Portman National Under 15 Club Cricket Championship
COMPETITION RULES
1. TITLE
The title of the Competition shall be the Portman National Under 15 Club Cricket Championship.
2. MANAGEMENT
The control of the Competition shall be undertaken by the ECB Schools, Junior & Youth Sub-Group
and all decisions relating to these rules or to matches played in the Competition shall be final and
binding on all concerned.
3. ENTRY
3.1. County: Entries must be made by 1st September in the year prior to the Competition. Counties who participated in the previous year's competition will automatically be included in the Competition for the following year unless written notification to the contrary is given by 1st September 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. 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 Schools, Junior & Youth Sub-Group.
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 Schools, Junior & Youth Sub-Group. The name and contact of the winning club in each county competition must be immediately notified to the ECB's 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 Schools, Junior & Youth Sub-Group. 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 & 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, or because their County Board does not enter the National Competition, 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 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
competitions. 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 when batting and when standing up to the stumps when keeping wicket unless prior written consent has been given by a parent or guardian. The Umpires must be provided with a team sheet before the start of the match identifying any player who has parental consent not to wear a helmet.
9. UMPIRES
Each County Board shall be responsible for the appointment of Umpires in their county competition. In
the County Play-Offs, each County Board shall appoint one umpire who has no connection with the club
representing its county. The ECB shall appoint all Umpires for the Regional and National Finals. All
appointments should be made in conjunction with the local Association of Cricket Umpires & Scorers.
10. FINANCE
Each County Board will receive £5 for each team participating in their county competition. Travel
expenses will be paid to each club in the Regional and National Finals subject to a completed claim
form being submitted by 31st August 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.
PLAYING CONDITIONS 2003
The Laws of Cricket (2000 code) 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.
1.3. No bowler shall bowl more than four overs in a match.
1.4. The team scoring the most runs in its innings shall be the winner.
1.5. Fielding Restrictions
In this Competition:
1.5.1. 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.
1.5.2. For players in the Under 13 age group and below the distance is 11 yards (10 metres).
1.5.3. These minimum distances apply even if the player is wearing a helmet.
1.5.4. 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.
1.5.5. The Manager shall be responsible for informing the umpires which players are under 13 years of age in any particular match.
1.6. Law 40.2 Wicket-Keeping gloves
Law 40.2 will not apply in this competition.
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.
N.B. Counties are encouraged to include Playing Condition 3.5. (Fielding Restrictions) in their
County Finals.
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, at the end of 18
overs, etc.
3.3. If still equal five players shall be nominated to bowl alternately at the wickets from the bowler's end
and the team scoring the most hits shall be the winner.
In the event of the number of hits being equal, the above 5 bowlers shall be nominated to bowl
alternatively in a sudden death bowl out until a winner has been achieved.
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 of 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.
3.5. Restriction on Placement of Fieldsman in County Play-Off, Regional and National Finals:
At the instant of delivery a minimum of four fieldsman (plus the bowler and wicket-keeper) must be
within an area bounded by two semi-circles centred on each middle stump (each with a radius of
30 yards) and joined by a parallel line on each side of the pitch. In the event of an infringement, the
square leg Umpire shall call 'No Ball'. The fielding circle should be marked by painted white 'dots'
at five yard intervals, each 'dot' to be covered by a plastic or rubber (not metal) disc measuring
seven inches in diameter.
