Rules of the Welsh Cricket
Cup Competition
Administration Rules
1. The Welsh Cricket Cup Competition
is open
to all member clubs of the Welsh Cricket Association. It is a 'Knockout’
Cup Competition, with matches up to the fourth round arranged in four
geographical zones and in the WCA Welsh Cup Competition there will be an open draw after the
fourth round. Matches will
be normally played on Sundays.
2. Entry to the Cup Competition is open to all
clubs who have paid their affiliation fees for that year, and
affiliation fees must be paid before a club plays its first match in the
competition.
3. As soon as the draw for the
Competition has been made, the Cup Organiser will arrange to send to
clubs details of the draw, together with the ‘scheduled Sundays’ on
which matches in the various rounds should be played.
4. The ‘scheduled dates', must be
used unless BOTH clubs agree to play under the same match rules before
the scheduled Sunday.
By mutual agreement, clubs may arrange to play under the same match
rules (i.e. 45 overs per innings) before the scheduled Sunday.
5. If a match is not completed
because of bad weather on the scheduled Sunday, then clubs will arrange
to play under the same match rules on the following ‘Reserve Sunday’.
6. If bad weather prevents play on
the Reserve Sunday, then clubs will agree to play a match (which may be
of a reduced number of overs) on any day up to and including the
Thursday before the scheduled Sunday for the next round. The Home side
must offer at least two dates during this period, and the Away side must
choose one of these dates. If bad weather on this date forces the match
to be cancelled or abandoned again, then if time permits, the Home club
must offer another two dates to the Away club, who must choose one of
these dates.
7. If bad weather prevents a match
of even the minimum number of overs being played, then the tie may be
decided by the bowling and fielding competition (details of which may be
found in the Match Rules section). Finally, if all these alternatives
fail, then clubs will toss up for the right to continue in the
Competition.
8. There is a need to emphasise
the flexibility which exists in the arranging of fixtures between clubs.
While the scheduled Sunday and the Reserve Sunday must stand and be
recognised by the W.C.A. in any case of dispute, clubs are free to
arrange any full midweek fixture prior to the designated Sunday, by the
consent of BOTH clubs. In the event of bad weather on the designated Sunday such a
full match may also be arranged, again by consent, between the designated
Sunday and the following Sunday. Difficulties or appeals from clubs
should be referred to the Cup Competition Organiser, or the Secretary of
the W.C.A. at the very earliest opportunity.
9. All scheduled dates must
be used where possible but matches can be played on the following Reserve
Sunday, by mutual agreement between Clubs and the Competition Secretary
within the time scale for the Round shown. The Cup Secretary to be
informed of all rearranged dates. For the WCA Welsh Cricket Cup, the Zone
Finals, Semi Final and Final must be played on the scheduled dates, with
the Reserve date the following Sunday.
If bad weather prevents play
on any of the Reserve Sundays, then Clubs are free to arrange the best
possible kind of fixture up to and including the Thursday before the next
Round, where possible.
10. Clubs who withdraw or
fail to raise a side or who show unwillingness to continue in the
Competition will be fined a sum of £25 and their entry for the following
year shall be a matter for the W.C.A. Council to rule upon.
11. The results of each
match and other required information needed to operate the Competition
must be sent to the Organiser. in writing, by BOTH clubs IMMEDIATELY after
the match has been played. Only these results received in writing within 5
days of the match being played will be considered, and clubs failing to
submit results may be removed from the Competition.
12. Except during the month
of May, all players must have played in at least five full length weekend
or Bank Holiday matches for the club during the current season, or the
season immediately prior to the current season. They must be bona fida
members of the club.
13. No player may play for
more than one club in the Competition in any one season.
14. No player who has played
in five or more ‘first-class cricket’ matches in the current season, or in
the season immediately prior to the current season, either in this country
or abroad, shall be eligible to be included in any team in the
Competition. As well as those matches normally defined as ‘first-class’
(e.g. County Championship etc.) the term 'first-class cricket’ shall
include the Benson & Hedges Cup, Nat West Trophy, Sunday League, and shall
also apply to ‘first class cricket’ of a similar nature overseas.
15a. Clubs are responsible
for ensuring that all players participating in the Competition are
eligible to play. In the event of a Club fielding an ineligible player,
they will be removed from the competition and also fined a sum of £100 and
debarred from entering the Welsh Cup Competition
for the following season.
15b. Any
player who is banned by his or her League is not eligible to play in the
WCA Welsh Cricket Cup Competition providing that the disciplinary
procedures including the right of appeal as laid down in clauses 18.20 of
the WCA Constitution have been strictly applied.
16. No player may play in
either the WCA Cricket Cup Competition to which the W.C.A.
Rules apply if he is not qualified to play county cricket as an EU
qualified cricketer under the provisions set out by the ECB in its
Regulations relating to such qualifications unless
a) the player’s sole
residence is and has been for the last 18 months in this locality; and
b) he requires no visa or
other similar permission to be resident and provided also that he is
entitled to work in the UK without requiring a work permit or similar
permission; and
c) the player has not
played first-class cricket in the last three years; and...
d) application has been
made in writing to the W.C.A. Council not later than March 31 in the
year to which the application refers and providing all the relevant
documentation necessary to validate the application.
17. W.C.A. is entirely
responsible for the organisation and administration of the Competitions.
Clubs must not enter into correspondence with the sponsor on matters
concerning the running of the Competition.
18. In the event of any
dispute arising during and affecting the course of the Competition, clubs
must contact the Cup Organiser and/or Chairman, by telephone, within 1 day
of the dispute, confirming the protest in writing within 3 days, and also
sending a copy of the protest to any other club involved within 3 days.
19. Following any response
from the other club, the matter will be determined by a special committee
consisting of the Cup Organiser, Secretary of W.C.A., and the Chairman of
W.C.A. who will come to a decision which shall be binding on participating
clubs. W.C.A. expects participating Clubs to give priority to matches in
this Competition over matches in other Cup Competitions.
Match Rules
1. All matches shall
commence at 2.00 p.m. with a tea interval of 20 minutes between innings.
The time and duration of the tea interval can be varied in the case of
an interrupted match. The National Semi-Finals and Finals to commence at
1.30 p.m.
2. Each team shall bat for
45 overs, unless they are all out earlier. Teams are expected to bowl
their overs at the rate of 18 overs per hour, and Umpires are asked to
report offending clubs.
3. In matches where the
start is delayed or play is suspended, the object shall always be to
rearrange the number of overs so that both teams have the opportunity of
batting for the same number of overs with a minimum of 10 overs each. The
calculation of the number of overs to be bowled shall be based on an
average of 18 overs per hour (or 1 over per 3½ minutes or part thereof) in
the time remaining before the agreed close of play. This shall be taken to
be 8 p.m. unless both captains agree on a later time of finishing.
4. A result can be achieved
only if both teams have batted for at least 10 overs, unless one team is
all out in less than 10 overs, or unless the team batting second scores
enough runs to win in less than 10 overs. In the event of a bowler
breaking down and being unable to complete an over, the remaining balls
will be bowled by another bowler. If a team batting second are prevented
by the weather from completing their overs, then the average runs per over
for the whole innings shall decide the result. If 10 overs has not been
bowled, then Rule 9 shall apply.
5. For each match up to the
Fourth Round, independent
umpires must be arranged by the home club and the cost of the umpires
shared, unless both clubs agree that this is not possible, when club
umpires (not a player taking part in the match) may stand.
The umpires shall be the sole judges of the fitness of the ground,
weather, and light for play.
W.C.A. shall be responsible for the appointment and expenses of
independent umpires for the Zone Finals, National Semi-Finals and the Final. The home team must
provide the umpires with two cricket balls in good condition, but not
necessarily new ones, before the match starts except for the Semi-Finals
and Finals when two new balls will be provided by the WCA. The visiting
captain may choose the ball that his team will use, leaving the other ball
with which the home team will bowl.
6. In the event of a tie,
the team losing the least number of wickets shall be the winners. Should
these be equal, the team with the least number of extras in their innings
shall be the winners. Should these be equal, then the team with the
highest run rate in runs per over shall be the winners.
7. No bowler shall bowl more
than 9 overs. In a match curtailed by the weather no bowler shall bowl
more than one-fifth of the total number of overs agreed at the start of the
match, except that the total is not divisible by 5, an additional over
shall be allowed to the minimum number of bowlers necessary to make up the
balance.
(a) NEGATIVE BOWLING — If a
ball is delivered in such a manner that the striker is denied the
opportunity of playing, or attempting to play a normal cricket stroke from
where he his standing, or from his normal guard position, the umpire at
the bowler’s end will call and signal ‘WIDE BALL’.
Umpires must apply a strict and consistent judgement in this matter.
8. The following
restrictions relating to the placement of fielders shall apply to all
rounds of the WCA Cricket Cup Competition.
At the instant of delivery, a minimum of four fieldsmen (plus the wicket
keeper) must be within an area bounded by two semi-circles centred on each
middle stump, each with a radius of 30 yards, and joined by a parallel
line on each side of the pitch. In the event of an infringement, the
umpire at the striker’s end shall call and signal ‘No Ball’.
9. When, because of bad
weather, it is impossible to play a match of even 10 overs per side on the
last scheduled day, then the match may be decided by a Bowling/Fielding
competition, thus:
Bowling
Five bowlers shall each bowl one fair delivery over arm at the wickets
pitched normally as for a match with no batsman in front of them. For
every ball which first pitches and then hits the wickets, two points shall
be scored, but only one point if the stumps are hit by a full toss.
Fielding
The other five players and the wicket-keeper shall take part in the
fielding competition. From directly behind the wickets (in the long stop
position), a marker shall be set 50 yards or so from the stumps. In turn,
five fielders shall throw a ball from behind this marker to the
wicket-keeper standing at the wicket, who may not ground any part of his
person outside the rectangle enclosed by the popping crease, bowling
crease, and the forward extension of the return crease. Two points shall
be scored for every ball which is caught by the wicket-keeper full pitch
and one point if it is caught by the wicket-keeper after bouncing once
only.
Umpires:
The umpires appointed for the match shall supervise the running of the
competition.
