LEAGUE MATCH BYE-LAWS RESPECTING PLAYERS

PART 1- REGISTRATION

1.Only bona fide playing members of the Lancashire County League clubs shall be eligible to play in the competition. (A bona fide member is a player who has been formally accepted as a member by the Committee of that club and who has fulfilled the subscription requirement for the current year. Nor shall he/she have any outstanding commitment to a previous club).

2.Uncapped players on County groundstaffs (or with M.C.C. Young Cricketers) shall be allowed to play for their parent club only until awarded a County Cap, or have played as a substitute professional in another League.

3. No individual playing for any other club in any other Saturday League shall be considered eligible at any time.

4(a). At the start of each season, every club shall submit a club list of registered players to the League Secretary (or nominated official) no later than 1 week before the first League fixtures. Failure to do so will result in a fine of £10 in each case. Players are not registered and may not play until confirmation is received from the League Secretary (or nominated official).

4(b). The L.C.B. Form "A" shall be used and each player shall sign opposite his/her full name, also stating that he/she agrees to abide by the Code of Conduct provided.

5.No club shall register as an amateur player, any person who has, during the current season, played as a professional for any other League Club, County or Country without special permission of the League Management Committee.

6.Juniors, aged 10 upwards, who may play for a team at some stage during the season, shall be registered.

7. A player shall have been resident in England for 12 months before the start of the season, unless an ex-patriot.

8. Any added registrations during the season shall be on L.C.B. Form "B" and shall have been approved by the authorised official within 7 days of that person playing in a game. Players are not registered and may not play further games until confirmation is received from the League Secretary (or nominated official).

9(a). No player shall be allowed to play with more than one club in the League without the sanction of his club and the League Management Committee as 8. above. A player desiring a transfer must make written application to the League Secretary, on L.C.B. Form "B", enclosing consent from his club to such transfer seven days prior to the match he wishes to play in. (University and College students, together with schoolboys, shall not be disbarred by this rule).

9(b). This means that any player so transferred cannot play in consecutive League matches in one season with different clubs. At least one match is missed.

9(c). No transfers will take place after 31st July in each season.

10(a). The last date for addition to the registration list shall be 31st July each year, except with the special  permission of the League Management Committee.

10(b). Any club playing an unregistered player at any time of the season shall forfeit all points gained in that match, or if a cup tie, the match shall be awarded to their opponents.

11. A player shall be a free agent during the winter (from 30th September until he/she plays his/her first league match of the following season) provided that he/she has met all outstanding obligations to his/her club. Any winter transfer must be approved on L.C.B. Transfer of Registration Form "C" by the League Management Committee or designated body, before a player can play in a match.

12. Clubs may, on or before the first Tuesday in April, register the name of one player who will be paid specifically to play cricket for that club - this person shall be known as the professional. Other paid servants of the club in whatever capacity may not play cricket for that club unless they become the registered professional, except in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the League Management Committee.

13. On it being proved that any financial inducement or benefit in kind whatever has been offered to any member of a League club to secure his services for another League club, the offending club may be fined £100, and if a player accepts such inducement, he shall be disqualified for such period as the League Management Committee decide. A player offering his services for any consideration to any League club shall be immediately disqualified for such period as the League Management Committee decide.

14. A club may register either a professional or an overseas player. An overseas player shall be defined as a player who has not been resident in U.K. for 12 months prior to the commencement of the season. All overseas players shall be registered with the League Secretary before playing in the League or Cup and by the May League Management Committee meeting at the latest.

15. The League Management Committee shall have the power to call upon any club or player to produce any books, letters, documents or other evidence which the Committee may desire in relation to the carrying out of the Rules of the League. Each club must publish an Annual statement of accounts, a copy of which must be forwarded to the League Secretary on request.

16(a). Prior to the start of each season, a letter must be forwarded to the League Secretary, signed by the Chairman and Secretary of each club, which will certify that no payments in cash or kind have been made by the club concerned, or any other individual, business, sponsor etc., to amateur players. (The Management Committee reserve the right to determine the definition of the aforesaid should such payments be brought to their attention).

16(b). Any club found to be in breach of this bye-law will be fined £1,000 and lose all points that they have accrued so far that season.

17. The League Management Committee (or nominated official) shall have the power to act in any circumstances not covered by these byelaws on player’s registration.

18(a). The League Management Committee (or nominated official) shall have the power to refuse to register any player, subject to the player being advised of the reason and being able to appeal against the decision. The player shall have the right to attend an Appeal Hearing and make any written submissions in support of his/her appeal, as shall
representatives of his/her club against it.

18(b). The appeal shall be to the League Management Committee (or designated body) in accordance with the rules for Appeals laid down by the League.

PART 2- GENERAL

19.No player shall play in any match under the auspices of this League who is currently suspended from playing for any reason whatever by any other League.

20. No player who has played in six or more 1st XI matches shall be eligible to play in the last three 2nd XI matches, unless he/she has played in the 2nd XI on three or more occasions during the season.

21. Substitute professionals will not be allowed. A replacement professional may be permitted for the remainder of the season if the original contracted professional suffers long term injury prior to the third Saturday in June.

22. No League club professional shall be engaged (or approached with a view to engagement) by another League club for the following season before 1st August without the consent of his present club. Penalty £100.

23. No registered professional shall be allowed to play for more than one club in the League Competition during the season.

24. All players must appear in full cricket costume.

25(a) The League takes preference on any players selected for Lancashire County League representative matches (i.e. playing in the Lancashire Inter-League Knock-Out Competition).

25(b). In circumstances where a player is selected for a Lancashire County League representative match in the Lancashire Inter-League Knock-Out Competition and is selected by and plays for his club on the same day, the following penalties shall apply:-

i] The individual player shall serve an automatic three (3) match ban for consecutive League/Cup games.  The ban will take effect from the next available match following the representative game.

ii] In addition the club will be automatically fined £150.

25(c). Any such penalties will be notified in writing by the League Secretary to the appropriate club Secretary.

26. Number of overs per bowler, now includes the E.C.B. Fast Bowling Directives, relating to players Under 19 and below.

The E.C.B. Fast Bowling Directives March 2002 version will apply to all matches in the Lancashire County League and Cup Competitions. A fast bowler is defined as a bowler to whom a wicket keeper in normal circumstances would stand back to take the ball. Bowlers aged Under 19, cannot bowl more than 7 overs in any one spell with a maximum of 21 overs per day. For Under 17 and Under 16 players the restriction is a maximum of 6 overs in any one spell with a maximum of 18 overs per day. For Under 15 and Under 14 players the restriction is a maximum of 5 overs in any one spell with a maximum of 10 overs per day. For Under 13 players the restriction is a maximum of 4 overs in any one spell, with a maximum of 8 overs per day. Having completed a spell the bowler cannot bowl again, from either end, until an equivalent number of overs to the length of his spell have been bowled from the same end. A bowler can change ends without ending his current spell provided that he bowls the next over that he legally can from the other end. If this does not happen his spell is deemed to be concluded. If play is interrupted, for any reason, for less than 40 minutes, any spell in progress at the time of the interruption can be continued after the interruption up to the maximum number of overs per spell for the appropriate age group. If the spell is not continued after the interruption the bowler cannot bowl again, from either end, until the equivalent number of overs to the length of his spell before the interruption have been bowled from the same end. If the interruption is of 40 minutes or more, whether scheduled or not, the bowler can commence a new spell immediately.

Once a bowler covered by these Directives has bowled in a match he cannot exceed the maximum number of overs per day for his age group even if he subsequently bowls spin. He can exceed the maximum overs per spell if bowling spin, but cannot then revert to bowling fast until an equivalent number of overs to the length of his spell have been bowled from the same end. If he bowls spin without exceeding the maximum number of overs in a spell the maximum will apply as soon as he reverts to bowling fast.

Note: Because of these restrictions, the maximum number of overs that can be bowled by young fast bowlers in a 50 over Lancashire County League innings are as follows:-

  Under 19                 16 overs
  Under 17, Under 16  13 overs
  Under 15, Under 14  10 overs
  Under 13                   8 overs

These overs could be reduced further if the bowler has already bowled any overs earlier in the day.

27. Fielding restrictions - No fielder except the wicket keeper, shall be allowed to field nearer than the distances shown below, measured from the middle stump, except behind the wicket on the off side, until the batsman has played at the ball:-

  Under 15's     8 yards (7.3 metres)
  Under 13's   11 yards (10 metres)

These minimum distances apply even if the player is wearing a helmet.

Should a young player in these age groups come within the restricted distance the umpire must stop the game immediately and instruct the fielder to move back.

In addition any young player in the Under 16 to Under 18 age groups, who has not reached the age of 18 must wear a helmet and, for boys, an abdominal protector (box) when fielding within 6 yards (5.5 metres) of the bat, except behind the wicket on the off side. Players should wear appropriate protective equipment whenever they are fielding in a position where they feel at risk.

28. Safety guidance on the wearing of cricket helmets by young players. - The England and Wales Cricket Boars has issued safety guidance on the wearing of cricket helmets by younger players.
A helmet is to be worn by young players when batting and when standing up to the stumps when keeping wicket against a hard cricket ball in matches and in practice.
A young player should not be allowed to bat or to stand up to the stumps when keeping wicket without a helmet against a hard ball.
Coaches, teachers, managers and umpires should always ensure that a young player wears a helmet.
Players should regard a helmet with a faceguard as a normal item if protective equipment when batting against a hard ball, together with pads, gloves and, for boys, an abdominal protector (box).
There is a British Standard (BS7928:1998) for cricket helmets and it is in the best interests of players to ensure that their helmet conforms to this standard.

The ECB recommends that this guidance is followed by all players up to the age of 18. It applies to young players in adult cricket as well as to all junior cricket played with a hard cricket ball.

29. Team Managers and/or Captains are responsible for providing the Umpires with a Team Sheet showing the ages of any player who is aged Under 19 or below before the toss for innings takes place. A player is classified Under 19, (Under 17, etc.) if they are Under 19 years of age (Under 17 etc.) at midnight on 31st August prior to the season of the competition.

30. Umpires are requested to ensure that the above playing conditions are strictly adhered to in all circumstances.

31. The League Management Committee have power to deal with any breach of these Rules/Bye-Laws as they deem fit.