Rules of Play

The normal laws of cricket as followed by the MCC and the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers will apply, save for any exceptions listed below. The League shall consist of a Premier Division and a number of other divisions as agreed upon by the League committee, who shall also decide upon the number of teams in each division.

All divisions must wear coordinated colour kit. Any player/s not wearing team “coordinated kit colours” will not be allowed to participate in the match.

• All matches are to be of a maximum of 80 overs, a maximum of 40 overs played by each side.
• All overs shall be of 6 legitimate balls, and each bowler shall have a maximum of 8 overs.
• Each & every no-ball will be followed by a free hit, on which a batsman cannot be dismissed by any method other than run out. The fielding team is not allowed to change the field for the free hit if the batsman who received the original no-ball is on strike. If another batsman is now the striker, the field may change. In Divisions 2 and below, this only applies to front-foot no-balls.
• Power Play: First 8 overs of an inning, a maximum of 2 fielders are allowed outside the 30-yard circle. If the overs of an innings are reduced before or during the innings, power-play overs will be reduced by 1 over for every 5 overs lost. In case of the power-play is in play during any interruption and the overs are reduced, power-play overs will be adjusted accordingly.
• All matches are to be played on Sundays, as advised by the League Secretary.
• It shall be up to both teams to confirm the match, venue and directions with each other by at least Friday midnight before the Sunday game. The home team shall be responsible for ensuring that the pitch is cut, marked, playable, and that their booked venue is within a 15-mile radius of their registered home town.
• Any Player(s) arriving later than 1 hour after the game has started cannot play.
• All clubs must complete their full allocation of matches for the season (weather permitting). Any club failing to fulfil a fixture (except in the case of the death of a team member) shall be deducted 18 points for the current season and a further 18 points for the following season. They will also receive a financial penalty as outlined in the Fines and Other Charges. If any away team forfeits a fixture, they will be liable to pay for the cost of the ground hire. This amount cannot be higher than the amount the home team has been paying for the ground hire.
• No matches are to be rescheduled. Change of fixture and/or time, other than within the SESCL rules, is strictly prohibited.
• Outside the power play, a maximum of 5 fielders will be allowed to be outside the 30-yard circle.

• Each game shall start at 1:00 pm (weather permitting).
• The teams shall toss up at least 10 minutes before the start of the game, and failure by either team to comply with this will result in forfeiting the toss.
• If any team is not changed and ready to start the match by 1:00 pm, then the team will lose one over for every five minutes it is late.
• Matches shall be (with the agreement of both sides) permitted to start at 2:00 pm, where grounds are not available before 2:00 pm. No match shall start after 2:00 pm unless delayed by weather.
• 40 overs must be bowled by 4:00 pm (or 5:00 pm for a 2:00 pm start) unless interrupted by bad weather or where the match started late due to a team arriving late. Otherwise, the team batting first shall bat the full 40 overs, and the team batting second will only bat the overs that it bowled up to 4:00 pm or 5:00 pm, whichever case is applicable.
• Any team failing to fulfil three consecutive fixtures shall be suspended from the league until ALL outstanding fines have been cleared.

If rain or bad weather/light delays the start of a game or interrupts a game already in progress, then the captains of both teams shall negotiate to reduce the overs accordingly, unless a neutral umpire is present, then he shall decide. In such cases, the rule of one over for every five minutes of time lost shall apply.

A revised target is to be calculated using the Duckworth/Lewis Method. This is to be done using the “D/L Calculator” on the “Play-Cricket Scorer” App. Full instructions can be found on the League website.

For a DLS calculation to decide the result of a match, a minimum of 20 overs must have been bowled in the 2nd innings of the match.

For a DLS calculation to set a revised target for the 2nd innings, following a break in play, a minimum of 20 overs must be scheduled.

THE MATCH MUST BE COMPLETED, OR NO RESULT/DRAW WILL BE RECORDED BY THE TEAMS.

Teams are advised not to decide to stop play on their own but agree with the opposition captain of the other side, unless a neutral umpire is present, then he shall decide. The umpire’s decision is final.

The time taken for tea shall be 20 minutes unless otherwise agreed by both captains. Every home team in the Premier Division must provide acceptable refreshments at the tea interval for the opposition, including tea/water/soft drinks. The away teams are advised to take additional liquid refreshments on match days when the weather is exceptionally warm/cold. Legitimate complaints received by the League Committee regarding the provision of tea by the home team shall be dealt with similarly to other complaints, as outlined elsewhere in these rules. In all Divisions, the Home team will make tea arrangements for the away team.

Two new white league regulation balls will be used by all divisions (one new ball per inning) each team providing a ball.

The home team will be responsible for providing a replacement ball in case loss of ball. If the home team is not able to provide a appropriate replacement then away team can provide a replacement. In case the away team provides a replacement, the home team will be liable to pay for the ball provided by the away team.

The League Committee shall appoint neutral umpires to all Premier and Division 1 games.

For all other Divisions, teams will send a competent umpire to their relevant division to be umpired. Every team in Divisions 2, 3, 4, and 5 will provide 5 competent players to umpire the assigned games. 4 players will need to umpire the games in the assigned divisions, and 1 player will be on standby in case any umpire pulls out last minute. Also, the league umpire coordinator can serve as the stand-by umpire to umpire a game. Teams failing to provide the umpires will be penalised and fined for each breach.

• Teams must contact the league’s umpires coordinator by Thursday evening if they find problems contacting clubs to which they are required to delegate umpires to otherwise, appropriate penalties as defined by the current umpiring proposal will be applied if umpires are not sent.
• The allocated umpires must arrive at their matches before it start. If for a legitimate reason, the umpire is delayed, he must inform the teams by 12:45 pm of why he is late and how long it will take him to get there. If the umpire fails to inform at least one team that he is delayed, the teams have the right not to accept him when he does arrive. In the event of an umpire having informed the clubs that he will be late, arrives after 10 overs have been FULLY completed, the teams have the right not to accept him. Both captains must be in agreement to accept the umpire. All applicable disciplines will affect the rejected umpires club as defined in the current umpiring proposal. All communications regarding the delay by the umpires should be in text/WhatsApp messages.
• Any person acting as a neutral umpire at a SESCL match, and doing so on behalf of a club whose responsibility it is to provide an umpire at that match – must be registered as a player with that club and must be over the age of 18, Unless he has been appointed otherwise by the SESCL committee.
• Umpires should have their SESCL ID cards on the league’s management portal. If asked to produce this, it must be shown to both captains. If an umpire fails to produce his SESCL ID card, he can be rejected. The card must be asked for before the umpire begins his duties, and not at any point thereafter. The umpire is not obliged to produce the ID card if asked after having started umpiring.
• The said umpire shall have total authority over the game, and his decision shall be final. In such games, the batting side shall provide the square leg umpire, and each team shall bear ½ the cost of the neutral umpire’s fee, as advised by the League Committee. In matches where no neutral umpires are present, the captain of the batting side shall be responsible for providing both umpires and must consider their umpiring abilities and knowledge of the game when doing so.
• An umpiring match report will be submitted detailing/confirming the results of the game umpired and notes of any incidents
• Any club that fails to fulfil their allocated umpiring will be deducted 18 points from their final total, and in addition to that, they will start their next season with -18 points.
• Each team shall provide their own scorer.
• Each team will have an option to rate the umpire who officiated their game. This will need to be done via the management portal.

All playing members of all League clubs must be bona fide members and registered with the League.

• Every player must be registered via the SESCL Management Portal.
• It shall be the responsibility of every club secretary/captain to keep the online ID cards of his team correct and up to date.
• Each captain must inspect the online ID cards of the opposing team before the match starts. Any team found to have played an unregistered player, irrespective of a complaint being raised against it, will be penalised with 18 points penalty and a £50 fine.
• Any player registering during the season must be registered via the SESCL Management Portal before they can play in any League game.
• A maximum of 30 players per team are allowed to be registered at any given time.
• The SESCL Management portal is the final for eligibility of the player to participate in a league match. If the player is not on the SESCL Management portal, he shall not be allowed to play even if his name appears on the play-cricket scoring app.
• The SESCL Committee has the full right to investigate an ineligible player after the match, even if the cards were not checked. In case the cards weren’t checked, and an ineligible player is found, the losing side will not be entitled to any points. In case of team is found guilty of playing unregistered player(s), they would get zero points from the fixture. The committee reserves the right to deduct further points in cases where the said team is a repeat offender.

If players wish to transfer between clubs, their new club must complete an online transfer request on the SESCL Management Portal. This will then have to be confirmed by their existing club (or the league committee in the case of a dispute).

• One Player One Transfer applies per season, other than transfers between the 1st and 2nd XIs of the same club.
• No transfer of players from any existing club to a new club for 1st 12 months of entry.
• No club shall refuse any player requesting a transfer without due cause and will ensure that no unnecessary delay is caused in approving the transfer online. Such a player cannot take part in any League game until the transfer has been confirmed online, and his ID card appears in the squad list for his new club.
• No transfer shall take place after the 30th of June in any season.
• Players may transfer multiple times between the 1st and 2nd XI of the same club. However, a transfer form and fee will still be required on each occasion, and no such intra-club transfers can take place after the 31st July in any given season. In addition, when a club’s 1st XI do not have a fixture (eg, due to an umpiring week or a cancelled fixture), for that week only, there will be no transfers permitted from 1st XI to 2nd XI.
• Player is free to join any club if he has not featured in any league fixture for his registered club for over a year. A transfer form is still required.

All clubs/players are subject to the above rules. Any club/player found breaking these rules shall be dealt with appropriately.

No Professional players are allowed to play in any of the SESCL divisions or Tournaments, with the exception of 1 player per squad for Premier Division teams. Clubs are responsible for carrying out their due diligence when registering a player. They may ask the league committee for assistance with player vetting.

A player is deemed to be a professional player if he has played First Class, List A or List A T20 cricket within the last 5 years, except for a “Homegrown professional player”. A “homegrown professional player” is someone who has played any SESCL league game before playing any First Class, List A or List A T20 cricket. Such a player is eligible to play in Division 2 or above. Everyone else is eligible to play.

• In the Premier Division only, each team will be allowed to register 1 professional player. Ie, one player who has played First Class, List A or List A T20 within the last 5 years. (+ any “Homegrown professional players”)
• In Divisions 1 and 2, any “Homegrown professional player” is eligible to play.
• In Divisions 3 and below, no professional players of any description. (A player is deemed to be a professional player if he has played First Class, List A or List A T20 cricket within the last 5 years)

• Clubs are responsible for managing their own finances. League has no bearing on the club or player subs fees, nor will League entertain or consider any complaints concerning players’ subs in any matter.
• SESCL is an amateur cricket league, therefore, it prohibits the sale of any players or clubs.
• Venue for the fixtures must be booked in advance by the clubs. Teams are barred from changing their venue on the day.
• A club/team cannot change their registered home town. Such a change would cause the team to lose their position in their respective division, resulting in automatic demotion to the lowest division in the league divisions’ hierarchy. (ref Membership – Constitution)
• Any team forfeiting 3 fixtures during a season shall lose its league membership and security deposit.

Loss 0 points (losing teams will be entitled to bonus points as described below.)

• Tie 9 points
• Draw 9 points (Match cancelled or abandoned)
• The losing team will be able to earn batting and bowling bonus points

The table below shows the batting and bowling bonus points.

• Conceding a match (except in the case of the death of a team member) -18 points (also -18 points for the following season)
• Failure to attend a compulsory knockout tournament -18 points (fine also applies)
• Any team found guilty of scoreboard manipulation will be disqualified from the league immediately.

All umpires shall apply the basic rule for a wide ball together with three adjustments as follows:

Basic rule: If the bowler bowls the ball so wide of the wicket that, in the opinion of the umpire, it passes out of reach of the striker, standing in a normal guard position, the umpire shall call and signal wide ball as soon as it has passed the line of the striker’s wicket.

Overhead ball: Any ball which passes overhead, as if the batsman were standing upright near the popping crease, will be deemed a wide ball.

Premier and First Division Only*

It is compulsory for the teams playing in the Premier and First divisions of SESCL to ensure that the ground/s they have booked to play their Home fixtures at must have dedicated changing room facilities for the players. Failure to comply will see the Home team getting 0 points for their subject fixture, irrespective what the outcome of their match. In these divisions, no “park pitches” are allowed.

• It is compulsory to score using the Play-Cricket scorer app.
• In case the internet connection is not available, an offline score on the play-cricket scorer app is allowed
• All results need to be submitted, whether scored online or offline, by 10 pm Monday. Failure to do so will result in fines and penalties.
• For any reason, if the scoring is not done using the play-cricket scorer, unless informed to the committee as soon as it is not possible to score on the app, both teams will face fines and penalties. In such no bonus points will be awarded to the losing team.

• Each team will need to submit a match report at the end of each fixture.
• The match report has to be submitted on the SESCL management portal by the end of day Tuesday, following each fixture.
• The report will consist of sections for rating the umpire, ground and facilities, teas, and opposition behaviours

• If the ball hits any batsman or fielder, or umpire on the head or helmet, the ball will be considered a dead ball from the point of impact.
• if the fielding side catches the ball after an impact with the head of any player, match officials and the batsman will be considered not out. if, after an impact with the head of any player, officials or batsman, the ball crosses the boundary, it will be considered a dead ball and only completed runs before the impact will be recorded.

SESCL fully adopts and supports the ECB’s “Safe Hands – Cricket Safeguarding Policy and Procedures”:

Safe Hands Policy Statement – December 2022

Safeguarding and a club’s duty of care

These shall be determined for each division on a total points basis. In the event of a number of clubs having equal points, the final position of the clubs shall be decided as follows:

• The highest position shall be awarded to the club recording the most League wins in the season.
• If there is still equality, the highest position shall be awarded to the club recording the fewest League losses in the season.
• If there is still equality, the Net Run Rate (as calculated on Play-Cricket) will be used to determine league position.

Promotion and relegation from one division to another shall normally be on a two-up, two-down basis unless in exceptional circumstances where the League Committee may decide otherwise.

Promotion to the Premier Division shall be subject to the League Committee being satisfied with the club’s facilities. Promotion to any other division shall be subject to the club’s disciplinary record for the season ended, its overall fair play score for the season and immediate payment of any outstanding dues to the League.

Two teams representing the same club cannot be promoted to the same division due to a conflict of interest.

The League Committee shall arrange all knock-out tournaments.

There will be two Knock-out tournaments held each year. One for the Premier, Divisions 1 and 2 and the second for Divisions 3, 4, and 5.

Each team will have an option to opt out of the KO. Once the team has opted in or failed to opt out, it will be compulsory for the team to participate. Failing to do so will result in fines and 18 penalty points.

All other conditions of play shall be as outlined in the Rules of Play, and the League Committee will deal severely with any player/club found misbehaving during any knock-out tournament, on or off the pitch.

Failure to attend a compulsory knockout tournament will see teams deducted 18 league points and fined.

• Unfair play: Any team found to be involved in unfair play i.e. in some way cheating in umpiring, scoring or in any other way, shall be severely reprimanded and dealt with as seen fit by the League Committee.
• Misconduct: The League condemns all violence and verbal abuse, on or off the pitch, between any club members (own or opposition), towards umpires or involving scorers and/or supporters. In the event of any such misconduct the League Committee shall not hesitate in taking serious actions as it sees fit.
• Side walking off or refusing to complete match; Any side walking off without agreement of other sides captain or refusing to complete a match will be fined and deducted 18 points.
• Abusing Committee Member: Any individual(s) and or club(s) found to be guilty of physical and or verbal abuse of committee member(s) could be fined and or banned from playing league matches.
• Abusing any Umpires: Any individual(s) and or club(s) found to be guilty of abusing of any umpire during or after the match could be fined or banned from playing league matches.

A £30.00 complaint fee must accompany any complaint/s forwarded to the League Committee, and then the Committee, at the next scheduled Committee meeting, may consider this complaint. All evidence forwarded shall be taken into account, and if the offence is not too serious, then the Committee shall render a decision and impose a penalty fit for the offence. If the complaint is deemed serious, then the Committee shall filter these complaints through to a Disciplinary Committee with all the necessary documentation and evidence at hand for them to consider.