Mercantile Cricket Association - Twenty20 Rules

1 Playing Conditions

The Laws of Cricket (2000 Code 2nd Edition 2003) and Premier Rules, except as varied hereunder, shall apply.

2 Duration of Match & Nomination of Teams

The matches will consist of one innings per side, each innings being limited to a maximum of 20 overs. Teams shall be 11 per side and shall be nominated on a Team Sheet to the opposing Captain at the toss.

3 Hours of Play and Intervals

Standard Scheduled Start and Cessation Times are as follows for the Preliminary Rounds (Jan 4 @ Fawkner Park - grounds tba at Draw Launch):

Morning Session Middle Session Afternoon Session

First Innings 9.00am - 10.15am 12 noon - 1.15pm 3.00pm - 4.15pm

Interval 10.15am - 10.35am 1.15pm - 1.35pm 4.15pm - 4.35pm

Second Innings 10.35am - 11.50am 1.35pm - 2.50pm 4.35pm - 5.55pm

Standard Scheduled Start and Cessation Times are as follows for the Final Rounds (Jan 26 - Fawkner Park - grounds tba @ Draw Launch):

Semi Finals Final

First Innings 11.00am - 12.15pm 2.30pm - 3.45pm

Interval 12.15pm - 12.35pm 3.45pm - 4.05pm

Second Innings 12.35pm - 1.50pm 4.05pm - 5.20pm

Intervals

Intervals between innings shall be a maximum of 20 minutes duration. No drinks intervals are permitted. No Play

If no play is possible, or the match is a tie or no result, a "bowl out" may take place (refer Rule 6.2 for details). Control of Match In the event that no umpires are present, the opposing teams shall umpire. An MCA appointed Match Referee shall be on hand to officiate or adjudicate in place of the umpire where specified throughout these Rules.

4 Length of Innings

4.1 Uninterrupted matches Each team shall bat for 20 overs unless all out earlier. If the team batting first is dismissed in fewer than 20 overs, the team batting second shall be entitled to bat for 20 overs. Strict adherence to over rates must be observed.

4.2 Delayed or interrupted matches

(a) Where a match is interrupted, or delayed, the innings of the team batting first shall be reduced by 1 over for each 7 minutes lost. The team batting second shall receive the same number of overs as the first batting team. Where an interruption or delay reduces the match to less than 5 overs per batting team, the match shall be decided by a bowl out (refer Rule 6.2). (b) Where the team batting second, is not able to receive a minimum of 5 overs, the match result shall be determined by a bowl out. (c) In the event that the team batting second receives a minimum of 5 overs, but not the full overs of the team batting first (20 overs for this example), the match result shall be determined by reducing the required total of the team batting second by adding the highest and lowest scoring overs of the team batting first and dividing this total by 2. The result shall be deducted from the original required total to obtain a 19 over required total and subtracted again from the new figure to obtain the 18 over required total. For 17 or 18 over required totals, use the same formula but use the 2 nd highest and 2 nd lowest scoring overs. For 15 or 16 over required totals, the 3 rd highest and 3 rd lowest scoring overs shall be used to calculate the total, and so on.

5 The Ball

Balls may be new or used. Balls are to be red, leather 4 -piece cricket balls. Balls are to be supplied by the Clubs.

6 The Result

6.1 When there is no interruption after play has commenced and when both sides have had the opportunity of batting for the same agreed number of overs, the team scoring the higher number of runs shall be the winner. A tie is equal runs, irrespective of wickets lost: refer 6.2. A win is worth 2 points. A tie or no -result (refer 6.2.2a) is worth 1 point.

6.2 Bowl-Out

In the event of a tie (either the number of runs scored or as a result of the Deciding Score Calculation) or no result, if circumstances permit, a ‘bowl-out' will be contested to achieve a result. The Match Referee shall be the sole judge whether circumstances permit. The "Bowl-out" shall occur as follows:

6.2.1 Bowl-out procedures

(a) Subject to weather conditions the bowl out will take place on the scheduled day of the match at a time to be determined by the Umpires. In normal circumstances the bowl out shall commence 15 minutes after the conclusion of the match. (b) The bowl out will take place on the pitch allocated for the match (the designated pitch) unless otherwise determined by the umpires in consultation with the ground authority. (c) A full set of stumps, including bails, will be pitched at both ends of the designated pitch. (d) The bowlers will all bowl from the same end to be determined by the umpires or Match Referee. (e) The umpires or Match Referee shall select the ball (not a new one) and both sides will use it. If this ball becomes wet, the umpires or Match Referee shall replace it with one that has similar wear. (f) 5 minutes prior to the start of the bowl out, the captains shall toss a coin for the right to decide which team bowls first or second in the bowl out. The umpires or Match Referee will supervise the toss. (g) The captains shall nominate their five bowlers in writing to the Umpires prior to the toss. Such bowlers must be from the 11 nominated players for that match. The wicket keeper may be one of the nominated bowlers in which case one of the players not nominated as a bowler in the bowl out shall perform the wicket keeping responsibilities during the bowl out. (h) Following the toss the nominated bowlers (and, if the captain is not one of the bowlers, the captain), the wicket keepers and the coaches from each side will take up a position on the field at mid wicket/extra cover. (i) The on-field umpires shall take up their normal positions at the bowler's end and at square leg respectively. (j) The nominated bowlers shall each bowl a delivery making a total of 10 deliveries (5 from each team). (k) The deliveries are taken alternatively by the teams. (l) The bowlers must bowl in the same sequence as the list of players nominated and communicated by the team cap tains to the umpires prior to the toss for the bowl out. (m) The team with the most number of hits after five deliveries each shall be declared the winner. If, after both teams have bowled 5 deliveries, both have scored the same number of hits on the wicket, or have not scored any hits, a second series of deliveries must be started with the same players, subject to injury (see point "n" below), and shall continue until one team has scored a hit more than the other from the same number of deliveries. That team shall be declared the winner. The sequence of bowlers need not be the same as in the previous series and the captain shall have the freedom of choice at the time of each delivery as to which of the 5 nominated bowlers shall bowl. In the second series, all 5 nominated bowlers shall bowl a delivery before any of them are eligible to bowl a further delivery. (n) If any of the nominated bowlers is injured during the bowl out (at any time after the toss has been taken), the injured bowler may be replaced by another player who was a member of the 11 players nominated for the match. For the sake of clarity, the replacement bowler may not be one of the other nominated bowlers. (o) The Umpires or Match Referee will be responsible for making sure only the nominated bowlers actually bowl, that the correct sequence is followed and that no bowler bowls more than once until permitted to do so. (p) The wicket keeper will not be permitted to stand up to the stumps. (q) The teams shall be entitled to a warm up period prior to the toss for the bowl out. Players shall be entitled to measure and practice their run ups during this warm up period provided no player shall be entitled to bowl any delivery on the square itself. (r) Once the toss has taken place no further practice deliveries, measurement or practice of run ups shall be allowed (whether on the square or outfield). (s) The umpires or Match Referee will be responsible for officially recording the number of ‘hits' on the wicket (bowled down as per Law 28.1 - The Wicket is down). (t) Law 24 - No Balls - shall apply. In the case of an infringement the umpire or Match Referee shall call and signal ‘no ball' and the delivery shall be considered a miss and will not be retaken. A hit achieved with a "fair" delivery shall be signalled by the bowling end umpire in the manner of an out dismissal. (u) The u mpires' decision shall be final as to the fairness of the delivery and the result of the bowl out.

6.2.2 Bowl-out not possible

(a) In Preliminary matches, if the minimum number of overs have been bowled to constitute a match (5 overs per team) and circumstances make a ‘Bowl-out' impossible, the match shall be declared a Tie (b) If circumstances make a "Bowl-out" impossible in the Final the team that finished higher on the points table at the conclusion of the Preliminary matches shall be declared the winner.

6.3.1 Groups and Draw (a) The four Groups shall be as follows: Group A - Carnegie, Sacred Heart, Monash Uni/Gryphons Group B - Barnawartha, Melb Uni, Parkville District Group C - Burnley CYMS, Gunbower United, Powerhouse Group D - Coles Sharks, Emmanuel South Oakleigh, South Yarra (b) The Draw

The Draw for the MCA Twenty 20 Draw shall be conducted at the Draw Launch at the 2008 Christmas Delegates meeting to be held on December 8 th , 2008 @ Righetti Oval.

6.3.2 After the preliminary matches, the top team in each group will progress to the semi-final(s) based on their performances (points and net run-rate) in the preliminary rounds. These four teams will be ranked based on their Groups and the semi- final(s) will be played as follows: A v D, B v C. The two winning semi-final teams will play in the Final.

6.3.3 The tie-breakers for teams finishing on equal points will be: (a) Most wins in preliminary matches. (b) When teams have equal points and equal wins, the team with the higher net run rate in the preliminary matches will be placed in the higher position (see Rule 6.3.4). (c) If still equal, the team with the higher number of wickets taken per balls bowled in the preliminary matches in which results were achieved, will be placed in the higher position. (d) In the event that teams cannot be separated by (a) to (c) above, this will be done by the toss of a coin.

6.3.4 Net Run Rate A team's net run rate is calculated by deducting from the average runs per over scored by that team, the average runs per over scored against that team. In the event of a team being all out in less than its full quota of overs, the calculation of its net run rate shall be based on the full quota of overs to which it would have been entitled and not on the number of overs in which the team was dismissed. Only those matches where results are achieved will count for the purpose of net run rate calculations.

7 Bowling Procedure

Overs are to be bowled in five-over blocks alternating between ends, i.e. Overs 1-5 are bowled from one end, overs 6-10 are bowled from the other end, etc. At the end of each over, only the two batsmen and two umpires change ends. Apart from the normal field position changes, the fieldsmen only change after each five over block. At the end of each five-over block, the umpires and batsmen remain at the same end.

8 Declarations

The captain of the batting side may not declare his innings closed at any time during the course of a match.

10 Free Hit after a Foot Fault No Ball

The delivery following a no ball called for a foot fault (Law 24.5 - No ball) shall be a free hit for whichever batsman is facing it. If the delivery for the free hit is not a legitimate delivery (any kind of no ball or a wide), then the next delivery will become a free hit for whichever batsman is facing it. For any free hit, the striker can be dismissed only under the circumstances that apply for a no ball, even if the delivery for the free hit is called wide. Field changes will only be permitted for free hit deliveries if a different batsman is on strike for the free hit delivery.

11 Law 31 - Timed Out

Law 31 will apply. Either the incoming batsman or his partner, whichever the circumstances of the match require, must be in position to take guard to be ready to receive the next ball within 1 minute 30 seconds of the fall of the previous wicket. The incoming batsman is expected to be ready near the boundary to make his way to the wicket immediately a wicket falls, and is expected to jog to the wicket.

12 Clothing

Players are permitted to wear normal white clothing. Any advertising or sponsors logos must be pre-approved by the MCA Executive.