Viegli Bedfordshire T20 Cup Competition 1. Entry (a) 20.00 per club payable to Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd by the close of the registration date which is 31 st January for each year s competition. (b) 1 per player match fee for each game played in, payable by Finals Day. 2. Qualifications (a) All players must be bona-fide members of the club that they are representing and they can only play for one club in the competition in any one season. (b) All players must have played five (5) weekend league games for the club they represent in the current season prior to the second round of the competition. (c) In order to be eligible to play in the competition, players must meet the Category 1 registration requirements stated within the Greene King Bedfordshire County Cricket League Handbook. No player registered in the Categories 2, 3 or 3E will be permitted to play in the competition. (d) Only clubs that are affiliated to Bedfordshire Cricket Limited can enter the competition. (e) Where a player is registered to play for more than one club in Bedfordshire, they will be considered bona-fide members of the club that they played the most weekend league games for in the preceding season. (f) Where a player is registered for a club in Bedfordshire and a club in another county, they will be eligible to play for the Bedfordshire club in the competition. 3. Format (a) The competition will be played on a regional knock out basis until the semi-finals and final.
4. Disputes (a) Any queries regarding the competition rules are to be referred to the Director of Operations, Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd whose decision shall be final. 5. Playing Rules (a) Unless stated otherwise in these rules, the Laws of Cricket as published by the MCC will apply. 6. Home Grounds (a) Games can only be played on pitches that are self-maintained by the home team unless otherwise permitted by the Director of Operations, Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd. (b) Those clubs that normally play on council-maintained pitches will either play away or, on request, hire a neutral venue that the Director of Operations, Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd deems to be suitable. 7. Start times and Duration (a) All games prior to the semi-finals and final must start by 18:00hrs. (b) Each innings shall consist of twenty (20) overs each comprising six (6) valid balls. (c) No declarations are permitted; a declaration will be considered to be a forfeiture of the match. (d) In exceptional circumstances, the captains may agree to play a shorter game before the toss and the bowler restrictions in 8(1) will still apply. (e) Any game reduced under rule 7(d) must consist of a minimum of twelve (12) overs per innings. 8. Bowlers (a) Bowlers are limited to a maximum of twenty (20) percent of the overs to be bowled in the innings. (b) If a bowler is unable to complete an over and is replaced by another bowler, the over shall count as part of both bowlers allocated overs. (c) Bowlers are limited to a maximum run-up of twelve (12) yards. For the avoidance of doubt, the bowler must have turned and started his run-up within the twelve (12) yard restriction. 9. Cancellations (a) Any game cancelled due to conditions of ground, weather or light after play has commenced will be replayed at the same ground as soon as possible. 10. Match Balls (a) For all games prior to the semi-finals and final, each club must provide a suitable ball which they will face when batting.
(b) In order to avoid unnecessary delays, the home club must provide a selection of suitable spare balls. 11. Umpires (a) In first round matches, both clubs must provide a non-playing umpire who must stand for the whole match. (b) From the second round onwards neutral umpires will be provided by Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd. Home clubs must give a minimum of one (1) weeks notice of the date of the game requiring umpires. (c) Umpires will not receive a match fee however clubs are at liberty to contribute to umpires travelling costs. 12. Free Hits (a) Should a bowler deliver a foot-fault no ball (front foot, back foot or breaking the wicket during the delivery stride), a penalty of one (1) run will be awarded to the batting team in addition to any other runs scored from the delivery and the next delivery will be designated a free hit. (b) A batsman can only be dismissed by means of a run out, obstructing the field, handling the ball or hit ball twice from a free hit. (c) If a free hit is not a valid delivery, the subsequent delivery will be a free hit. (d) Unless there is a change of striker, the field cannot be changed for a free hit other than a fielder (not wicket-keeper) can retreat a maximum of fifteen (15) yards from the striker. 13. Timewasting (a) Umpires may award five penalty runs on each and every occasion where they believe a team is wasting time. 14. Fielding Restrictions (a) At the instant of delivery, there may be no more than five (5) fielders on the leg-side. (b) During the first six (6) overs of the match, a maximum of two (2) fielders are permitted outside the thirty (3) yard circle at the instant of delivery. The fielding circle should be clearly marked with white discs or by painting white dots. (c) In the event of a reduced overs match in accordance with rule 7(d), the fielding restrictions mentioned in rule 14(b) will be reduced in accordance with the following table: 12 13 overs First 3 overs 14 16 overs First 4 overs 17 19 overs First 5 overs (d) For the remaining overs in the innings, a maximum of five (5) fielders can be outside the fielding circle at the instant of delivery. (e) The wicket-keeper must be within the fielding circle and wearing wicket-keeper gloves at the instant of delivery.
(f) Any breach of these fielding restrictions will result in a no ball being called and signaled and a one (1) run penalty being awarded to the batting team in addition to any other runs scored from the delivery. 15. Wides (a) Umpires should apply a very strict and consistent interpretation with regard to wides in order to prevent negative bowling. (b) Any offside delivery which, in the opinion of the umpire, does not give the batsman a reasonable opportunity to play a normal scoring shot shall be called a wide unless the batsman brings the ball within reach of a normal scoring shot. (c) A leg-side wide shall be called if, irrespective of where the ball pitches and any movement of the batsman, the ball passes outside the line of the leg stump and the batsman. (d) For additional clarity, a ball that passes between the batsman and the leg stump shall not be called a wide. 16. Full Pitched Deliveries (beamers) (a) Any high full pitched delivery, regardless of pace, which passes or would have passed above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease shall be called and signaled a no ball and a penalty of one (1) run will be awarded to the batting team in addition to any other runs scored from the delivery. (b) In addition, if the umpire does not deem the high full pitched delivery to be slow, it shall be considered dangerous and unfair and the umpire will adopt the warning procedures for dangerous and unfair bowling contained within Law 42. 17. Fast Short Pitched Deliveries (bouncers) (a) A bowler shall be limited to a maximum of one (1) bouncer per over, a bouncer being defined as any delivery that passes or would have passed above shoulder height of the batsman standing upright at the popping crease. (b) The bower s end umpire will inform the bowler and batsmen when such a delivery has been bowled. (c) It is unfair if the limit in rule 17(a) is exceeded and the umpire will call and signal a no ball on each occasion. A penalty of one (1) run will be awarded to the batting team in addition to any runs scored from the delivery In addition, the umpire will adopt the warning procedures for unfair bowling detailed in Law 42. (d) For clarity, any delivery that pitches and passes or would have passed over the head of the batsman standing upright at the popping crease is unfair and the umpire will call and signal a no ball. A penalty of one (1) run will be awarded to the batting team in addition to any runs scored from the delivery and the delivery will count towards the limit of bouncers defined in rule 17(a). 18. Time Restrictions (a) The fielding team must bowl the first delivery of the twentieth (20 th ) over within eighty (80) minutes of playing time. (b) For every whole over bowled after the eighty (80) minute time limit, six (6) penalty runs will be added to the batting teams score.
(c) In exceptional circumstances, for example a lost ball or an injury to a player or umpire, the umpires may extend the seventy-five minute time limit. (d) In the event of a shortened match in accordance with rule 7(d), the time limit for commencing the first ball of the last over will be reduced by four (4) minutes for each lost over. For example, in a twelve (12) over game, the time available to commence bowling the twelfth (12 th ) over will be forty-eight (48) minutes. (e) There will be a maximum of ten (10) minutes between innings. 19. Result (a) The team scoring the most runs shall be the winners. (b) If both teams scores are level, the team losing the fewest wickets will be the winner. (c) If still level, the team scoring the most runs after the penultimate over will be the winner. (d) If still level, rule 19(c) will be repeated by counting back one (1) over until such time as a winner is determined. (e) The winning team must notify Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd of the result and have posted the scorecards on Play-Cricket within twenty-four (24) of the game. 20. Un-played Games (a) Any game not completed by the closing date for each round will be determined by the Director of Operations, Bedfordshire Cricket ltd on the following basis: In the event that one team is at fault, the game will be awarded to the other team; In the event of no team or both teams being at fault, the game will be decided by the toss of a coin. (b) Once a date has been agreed for a game it may only be cancelled in the event of adverse ground, weather or light conditions. 21. Semi-Finals and Final (a) Both semi-finals and the final will be played on a designated Finals Day at a venue determined by the Director of Operations, Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd. (b) Bedfordshire Cricket Ltd will provide neutral umpires and match balls for all games on Finals Day. (c) Special playing rules will be issued for Finals Day to cater for inclement weather conditions.