WESTERN PROVINCE CRICKET ASSOCIATION

CONDITIONS OF PLAY FOR 2016/ 2017 SEASON

THIRD DIVISION

Preamble to the Laws

Cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its Laws but also within the Spirit of the Game.

Any action which is seen to abuse this spirit causes injury to the game itself. The major responsibility for ensuring the spirit of fair play rests with the captains.

  1. LAWS

Subject to any variations set out hereunder, the Laws of Cricket “2000 Code 5th Edition – 2013” and / or amendments and WPCA By- Laws shall apply.

  1. STARTING TIME: 13h30
  1. LATE ARRIVAL OF TEAMS

A team must have a minimum of seven players at the start of play. A 30 minute grace period will only be allowed of a team has fewer than 7 players to start thematch.

  1. CALLING OFF A MATCH

Should at least 7 players have not arrived by 30 minutes after the scheduled start of a fixture; the game maybe called off and points for a win awarded to the non-defaultingteam.

  1. TOSS FOR INNINGS

The toss shall take place no later than 13h20. Any captain or his nominee not present and ready to take the field at that time shall be deemed automatically to have lost the toss.

  1. DURATION OF INNINGS

Each innings shall be of 35 overs duration which must be bowled within 2 hours and 20 minutes. A side causing a delayed start will be penalised one over of their allotted batting overs per 4 minutes of time lost or part thereof, whether they bat first or second. In this event, the calculation of the average run rate shall be based on the full quota of overs to which they have been entitled had they not caused a delayed start.

A 5 minutes drinks break will be taken after the completion of the 18th over in each innings.

A 15 minute break will be taken between innings.

  1. RAIN AND/ OR BAD LIGHT OR DELAYED START

If the game starts after the official starting time as set out in Clause 2 above or if there is a suspension of play during the innings of the team batting first, the total numbers of overs to be bowled in the match shall be reduced by two (2) overs for every 8 minutes or part thereof lost and the resultant number of overs shall be equally divided between the two teams. If the delayed start is due to a side arriving late, the penalty in clause6 above shall apply. Also refer to clause 13 (d) below.

  1. OVERS PER BOWLER

No bowler may bowl more than seven (7) overs in an innings.

  1. LIMITATION OF FIELDERS.

9.1.The number of leg side fielders at the instant of the bowler’s delivery shall not exceed six, of whom not more than two may be behind the popping crease.

9.2.There is no limitation on the number of fielders allowed on the boundary on any stage of the match.

  1. JUDGING A WIDE

Any ball passing the leg stump shall be called wide, irrespective where the ball had pitched, except in cases where the ball had touched the clothing of the batsman or where the batsman gives himself room and the ball passes between the batsman and the leg stump.

  1. BOWLING OF FAST SHORT PITCHED BALLS

(a)A bowler shall be limited to two fast short pitched deliveries per over.

(b)A fast short pitched ball is defined as a ball which passes or would have passed above the shoulder height of the batsman standing upright at the crease.

(c)In the event of a bowler bowling more than two fast short pitched deliveries in an over as defined in Clause 11(b) above, the umpire at the bowler's end shall call and signal “no ball” on each occasion. A differential signal shall be used to signify a fast, short- pitched delivery. The umpire shall call and signal "no ball" and then tap the head with the other hand.

(d)The penalty for a fast short pitched no ball is one run, plus whatever runs accrue from that delivery.

  1. NO BALL – HIGH FULL TOSSES

Either Umpire / Player Umpire shall call and signal “no ball” if any high full toss passes or would have passed on the full above waist height of the striker standing upright at the crease.

(a)First instance – No ball and warning.

(b)Second instance- No ball and direct the captain to replace the bowler. Bowler will not be allowed to bowl again in that innings.

This Law will apply irrespective of whether the ball was delivered accidentally or not.

  1. THE RESULT

(a) A result can be achieved only if both teams have batted for at least 20 overs, unless one team has been all out in fewer than 20 overs or unless the team batting second scores enough runs to win in fewer than 20 overs. All other matches in which one or both teams have not had an opportunity of batting for a minimum of 20 overs will be declared “no result”, and the points will be shared.

This is consistent with the ruling for rained off matches in other divisions.

(b) In matches in which both teamshave had an opportunity of batting for the agreed number of overs, the team scoring the higher number of runs shall be declared the winner. If the scores are equal, the result shall be a tie and no account shall be taken of the number of wickets which have fallen.

(c) If the team batting second has not had the opportunity to complete the agreed number of overs and has neither been all out nor passed the opponents’ score, the following shall apply:

(i)If the match is abandoned before completion, the result shall be decided on the average run-rate throughout both innings provided each side has faced at least 20 overs.

(ii)If, due to suspension of play, the number of overs in the innings of the side batting second has to be revised, their target score shall be calculated by multiplying the reduced number of overs (one over per 4 minutes of time lost) by the average runs per over scored by the side batting first.

(iii)In calculating the run-rate, portions of an over shall be taken as such , e.g. three balls = 0.5 overs

(d) In the event of the team batting first being all out in less than their full quota of overs, the calculation of their average run-rate shall be based on the full quota of overs to which they would have been entitled and not the number of overs in which they were dismissed.

  1. BONUS POINTS

If the team batting second reaches its target within 30 overs, that team shall be allocated an additional 2 (two) bonus points.

If the team bowling second bowls out the opponents within 30 overs, that bowling team shall be allocated an additional 2 (two) bonus points.

  1. MATCH POINTS

WIN10 POINTS

TIE OR SCORES LEVEL 5 POINTS

BONUS POINTS 2 POINTS

LOSS 0 POINTS

  1. RESULT CARDS

Match result cards must be “FULLY” completed and submitted for all matches whether played or not.

  1. BALLS TO BE USED

In these divisions 2-piece Indwe ballsshall be used.

It is the responsibility of the captains of all teams always to have extra balls available in the event of damaged/lost balls.

  1. CHANGING THE CONDITION OF THE BALL
    Law 42.3 (d) and (e) shall be replaced by the following:
    If the umpires together agree that the deterioration in the condition of the ball is greater than is consistent with the use it has received, they shall consider that there has been a contravention of this Law. They shall then decide together whether they can identify the player(s) responsible for such conduct.

Law 42.1.1 If it is possible to identify the player(s) responsible:

  1. Change the ball forthwith and take possession of the suspected tampered ball. The umpires shall choose the replacement ball from a selection of available balls.

Additionally the bowler’s end umpire shall:

b)Award 5 penalty runs to the batting side.

c)Inform the captain of the fielding side of the reason for the action taken.

d)Inform the captain of the batting side as soon as practicable of what has occurred.

e)Together with the other umpire report the incident and hand the suspected tampered ball to the Amateur Cricket Manager or his nominee who shall take action as is appropriate against the player(s) responsible for the conduct under the WPCA Code of Behaviour.

Law 42.1.2 If it is not possible to identify the player(s) responsible:

  1. Change the ball forthwith and take possession of the suspected tampered ball. The umpires shall choose the replacement ball from a selection of available balls.
  2. The bowler's end umpire shall issue the captain with a first and final warning, and
  3. Advise the captain that should there be any further incident by that team during the remainder of the match, the steps in terms of Law 42.1.1 a) to e) above will be adopted, with the captain deemed under e) to be the player responsible should the umpires be unable to identify other player(s) responsible.

It must be noted that the above Playing Condition has been adapted to accommodate the circumstances prevailing within club cricket.