall report late starts on the match card and also report the matter by phone to the Secretary of the NPCL.
6 - Default in Fulfilment of Fixtures
6.1. Any club or team failing to fulfil a fixture fixture shall be subject to a fine of £100 on the first occasion and £200 thereafter payable to the NPCL within 14 days together with a 15 point deduction for themselves with 15 points awarded to the opposition.
Additionally they shall be responsible for any costs incurred by the opposition either by way of traveling expenses or catering costs
6.2. The NPCL's Disciplinary Committee shall investigate the circumstances when a Club fields a team of fewer than 11 players in a match and shall have the power to impose a penalty.
Advisory Note A match can be played with a minimum of 7 players in a team. If a club can field 7 players there is no reason for default
7 - Practice
7.1. Practice by players prior to a match shall cease ten minutes BEFORE the start of the game.
No practice is allowed during the course of the game except at the tea interal.
8 - Boundaries and Boards
8.1. MCC Law 19 applies in all matches
9 - Overs
9.1. An over will consist of six fair balls and no underarm bowling will be allowed
9.2. If during a game a bowler is unable to complete an over, the remaining balls shall be bowled by another bowler
10 - Drinks
10.1. Drinks intervals shall be arranged before the toss. If the Captains and Umpires disagree then the decision will rest with the umpires
11 - Drying the Ball
11.1. MCC Law 41 3.2.3 is extended to allow a player the use of sawdust to dry the ball under the supervision of the umpires as well as an Umpire approved cloth/towel.
12 - Ball Deliverey
12.1. MCC Law 21.7 shall apply to all matches
4) The NPCL Championship Rules
1 - Fixtures
1.1. All games shall be played on the dates published in the fixture list for that season.
Start times are agreed by the NLMC prior to the season and published with the fixture list.
1.2. In extraordinary circumstances the NLEC can sanction the move of a fixture to another date, venue or starting time.
2 - Points
Fifteen points for a win by a side batting first
Fifteen points for a win by a side batting second
Six points in a drawn game to the side batting first PLUS an additional 1 point to the side batting first in a drawn game where the side batting second fails to achieve 70% of the target score.
1 point in a drawn game to the side batting second who attain 70% of the target score.
The target score is 1 more than the side batting first
Five points to each side in the event of a tie**
where the scores are equal the side batting second is bowled out
Five points to each side when a game is declared void.
3. Bonus Points
Bonus points shall NOT be awarded to a winning side. They shall only be awarded in a drawn, a tied game or to the losing side.
In all calculations unless stated otherwise, any calculations resulting in decimal points follow the general convention of rounding up from 5 and down from 4
Batting Bonus Points
Bonus points for Side Batting first
One point for scoring 150 runs
Two points for scoring 175 runs
Three points for scoring 200 runs or more.
In a reduced over game, batting bonus points for the side batting first shall be calculated as follows:
1 point for reaching a scoring rate of 3 runs per over*
2 points for reaching a scoring rate of 3.5 runs per over*
3 points for reaching a scoring rate of 4 runs per over*
*These calculations must be rounded up.The scoring rate shall be calculated by dividing the number of runs scored by the actual number of overs bowled or part thereof.
Bonus points for Side Batting Second
1 point for scoring 80% of the target score
2 points for scoring 85% of the target score
3 points for scoring 90% of target score
Bowling Bonus Points
Bowling bonus points shall be calclated on the number of wickets taken
1 point for taking five wickets
2 points for taking seven wickets
3 points for taking nine wickets
In a reduced over game the number of wickets required for bonus points shall be calculated as follows:
number of overs actually bowled divided by 50 multiplied by 5, 7, 9.
For example: If the reduced number of overs is 40, the bonus points are 40/50 x 5 = 4, thus 4 wickets are required to obtain 1 bonus point.
40/50 x 7 = 5.6 thus 6 wickets are required to obtain 2 bonus points
40/50 x 9 = 7.2 thus 7 wickets are required to obtain 3 bonus points
4 - Championship Winners
4.1. The Club having the highest number of points at the end of the season are the Champions and they shall be entitled to hold the Championship Trophy for 12 months.
4.2. In the event of two or more clubs gaining the same number of points, the side with the most wins will be champions.
4.3. In the event of two or more teams having the same number of points and the same number of wins the team with the most draws batting first shall be Champions
4.4. In the event of two or more clubs having the same number of points, the same number of wins and the same number of draws batting first the head to head fixtures between the teams will be taken into account so that the team accumulating the most points in the head to head fixtures shall be Champions
4.5. In the event of two or more clubs having the same number of points, the same number of wins and the same number of draws batting first and the same number of points in the head to head fixtures, their final position shall be shared UNLESS it is necessary to determine who the Champions shall be or determine who should be relegated or determine who should qualify for ECB or LCF cup competitions in which case there shall be a sudden death play-off at a neutral venue to determine the outcoms(s).
5 - Game Format
Normal Match Times
5.1. Normal Match Times
1st innings 12-30pm - 3-30pm
Tea interval 3-30pm - 4-00pm
2nd innings 4-00pm - 7-00pm.
NB Finishing times may vary (see below - minimum over rate)
5.2. The interval between innings will be 30 minutes
Length of Game
5.3. Length of game: 100 overs with 50 overs for each team.
5.4. Any complete overs not used in the first innings due to a side being bowled out or a declaration are added on to the overs for the second innings.
5.5. If a side batting first has not received its maximum number of overs or if the side batting second has not received its designated number of overs by the time for the end of the innings, play shall continue until they are completed and the bowling side will be liable to 'slow over rate' provisions.
5.6. A match in which a side batting second is not bowled out will be a draw.
5.7. A match in which the scores are equal and the side batting second is bowled out will be a tie
5.8. There shall be a 30 yard circle and at least 4 fielders must be in that circle at all times
5.9. Overs Limit No bowler may bowl more than 15 overs regardless of rain affected play.
However, if there are any overs still to be bowled when 50 overs have been completed, the side bowling second may use any bowler who has previously completed his maximum allowance without further limit.
In a rain affected game the number of overs shall be reduced in accordance with the table below:
50-47=15
46-44=14
43-41=13
40-37=12
36-34=11
33-31=10
30-27=9
26-24=8
23-21=7
20-17=6
16-14=5
13-11=4
10-7=3
6-4=2
3-1=1
6 - Minimum Over Rate
6.1. Overs shall be bowled at an overall rate of 17 overs per hour.
6.2. Time allowance is 3hours for 50 overs with changes at the rate of 3.5 minutes per over
6.3. After making allowances for drinks intervals and any extraordinary events, umpires MUST report any team not bowling their overs in the designated time for 'slow over rate'
6.4. A team bowling a side out before the designated time for the end of the innings shall not be liable to the 'slow over rate' provisions
6.5. At the start of each innings the umpires MUST inform the Captains and scorers the number of overs to be bowled and the agreed time for the end of the innings or close of play.
6.6.Umpires shall advise captains of the over rate at intervels during the innings. The captain is responsible for the over rate of his side
6.7. The scoreboard MUST have a display that shows the number of overs bowled in the innings and the over in profress. ( a scoreboard that counts down can show the number of overs to completion but a scoreboard that counts up must show the number of overs for the innings separately
7 - Slow Over Rate Penalties
7.1. Any team who fails to bowl their allocation of overs in the time required or permitted by the umpires on the day shall be penalised 5 runs for every over not completed. The batting team are entitled to receive their full allocation of overs.
7.2. Umpires shall report ‘slow over’ rates on the match card, inform the Captain/Official of the team concerned and also inform the Registration Secretary of the NPCL as soon as possible after the match.
8 - Delays in play
8.1. The captains shall at the outset of the game agree the of fitness of the ground and light for play.
In the event of disagreement the umpires's decision shall be final.
8.2. Once the game has commenced the Umpires shall be in control of all matters relating to the fitness of the ground and light for play
8.3. If there is a delay caused by some other event than rain (eg a major injury) and the length of delay could lead to an unacceptable finishing time then the captains can agree to treat the stoppage as a 'rain delay'.
In the case of disageement the umpires decision shall be final
9 - Rain Delays
9.1. Deduction of overs for time lost due to rain only applies when more than 30 minutes of playing time has been lost whether that time has been lost in the 1st or 2nd innings.
9.2. When 30 minutes of playing time have been lost due to rain during the first innings or there is a delayed start of more than 30 minutes due to rain, 1 over is deducted for every complete 7 minutes lost from both the 1st and 2nd innings
9.3. Provided 30 minutes in total have been lost any further time lost in the second innings shall result in 1 over for every completed 3.5 minutes lost will be deducted.
9.4. Umpires should make every effort to maximise playing time by taking tea during the rain break if convenient. In this case 10 minutes interval should be allowed for the interval between innings.
The 20 minutes saved should be used in calculating the remaining overs
9.5. In the event of rain interfering during the hours of play the whole of the pitch should be covered if covers are available
10. Target Score Adjustment
10.1. Where after the start of the game rain affects play during either the 1st or 2nd innings such that the number of overs received by the batting side is reduced then the target score for the team batting second is adjusted using the Duckworth/Lewis (Standard) module of the Play-Cricket.com scorer app.:-
A G value of 200 should be used.
The revised Target score calculated by Duckworth/Lewis (Standard) from information provided by the umpires is the number of runs the team batting second require to win the game and merely replaces the first innings score + 1.
The Target score will also be used in the calculation of batting bonus points for the team batting second.
It should be noted that Duckworth/Lewis(Standard) will be used solely to calculate the revised Target in circumstances where rain has interrupted the game after it has started such that the number of overs to be received by either side is reduced from that expected at the start of their innings and does not impact the rules regarding draw or tie detailed under “Match Format” in these rules.
This means that the “par score” calculation contained within Duckworth/Lewis(Standard) is irrelevant in deciding the outcome of the match.
Where the team batting second is expected to receive more than their allotted overs at the start of the game due to either a declaration or a side being dismissed in the first innings, then the Duckworth/Lewis (Standard) calculation will be based on the number of overs they were expected to receive at the start of the game.
If the team batting second does not receive 20 overs, the match shall be declared void and each team shall be awarded 5 points, unless the new Target score is reached before the 20 overs have been bowled.
Calculations of revised scores will be the responsibility of the scorers and each team should ensure access to the Duckworth/Lewis (Standard) app for every game.
The revised Target should be agreed after each interruption by the Umpires, Captains and Scorers.
11. Game Times for Rain affected Matches
11.1. The latest time a game can start is 4.45pm and a 50 over game is played.
11.2. The side batting first must receive 25 overs which shall be bowled by 5-45pm unless the batting Captain wishes to declare or the side is all out.(Any complete overs not bowled are added to the total of overs for the second innings).
11.3. The 2nd innings will commence at 5.55pm and in a minimum of 25 overs must be bowled by 8.00pm.
11.4. A game shall be declared void if either the side batting first does not receive a minimum of 25 overs (unless there is a declaration or the side is bowled out) or the side batting second does not receive 20 overs.
11.5. If the match is called off after 20 overs are bowled in the second innings in the result is a draw.
12. Extreme Weather Conditions
12.1. Normally both teams must report to the ground before making a decision about the fitness of the ground for play.
However in the event of severe weather conditions when there is NO prospect of the match being played, the match can be called off two and a half hours before the scheduled start without the away team travelling subject to the following conditions:
a) Officials of both teams agree.
b) The weather forecast and the weather conditions are such that the state of the pitch and/outfield means that there would be no chance of the game starting by the latest time allowable by the rules, even if the usual drying methods are employed.
c) The ground is inspected and the decision confirmed by an independent Umpire.
12.2. The NWACO shall provide a geographically based list of Umpires for the Clubs to contact.
12.3. The Home Club must report the abandonment of the fixture to the NLEC Registration Secretary and inform the appointed Umpires and the Umpires Secretary.
12.4. The Inspecting Umpire must give a brief report to the NLEC's Registration Secretary by phone.
12.5. The appointed Umpire shall be entitled to a expenses for a void game.
CUP COMPETITIONS
Cup competitons are played under the rules of the NPCL unless they are replaced by rules specific to the Cup Competition
5) Readers T20 Cup Rules
The Readers Twenty/20 Cup shall be played in accordance with ECB Natwest Twenty/20 Competition Rules and Regulations unless they are replaced or amended by specific rules mentioned at 3 below.
For these rules, please refer to the ecb.co.uk/governance/ regulations/non-first-class-regulations and look for “Generic 20 overs Playing Conditions”.
1 - Eligibility
1. All players must be registered with the NPCL and must not have played for another club in any other adult Saturday League in the current season unless they have officially transferred to an NPCL club (See NPCL Rules: Sections 14 & 15).
2. The club Professional and Overseas players shall be eligible to play in the competition. This shall include a sub professional or sub marquee overseas player if the professional or marquee overseas player cannot play for the reasons specified in Rule 14.5 of the NPCL Rules.
2. T20 Cup Format
The Competition will be played in two groups of 6 clubs (determined by an open draw) as follows:
Group 1 Vernons : Blackpool : Fulwood & Broughton : Kendal : Chorley : Leyland.
Group 2 Netherfield : Longridge : St. Annes ; Garstang : Lancaster : Penrith.
Points will be awarded: 2 points for a win,1 point for an uncompleted match. The top two teams shall be the teams with the most points at the end of the Group stage.
Where two clubs have the same number of points at the end of the group stage the club with the highest net run rate over the whole of the group stage will be placed above the other club.
The top two clubs in each group will go forward to the “Finals Day”.
A draw between these four clubs shall take place to determine which club will host the Finals Day.
Match Day 1 Sun 1 May
Fulwood & Broughton v Vernons : Fulwood & Broughton v Kendal :
Blackpool v Leyland : Blackpool v Chorley :
Lancaster v St Annes : Lancaster v Netherfield :
Longridge v Garstang : Longridge v Penrith.
Match Day 2 Sun 8 May
Kendal v Vernons : Kendal v Blackpool :
Chorley v Leyland : Chorley v Fulwood & Broughton :
Garstang v Lancaster : Garstang v Netherfield :
St Annes v Longridge : St. Annes v Penrith.
Match Day 3 Sun 5 June
Vernons v Chorley : Vernons v Blackpool :
Leyland v Fulwood & Broughton : Leyland v Kendal :
Netherfield v Longridge : Netherfield v St Annes :
Penrith v Lancaster : Penrith v Garstang.
Match Day 4 Sun 26 June
Fulwood & Broughton v Blackpool : Vernons v Leyland :
Kendal v Chorley : Lancaster v Longridge :
Netherfield v Penrith : St Annes v Garstang.
N.B. The venues for Match Day 4 have been decided by a draw between the two teams.
Finals Day Sun 10 July ( reserve date Sun 24 July) )
Additional T20 Rule
2.1. Any Club or Team failing to fulfil a fixture shall be subject to a fine of £200 payable to the NPCL within 14 days and a 15 point deduction of League points.
They shall also be responsible for any costs incurred by the host Club either by way of travelling expenses, Umpire's expenses, or catering costs.
Note:
Clubs may consider the deduction of League points for a Cup competition to be harsh.
However, the NLEC consider that Clubs must be discouraged from failing to fulfil a fixture even if they consider they have no chance of progressing in the competition as this would be a great dis-service to the host Club in the Group stage.
2.2. In the Group stage matches unless shall otherwise agreed by the three clubs, game 1 shall commence at 11.30 am and game two will start approximately 3.00 pm. (no earlier) and at least 45 minutes after game one
On Match Day 4 the game will commence at 2-00pm unless otherwise agreed by the two clubs involved
On Finals Day matches shall commence at 10.00 am, 1.00 pm, and 4.00 pm.
2.3. The scores must be entered on www.play-cricket.com by 11.00pm on the day of game by the host Club.
2.4. Coloured clothing shall be worn.
2.5. A match shall be deemed to be uncompleted where there has been no play or the side batting second has received less than 5 overs.
2.6. In the event of bad weather preventing play or completion of the match there shall not be a 'bowl out' to determine the result unless otherwise stated in these rules and the match shall be declared an uncompleted match.
In the Group stage each side shall receive 1 point in an uncompleted match.
Net run rate in an uncompleted match shall not count towards the calculation of the net run rate over the whole of the Group stage
2.7. Net run rate is defined as follows: the difference between your run rate and the opposition's run rate i.e. the runs scored per over minus the runs conceded per over.
Apart from uncompleted matches (see above) the net run rate is calculated over all the games in the Group stage on a cumulative basis.
2.8. The result of a completed match on the first Finals Day shall stand. An uncompleted match on the First Finals Day shall be played on the reserve Finals Day.
2.9.If there is an uncompleted match on the reserve Finals Day the result shall be determined by a 'bowl out'.
2.10. Where weather intervenes such that overs are lost after play has commenced in either the 1st or 2nd innings Duckworth /Lewis (Standard) on the PlayCricket.com scorer App will be used to calculate revised scores.
2.11. The home team will be responsible for ensuring that the PlayCricket.com scorer App is available for the purpose of calculating revised Duckworth/Lewis (Standard) scores.
The home team will also be responsible, at the end of each over, for displaying the par score at the end of the forthcoming over and adjusting this should a wicket fall.
2.12. A “G value of 200” will be used.
2.13. Calculations of revised scores will be the responsibility of the scorers although the Captains and Umpires should agree revised Target scores before play recommences.
2.14. Where a game ends abruptly in the second innings, at least 5 overs having been completed, Duckworth/Lewis (Standard) will provide a “par score” after every ball bowled in the second innings, this will be a whole number and is intended to reflect where a team should be given the number of overs/balls used and number of wickets lost.
The actual score and the par score at that point are compared to determine the result.
To win the game the team batting second need to have scored one more than this par score.
6) 40 Over Cup Rules
Cup competitions are played under the Rules of the NPCL unless they are replaced by rules specific to the Cup competition.
1 Format
1.1. All players taking part in the competition shall be registered members of their respective clubs in accordance with NPCL rules.
1.2. All member clubs of the NPCL shall compete.
1.3. The gate money for the Final after deduction of the Umpires' expenses shall be split between the two clubs.
1.4. All matches shall be played using pink balls. A new ball shall be used from each end
1.5 Venue for the final to be decided by coin toss between the Finalists
Draw for 2022 Competition:
1st Round Sun 3 July
A Leyland v Vernons
B Fulwood & Broughton v Penrith
C Kendal v Garstang
D Chorley v St Annes
Byes: Blackpool, Longridge, Netherfield and Lancaster
2nd Round Sun 17 July
E Lancaster v Longridge
F Netherfield v Winners of C G Blackpool v Winners of B
H Winners of A v Winners of D Semi-Finals Sun 21 Aug
I Winners of F v Winners of G J Winners of E v Winners of H
Final Sun 4 Sept ( reserve date Sun 11 Sept)
2 Playing Conditions
All games will commence at 2 pm (1.30 pm for the Semi-Final, and 1 pm for the Final).
2.1. The Interval between Innings shall be 30 minutes during which tea will be taken.
2.2.If there is a long break due to weather conditions tea if possible shall be taken during the stoppage.
The Interval between Innings will then be 10 minutes.
2.3. Each game shall consist of forty 6 ball overs to each side with bowlers limited to a maximum of 8 overs.
If for any reason a bowler can not complete an over and it is completed by another player then the part over will count as a complete over so far as each bowler's limit is concerned.
2.4. In a shortened game no bowler can bowl more than a fifth of available overs except when the number of overs is not divisible by 5 when up to four bowlers can bowl an extra over
e.g. in a 32 over match three bowlers can bowl 6 overs and two can bowl 7.
2.5. Each Innings shall be completed in 2 hours 35 minutes. If not the Umpires shall award 6 runs to the batting side for each complete over bowled after 2 hours 35 minutes.
2.6.No balls shall count as two runs and an extra ball. In addition the delivery following the 'no ball' called for a foot fault shall be a free hit for whichever batsman is facing.
If the free ball is not a legitimate delivery (i.e. any sort of 'no ball' or a wide) then the next delivery will be a free hit for whichever batsman is facing.
For any free hit the striker can only be dismissed under the circumstances that apply for a 'no ball' even if the delivery is called a 'wide ball'.
Field changes are not premitted for free hit deliveries unless there is a change of striker or the no ball was a result of a field restriction breach.
2.7. Bowlers will be limited to 1 fast short pitched delivery per over.
The bowler and the other Umpire must be informed when such a delivery has been bowled.
Any subsequent short delivery will be called a 'no ball'.
A short pitched delivery is defined as one that passes or would have passed over the shoulder of the batsman standing upright on the crease.
2.8. In the event of a tie the side losing the least wickets will be the winner.
If both sides are all out the faster scoring side will be the winner (runs per over).
If the result is still not produced then the side scoring most runs in the first 25 overs will be the winner, then if still equal the first 20 overs, then 15 overs.
Restrictions on the placement of fielders:
2.9. At the instant of delivery, there may not be more than 5 fielders on the leg side.
2.10. Two semi-circles shall be drawn on the field of play.
The semi-circles shall have as their centre the middle stump at either end of the pitch.
The radius of each of the semi- circles shall be 30 yards.
The semi-circles shall be linked by two parallel straight lines drawn on the field.
The fielding restriction areas should be marked by continuous painted white lines or ‘dots’ at 5 yard intervals, each ‘dot’ to be covered by a white plastic or rubber (but not metal) disc measuring 7 inches (18 cm) in diameter.
At the instant of delivery
(a) Powerplay 1 - no more than two fielders shll be permitted outside the fielding restriction area. In an innings of 40overs these are overs 1-8 inclusive.
(b) Powerplay 2 - no more than four fielders shall be permitted outside the fielding restriction area. In an innings of 40 overs, these are overs 9-32 inclusive.
(c) Powerplay 3 - no more than five fielders shall be permitted outside the restriction area. In an innings of 40 overs these are overs 33-40 inclusive.
2.11.In circumstances when the number of overs of the batting team is reduced, the number of overs within each phase (Powerplay) of the innings shall be reduced in accordance with the table in 2.13
For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that the table shall apply to both the 1st and 2nd innings of the match.
2.12. If play is interrupted during an innings, overs are reduced and the table in 2.13 is applied, the Powerplay overs take immediate effect.
For the avoidance of doubt this applies even if the interruption has occurred mid-over.
2.13. Illustrations of Powerplay Regulations
In circumstances when the number of overs of the batting team is reduced, the number of overs within each phase (Powerplay) of the innings shall be reduced in accordance with the table below.
For the sake of clarity, it should be noted that the table shall apply to both the 1st and 2nd innings of the match.
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