Middlesbrough Midweek Cricket League
Sponsored by Jap Parts (Stockton)

League Competition

1. This combination of clubs shall be called the Midweek Cricket League. (This name may be qualified for promotional purposes). It shall form itself into such divisions as necessary.

   The Management Committee

2. The League shall be governed by a management committee which shall comprise a President, Chairman, Hon secretary, Hon Treasurer, Hon Umpire's Secretary, Hon Assistant Secretary, together with 2 representatives from each division.

3. The Management Committee shall be elected each year at the AGM. Four members shall form a quorum for a meeting. The Management Committee shall have full power to decide what form of penalty (if any) shall be imposed whether of fines, loss of points, suspension, expulsion or payment of expenses incurred, or any combination thereof, and may order a match to be replayed. The Management Committee may call upon a club to produce for inspection any documents it deems necessary.

4. The Management Committee shall have full power to deal with any matter which may arise and is not already dealt with in these rules, and their decision shall be final and binding. Representatives from teams concerned in any dispute may not sit on the Management Committee whilst the dispute is being considered.

   General Meetings

5. General Meetings shall be called by the Hon Secretary, as required, or within 14 days of the receipt of a request signed by the secretaries of 6 member clubs. Any club failing to send a representative to any General Meeting shall be fined £5.00. Changes to League Rules cannot be submitted using this rule.

6. The Annual General Meeting shall be held in February. Any team that is not represented and for whom no apology for absence is received will be deemed to have resigned from the League. Any proposed changes to the League Rules shall be in the hands of the Hon Secretary by 31st Dec and shall be circulated to the clubs at least 3 weeks before the meeting.

   Membership

7. All applications for membership shall be received by the Hon Secretary before the AGM. Any club resigning after the AGM shall be liable for payment of League Fees for the season.

8. Clubs shall nominate a day and ground for home matches, and these shall not be changed without the permission of the Management Committee. Clubs shall be responsible for marking out their grounds and shall place their ground at the disposal of the League for any matches organised by the Management Committee. Artificial wickets to ECB standardmay be used provided that the management committee has inspected and approved them. (See list on website). All teams must comply with any footwear restrictions imposed by the owner of the wicket.

9. Each team shall pay an annual subscription of £10.00, including entry into the Cup Competition. In addition, a guarantee of £2.00 shall be paid annually, which shall be forfeited if the team defaults on any of its obligations to the League.

10. Any team that has not paid its fees to the Hon Treasurer by May 1st shall not be allowed to play its fixtures, and shall be dealt with by the Management Committee.

11. Each team shall complete all its fixtures and submit match returns to the Hon Secretary, and shall pay any monies owed to the League by Sept 30th. It shall submit the following information to the Hon Secretary by September 15th:

    1. the best batting and bowling averages
    2. the highest individual score
    3. the highest number of catches
    4. the number of victims claimed by the wicketkeeper

    Qualification of Players

12. Registrations apply to whole league, will include full name, address and signature and must declare accurate information regarding weekend league, div, and Team played for. The registration will be checked and countersigned by the team secretary. Any change to that information to be communicated in writing via the team secretary to the league. County players, ICC representative players, Overseas professional players shall not be allowed to register in the league.

13. All players shall be registered with the Hon Secretary at least 24hrs before playing and, unless transferred, (Rule 15) shall not have played for any other team in the league in the same season. No registrations accepted after 16th July. Senior league players are defined as any player having played more than 4 games in the current or 9games in the previous season playing in a division of an open league that permits overseas professionals OR an amateur league that permits professionals. No more than 6 senior league players to be registered by any team. No more than 3 senior league players per team in any game (must not be subs either). No senior league players in B teams. A team may register one overseas amateur (as defined in UKBA/ECB regulations) with the appropriate paperwork submitted AND accepted by the league 48 hrs before the play.

14. Clubs with 2 teams in same division to have separate registrations and must submit the names of the First XI to the Hon. Secretary each month. Those named shall not play for the second Xl during that month.

15. A player may be transferred from one team to another by sending a transfer request to the Hon Secretary with a £5.00 transfer fee. The form shall be signed by the player and BOTH team secretaries. It must be accompanied by a valid registration document from the new team. Unless specific approval is obtained from the management committee a player may only transfer once in the current season.

Fixtures

16. Fixtures shall be arranged by the League and played during the dates fixed by the Management Committee.

17. Matches shall start not later than 6.30pm (6pm first 2 weeks and in August) and shall comprise 16 to 24 6-ball overs per side. The number of overs shall be agreed between the Captains before the toss. In the event of a dispute 20 overs shall be played..There is a limit of 72 mins to bowl 20 overs, 58 for 16, 65 for 18, 86 for 24. This shall be applied to both innings. An allowance of 3.5 mins per over for any unavoidable stoppage which the umpires need to make allowance for. There is no allowance for drinks breaks. Any overs not started within the time shall be lost, taken off the scheduled overs of both teams. This will not affect the bowling restriction in force at the start of the game. Umpires to annotate the face of the score sheet accordingly and the bowling side will be deducted 1 league point in addition to any penalty runs that are applied. Each bowler shall be restricted to a maximum number of overs
    - 16-19 over match -- 5 overs
    - 20-24 over match -- 6 overs

18. The toss shall be made 5 minutes before the scheduled start of the match. If one team is not ready to commence play by 6.30pm (6pm first 2 games and in August) they will be adjudged to have lost the toss.

19. Each team will provide a match ball, which shall be given to the umpire before the toss.
    NB. The league can supply Dukes cricket balls. Contact secretary.

20. Four points shall be awarded for a win and three points to each side if the scores are level at the end of the match. A match not started, or not completed due to weather, light or ground shall count as a draw, and each team shall be awarded two points. The home club shall inform the umpires in advance of any match cancelled. Any team conceding a league game shall be deducted 1 point plus any other punishment determined by the management committee.

21. After each match, each secretary shall submit an exact copy of the score book bearing the names of all nominated players, the time of start and the  signature of the umpires, which shall reach the Hon Secretary within 72 hours of the end of the match. Any team not submitting return within 5 days of the scheduled game shall be deducted 1 point (in addition to any fine) on the second and subsequent occasions.
    This shall be done even if there is no play in the match (though in these circumstances the signatures of the umpires are not required), such nominations acting as qualification for playing Cup matches.
    Both teams shall be responsible for late starts and fines £1.00 unless information to the contrary is given on the return,

    Re-arrangement of Fixtures

22. Where a pitch is commandeered by a Senior League, the Hon Secretary will allow the match to be played within 10 days. (Cricket Board requirement) Matches fixed for a Bank Holiday may be re-arranged for a later date in the same week. Any other fixtures shall only be re-arranged with the permission of the Hon. Secretary and with the consent of both clubs concerned. Matches shall not be re-arranged for a later date in the season,

23. The home club shall inform the Hon umpires Secretary of any re-arranged matches, giving at least 7 day's notice before the new date or the original date fixed, whichever is the earlier.

    Protests

24. A protest in respect of any match shall be lodged with the Hon Secretary within 3 days of the completion of the match, accompanied by a deposit of £5.00. The protesting club shall send a copy of the protest to the opposing club. The deposit shall be forfeited if the protest is not upheld.

25. The Hon Secretary shall inform clubs when a protest will be heard, and both clubs shall be represented. Any club failing to appear shall be fined and the protest dealt with in their absence.

    Umpires

26. The League shall when possible provide neutral umpires for each match. Failing the arrival of neutral umpires, the Captains shall agree on who will officiate.

27. The fee shall be £18.00 per umpire, (£27.00 if only one umpire officiating at bowler’s end throughout match) plus actual travelling expenses by the most cost effective route. Umpires attending a match on the day fixed and the match not being started due to ground,weather or light shall receive £2.00 plus travelling expenses.

28. The home club is responsible for paying both umpires, and shall inform the umpires and the umpires secretary in advance of a match cancelled.

29. The League shall take out suitable insurance for the League's umpires.

    League Positions

30. The total number of points obtained by teams shall determine their position in the league table. In the event of two or more teams having the same number of points, their relative positions shall be determined by their average of runs scored per wickets lost.

31. At the end of the season, the top two teams in each division except the first shall be promoted, and the bottom two teams in each division shall be relegated with the exception of the lowest division where the teams shall be eleigible for re-election.

    Behaviour

32. It is the duty of umpires and other Officials of the League as well as any member of the League, to report to the Management Committee any act which he feels is not in keeping with the spirit of the game, or is detrimental to the running of the League.

33. The league shall adopt the ECB code of discipline. All matters being dealt with by a three man sub-committee. Appeals shall be similarly deaalt with. Any appeal must be in writing and in the hands of the league secretary within 14 days of the original hearing accompanied by £10.00 (part of which may be refunded). Protests under rule 25 will also be dealt with by these sub-committees.

    33A  The appointment and use of any legal representative shall be at the expense of the person making the appointment.

    Awards and Trophies

34. Trophies shall be presented annually to the winners of the League and Cup competitions. In addition, awards shall be made for the following individual performances:

    1. the best batting average (minimum innings qualification 60% of matches played by the team).
    2. the best bowling average (minimum wickets qualification 25 wickets or the highest number taken if less than 25).
    3. the highest individual score.
    4. the highest number of victims for a wicketkeeper (minimum  7)
    5. fielding - the highest number of catches (minimum 7)

    Only league matches shall count for these awards.

35. Teams and individuals winning trophies shall return them to the Hon. Secretary by 31st Dec in the year following that for which they were awarded, except that the League Challenge Cup shall be returned at least 7 days before the date of the next final. A fine of �5.00 per week or part thereof shall be imposed for the failure to return a trophy.

36. All trophies shall be returned in good, clean condition.

37. The President, Chairman and Hon Secretary shall act as trustees for all trophies, funds and properties held by the League. The Hon Treasurer shall take out any insurance that the Management Committee shall direct.

    Change of Rules

    The foregoing Rules shall not be altered or amended except by the affirmative resolution of two-thirds of the member clubs voting at the AGM or a General Meeting called for the purpose.

    Ref Rule 33.

    In accordance with the ECB code of conduct, any player suspended by ANY League shall be suspended from  ALL CRICKET.  The onus is on the suspending league to ensure the player is aware of this and to inform other leagues which could be affected.

    Any player who has been refused registration by the Midweek League is not suspended under the above procedures.