UNDER 15 PORTMAN

1 Title

The title of the Competition shall be the Nationwide Under 15 National Club Cricket Championship.

2 Management

2.1 The control of the Competition shall be undertaken by the ECB Recreational Cricket Group (RCG) and all decisions relating to these rules or to matches played in the Competition shall be final and binding on

all concerned.

2.2 The ECB and RCG may delegate any of their powers

and duties.

3 Entry

3.1 County: Counties who participated in the previous year's Competition shall automatically be included for the following season unless written notification to the contrary is given by 1st October in the year prior to the Competition.

3.2 Clubs: Each club must apply to enter their County Competition by the date specified by their County Board. A club can only enter the County Competition of one County Board irrespective of how many County Boards they are affiliated to. Counties must submit a list of competing clubs and contact addresses each year to the ECB Cricket Department by the date specified by the ECB. All Clubs entering an ECB Competition must be affiliated through their County Cricket Board.

4 Competition Structure

4.1 County: The Competition shall be organised on a County basis and each County Board shall organise their own Competition to determine a winner to enter the National stages of the Competition. All arrangements for County Competitions shall be the responsibility of each County Board and must be completed and reported to the ECB Cricket Department in accordance with the timetable specified by the ECB. The name and contact details of the winning club in each County Competition must be immediately notified to the ECB Cricket Department.

4.2 County Play-Offs: Matches in the County Play-Offs shall be undertaken in accordance with the draw and timetable made each year by the ECB. The results must be notified to the ECB Cricket Department immediately following each match.

4.3 Regional and National Finals: All arrangements for Regional and National Finals shall be made by the ECB Cricket Department.

5 Eligibility

The Competition shall be open to all clubs which are affiliated to the England and Wales Cricket Board through their County Board. Clubs should enter the Competition of the County in which they are physically located (as per the ECB Cricketing County boundaries as currently defined). If a club wishes to enter the Competition of another County for reasons of easier travel or historical precedent this can be arranged provided that the permission of the home County Board is obtained. Such permission should not be unreasonably withheld. A club may enter one or more teams but Rule 6 will apply in so far as each team will be considered as a separate club.

6 Qualification of Players

A player may represent a club in the Competition if they are under 15 years of age at midnight on 31st August prior to the season of the Competition. All players must be bona-fide Junior Members of the club they represent and play for the club in the Junior League or Leagues that the club enters. A player may play for only one club in the Competition in any one season.

7 Cricket Balls

Each County Board shall be responsible for determining the supply of cricket balls for their own County Competition. The ECB shall be responsible for supplying two cricket balls for each match played in the County Play-Offs, the Regional and National Finals.

8 Helmets

Any player playing in this Competition must wear a helmet with a faceguard when batting and when standing up to the stumps when keeping wicket against a hard ball. If, in exceptional circumstances, consent for a player not to wear a helmet has been given in writing by a parent or guardian and accepted by the club or County, that player must be identified on the signed team sheet provided to the umpires prior to the start of each match.

9 Umpires

Each County Board shall be responsible for the appointment of umpires in their County Competition and any matches in the Play-Off Rounds . The ECB shall appoint all umpires for the Regional and National Finals. All appointed umpires must be full members of the ECB Association of Cricket Officials. All umpires must have current CRB clearance.

10 Finance

Each County Board will receive £5 for each team participating in their County Competition. Reasonable travel expenses will be paid to each club in the County Play-Offs and the Regional and National Finals subject to a completed claim form being submitted by 30th September in the year of the Competition.

11 Match Results

11.1 County: Each club must forward the result of their match to their

County Board immediately following the completion of each match.

11.2 County Play-Offs: Each club must forward the result of their match to the ECB Cricket Department immediately following each match in the County Play-Offs.

11.3 Regional and National Finals: Each club must hand a completed result sheet to the ECB organiser immediately following each of the Regional and National Final matches.

12 Code of Conduct

All players, team officials and umpires shall be bound by the MCC Spirit of Cricket and the ECB Code of Conduct.

13 Coaching

Coaching shall not be permitted from the sidelines during a match. In such an event, the umpire shall request the coach/manager/parent to stop. If this persists, the umpire shall have the power to warn the offending team captain and manager that the matter will be reported to the County Board/ECB.

Playing Conditions

The Laws of Cricket (2000 Code 2nd Edition - 2003) shall apply with the following exceptions:

1 In all Matches

1.1 Matches shall consist of one innings per side.

1.2 Each innings shall be of 20 overs duration. A minimum of 10 overs a side will constitute a match. If the number of overs available to each side are not equal then run rate will be used to decide matches prior to the Regional Finals. In Regional and National Finals the Duckworth/Lewis method will be employed.

1.3 No bowler shall bowl more than four overs in a match. In matches of less than 20 overs per side the number of overs per bowler will be reduced pro rata.

1.4 The team scoring the most runs in its innings shall be the winner.

1.5 Restrictions on the placement of Fieldsmen – without Inner Circles

1.5.1 Two semi-circles shall be drawn on the field of play. The semi-circles shall have as their centre the middle stump at either end of the pitch. The radius of each of the semi-circles shall be 30 yards (27.4 metres). The ends of each semi-circle shall be joined to the other by a straight line drawn on the field on the same side of the pitch. The field restriction area should be marked by painted white 'dots' at five-yard intervals, each 'dot' to be covered by a white plastic or rubber (but not metal) disc measuring seven inches in diameter.

1.5.2 At the instant of delivery, there may not be more than five fielders on the leg side.

1.5.3 For the duration of the innings only five fielders are permitted to be outside the field restriction marking at the instant of delivery.

1.5.4 In the event of an infringement of the above fielding restrictions, the umpire at the striker's end shall call and signal 'No Ball'.

1.6 Junior Fielding Restrictions

1.6.1 No young player in the Under 15 age group or younger shall be allowed to field closer than 8 yards (7.3 metres) from the middle stump, except behind the wicket on the off side, until the batsman has played at the ball. A fielder shall be allowed to move into the restricted area to make a catch or field the ball provided that they were outside the area when the stroke was made.

1.6.2 For players in the Under 13 age group and below the distance is 11 yards (10 metres).

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

1.6.4 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.

1.6.5 The Team Manager shall be responsible for identifying to the umpires any players who are in the Under 13 age group or younger.

1.7 Law 40.2 - Wicket Keeping Gloves

Law 40.2 will apply in all ECB Competitions.

1.8 When a batsman reaches or passes the personal total of 50 runs they must ‘retire’ and will not be allowed to return. A batsman can continue their innings beyond 50 if their ‘retirement’ would end the innings before the agreed number of overs have been bowled.

2 In County Competitions

2.1 The procedure for arriving at the winner should the scores be equal shall be determined by each County Board.

3 In County Play-Offs, Regional and National Finals

In the event of the scores of each team being equal the winner shall be determined as follows:

3.1 The side which has taken the greater number of wickets.

3.2 If still equal, the side with the higher score at the end of 19 overs. If still equal, the score at the end of 18 overs, etc.

3.3 In the event of no result being obtained by other methods and where there is no reserve date on which to play the game, a bowl-out (outdoors or indoors) will take place to achieve a result. Five players from each side will bowl two overarm deliveries each at a wicket (conforming to Law 8) from a wicket pitched at a distance of 22 yards (or the length of pitch applicable in the Competition) with, if practicable, bowling, popping and return creases marked (conforming to Law 9). The side, which bowls down the wicket (as defined in Law 28.1a) the most times, shall be the winner. If the scores are equal, the same players will bowl one ball each alternately to achieve a result on a 'sudden death' basis.

The following shall also apply in respect of bowl-outs:

3.3.1 The same suitably acceptable ball (not a new one) will be used by both teams. If this ball becomes wet, it may be changed subject to the umpires' approval.

3.3.2 If a bowler bowls a No ball it will count as one of the two deliveries but will not count towards the score of the team.

3.3.3 If the original match has started, then the five cricketers nominated to take part in the bowl-out must be chosen from the eleven cricketers and 12th man selected to play in the match. If there has been no play in the original match (the toss has not taken place), the five cricketers may be selected from any of the players in the squad as registered on Play-Cricket.

3.3.4 Each side will appoint a wicket-keeper to stand behind the wicket but out of reach of the stumps.

3.4 In the event of a rain curtailed match

3.4.1 The match can be rearranged, if before the original game has been started, both sides can mutually agree a reserve date before the deadline date for that round.

3.4.2 Or, if weather permits, the winner shall be decided by a bowl-out, as defined in 3.3. above.

3.4.3 Or, if a bowl-out is not possible, the winner shall be decided by the toss of a coin.