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Rules of the Hong Kong Cricket Association Competitions
General
1. Except as specified in the playing conditions, the Laws of Cricket (1980 code, 1992 Second Edition or any subsequent revision) will apply.
Fixtures
2. The scheduled fixtures and normal starting times will be as printed in the HKCA Rules Handbook or as circulated by League & Cup Committee during the season.
Postponement of Matches
3. a) Postponement of competition matches and changes of venue will not be normally permitted, and requests for blank dates and other particular arrangements must be made before the season commences except as provided for in the rules for knock-out competitions. In extraordinary circumstances, requests may be made to the Match And Disciplinary Committee (MDC) whose decision shall be final.
b) If Saturday or Sunday League matches are affected by adverse weather conditions to the extent that a result cannot be achieved, efforts will be made to re-schedule the matches. In the event of disagreement, the matter shall be referred to the MDC whose decision will be final.
Ground, Weather and Light
4. Before the Toss has taken place, the decision with regard to the fitness of the ground will rest with the authority responsible for the maintenance of the ground, or in the absence of the ground authority, Umpires appointed by HKCA, or in their absence, the team captains. Once the Toss has taken place:
a) The Umpires appointed by HKCA shall be sole judges of the fitness of the ground, weather and light for play. However, before deciding not to start, or to suspend, or not to resume play after an interval or stoppage, the Umpires shall establish whether both Captains (the batsmen at the wicket may deputise for their Captain) wish to commence or to continue in the prevailing conditions; if so, their wishes shall be met. In addition, if during play the Umpires decide that the light is unfit, only the batting side shall have the option of continuing play. If, after agreeing to continue to play in unfit conditions either Captain subsequently wishes play to be suspended, he may appeal to the Umpires, who shall uphold the appeal only if, in their opinion, conditions have deteriorated since the arrangement to continue was made.
b) After any suspension of play, the Umpires, unaccompanied by any of the players or officials, shall, on their own initiative, carry out an inspection immediately the conditions improve, and shall continue to inspect at intervals.
c) Immediately the Umpires decide that play is possible, they shall call upon the players to resume the game.
d) In the event that no official Umpires are present it will be the responsibility of the two Captains at all times to decide on the fitness of the prevailing conditions for play to proceed. If the two Captains are unable to agree, the teams shall remain at the ground for one hour after the scheduled start, at which point the home Captain will decide on the suitability for play.
Note: For Saturday League games, see Saturday League Rule 3.
Disputes
5. All disputes during a match shall be determined by the Umpires appointed by HKCA or in their absence, by the team captains. If they disagree the existing state of affairs shall continue. Rulings given by the MDC on any disputes brought before them shall be final.
Match And Disciplinary Committee (MDC)
6. A Match Disciplinary Committee shall be elected annually by the HKCA League & Cup Committee and shall consist of three members elected by the League & Cup Committee. This committee shall be the final authority within the HKCA for all decisions regarding the playing of an HKCA league match or cup fixture. The MDC is empowered to make retrospective decisions on any of the above and impose whatever sanctions it deems appropriate.
Registration and Eligibility of Players
7. a) Individual membership of the HKCA is available in the following categories:-
- Life Member
- Ordinary Member
- Junior Member
b) Prior to the start of the league season, each team is required to register a minimum of 11 players and pay the requisite individual membership and team fees. The names and addresses of all players to be registered must be submitted at this time.
c) Should the said individual and team membership fees not to be made by the team, prior to the commencement of the season, consideration will be given to removing the team from the League or Cup competitions for the current season. Any matches played prior to payment of the membership fee may be declared null and void. The MDC may award full points to the non-offending team.
d) Playing a non-registered player may result in the deduction of league points. However, an individual may play a maximum of 3 games in the League/Cup without being required to be registered. The MDC shall be the final authority.
e) No non-member of the HKCA shall be chosen to represent any Association side in representative games. It shall be the responsibility of the Chairman of Selectors to ensure that all representative players are members of the HKCA.
Transfer of Players
8. A player shall not, without the prior permission of the MDC, play for more than one team in the same competition. Applications for transfer must be submitted in writing to the Chairman of the MDC at least 72 hours before the transfer is required to take effect. This must be accompanied by the written approval of the Captain of the player’s previous team. Breaches of this rule will be referred to the MDC who may impose appropriate sanctions including, the deduction of league points or removal of the offending team from the Cup competition.
The Ball
9. Home teams shall supply identical HKCA approved balls for the match. Only one new ball shall be used in each innings. In the Saturday competitions, balls will be HKCA recognised 2 piece yellow balls. In the Sunday League Competition, balls will be HKCA recognised 4 piece red balls. In the Sunday Cup and Plate competitions, balls may be 2 or 4 piece, subject to the approval of both Captains.
Overs
10. a) Should a bowler become incapacitated, another bowler may complete the over. A part of an over counts as a complete over for the purpose of calculating how many overs a bowler has bowled in matches where bowlers are subject to restrictions on the number of overs they may bowl. A part of an over does not count as a complete over for any other purposes (eg total number of overs bowled by the team; statistical purposes).
b) It shall be the responsibility of the Captain of the fielding side to ensure that no bowler exceeds any permitted number of overs.
c) All teams are required to bowl at an average rate of 16 overs per hour. Umpires and/or Captains may refer any rate less than 16 overs per hour to the MDC, who may take any action deemed appropriate.
Match Result Cards
11. a) A match result card for each match shall be submitted to the HKCA office by the winning team or, in the event of a tie or a No Result, the home team. These result cards shall be sent by fax to the Sports House: Fax-25778486.
b) The full names of all players taking part in a match must be entered on the match result card. This includes any match started but abandoned as No Result due to adverse weather conditions. Such a match counts as a game for registration purposes. In matches where a team plays less than 11 men, the word "ABSENT" shall be written on the match results card in the corresponding location.
c) In a match started but abandoned as No Result due to adverse weather conditions, players’ individual batting, bowling and fielding figures count towards their season’s averages, and, if applicable, should be shown on the Match Result Card.
d) Failure to submit a Result Card by noon on the first Monday after a game may result in the deduction of league points. The HKCA office will bring breaches of this rule to the attention of the MDC who will decide on the appropriate action.
Dangerous Bowling
12. In all HKCA competitions, any delivery which passes or would have passed the batsman on the full pitch in his normal batting stance above waist high, shall be called and signalled NO BALL.
Sunday League Rules
Hours of Play
1. All matches shall commence at 10.30 hrs latest or as near as possible to that time depending on field usage and shall be of maximum 100 overs duration and of 50 overs innings per team.
Periods of play
2. The periods of play have been defined as follows:
10.30 - 11.30 or 17 overs first session
11.35 - 12.35 or 34 overs second session
12.40 - 13.40 50 oversthird session (or over in progress at that time)
13.40 - 14.10 Lunch
14.10 - 15.10 or 17 overs second innings 1st session
15.15 - 16.15 or 34 overs second innings 2nd session
16.20 - end second innings last session
Playing Rules
3. a) Games to commence as shown above but may commence earlier, should both captains and umpires agree.
b) There will be a maximum of 50 overs allowed in both innings. A lunch break will take place at 13.40 hrs or immediately after conclusion of the first innings and shall be of 30 minutes duration.
c) The first innings will close, if the side batting first is not all out, at 13.40 hrs. If the side bowling first has not completed the allotted 50 overs by this time, the over in progress will be completed if it commenced before 13.40 hrs and any remaining overs from the allocated 50 overs will be deducted from the 50 overs to be received by the side batting second, unless the side batting first is all out, in which case the second innings shall be of the full 50 overs. Sides who bowl their overs slower than the required 16 overs per hour may be reported to the MDC by the Umpires and/or the Captains.
d) There will be a limitation of 15 overs on the number of overs each bowler may bowl per innings subject to the existing laws of cricket regarding a bowler becoming incapacitated.
e) The captain of the side batting first may declare his side’s innings closed at any time after his team has received 25 overs. In this case the opposing side will receive only the bowling bonus points for those wickets actually taken and the balance of overs remaining will not be added to the 50 overs in the second innings.
Procedures in Weather, Light or Unforeseen Delay Restricted Matches
4. a) To constitute a game, the side batting second must receive a minimum of 15 overs unless dismissed in less than 15 overs or if the opposition total is reached in less than 15 overs.
b) During the first innings, for every full 6 minutes lost, the total number of overs in the Match shall be reduced by 2, and the maximum number of overs in the first innings reduced by one.
c) In the second innings, for every full 3 minutes lost, the second innings shall be reduced by one over. Under these circumstances and in order to calculate a result, the first innings total shall be divided by the actual number of balls delivered and the higher run rate shall decide the winner. Bonus points shall of course count to the loser.
Points
5. Points will be awarded as follows:
a) Walkover: 20 points for a walkover.
b) Win: Maximum 20 points and no bonus points.
c) Tie: 15 points each and no bonus points.
d) No Result: 15 points each.
Batting and Bowling Bonus Points
6. Batting and Bowling Bonus Points shall be attributable to the losing side only.
Batting: One bonus point for 125, 150 and 175, 200, 225, 250, 275 runs (maximum 7 points).
Bowling: One point for 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 wickets including players deemed "retired out" (maximum 7 points).
Fielding Circles
7. A fielding circle shall be drawn or otherwise marked with disks by the home side in each game.
Such fielding circle shall be 25 metres in diameter measured from the base of both centre stumps.
Four fielders, the bowler and the wicket keeper shall remain within the fielding circle at the point of delivery of the ball by the bowler throughout the game.
The square leg umpire shall monitor the position of the above players and should any fielder or fielders be outside the fielding circle at the point of deliver, he shall call and signal "No Ball". Said "No Ball" shall be construed and scored under the Laws of Cricket.
Tied Matches
8. A tie occurs when the scores are level at the conclusion of the game.
Walkover
9. At the discretion of the MDC, a WALKOVER shall be granted to a team whose opposition is unable to raise a side.
League Champions
10. At the conclusion of the season, if the top teams have the same number of points, the following will be the order of precedence for deciding the League Champions:
a) Team with most outright wins
b) Team with fewest lost matches
Should all the above be identical, then the Championship will be shared.
Short-Pitched and Wide Bowling
11. Umpires shall apply Law 42 of the Laws of Cricket in relation to unfair play and the bowling of fast short pitched balls taking into consideration the relative skill of the batsman.
12. Umpires shall strictly enforce the Wide Law, especially on legside deliveries. |
