HUNTS COUNTY BATS MIDWEEK COMPETITION 2024

THE MECHANICS

THE NORFOLK SENIOR CUP

All teams will play in the First Round of the Norfolk Senior Cup.

That’s all 24 teams. So there will be 12 winners who progress to the Second Round.

For the Second Round there will have to be some byes. The Second Round has the 12 winners of which 4 will have byes? (4 matches plus 4 byes) Then for the Third Round, we will have the 4 winners plus 4 byes equalling 8 teams. (4 matches)

This leads neatly to the semi finals with 4 teams playing. … and the finals on Sunday 1st September 2024 at Sprowston.

Rules

1. The competition shall be called the Hunts County Bats Midweek Cup Competition and will consist of two distinct tournaments as follows:- The Hunts County Bats Norfolk Senior Cup and The Hunts County Bats Norfolk Junior Cup.
2. The Hunts County Bats Norfolk Senior Cup is the principal tournament.
3. Teams eliminated in the first round of The Hunts County Bats Norfolk Senior Cup shall automatically be entered into The Hunts County Bats Norfolk Junior Cup. If a Preliminary Round is required then the losing side shall automatically be entered into The Hunts County Bats Norfolk Junior Cup.
4. The competition will be managed by the Competition Organiser whose decisions shall be final.
5. Progress in both Cups is on the basis of them having completed their matches within the designated dates.
6. The entrance fee for the whole competition is £20 per team, payable by 30th March 2024.
7. The competition is open to any team that wishes to enter one or more teams. This is subject to the discretion of the Competition Organiser.
8. Professionals. Category 3 players and all overseas professionals whether remunerated financially or in kind are not permitted to play in this competition. Infringement of this rule will result in the immediate expulsion of their team.
9. A player may only play for one team in this competition in any one season. They will be considered to be “Cup Tied”.
10. The finals of both competitions will be played on the 1st September 2024 at a venue to be decided by the Competition Organiser. In the case of bad weather or postponement the reserve date is 8th September 2024.
11. Neutral umpires will be appointed to officiate at both finals.
12. Neutral umpires will be appointed to officiate at any match leading up to the final, if requested, at the expense of the two teams involved.
13. A match shall consist of 20 x 6 ball overs per side.
14. No bowler may bowl more than 4 overs.
15. Leg Side Wides. In addition to MCC Law 25 (Wide Ball), the following shall apply:-
1. Any ball that passes behind the batsman down the leg side shall be called a wide and an additional ball shall be bowled.
2. This shall be unless, in the opinion of the umpire, the ball makes contact with the batsman or his equipment or
3. In the opinion of the umpire, the batsman has moved inside the line of the ball when he would under normal circumstances have made contact with the ball.
16. Tied Games.
1. If the scores are level then the side that has lost fewer wickets shall be deemed the winners.
2. If the number of wickets lost is equal then the team with the superior run rate after the first FIVE completed overs shall be deemed the winners.
3. If these measures fail to produce a result then there shall be a ‘Bowl Off’ where an agreed number of bowlers from each side will bowl alternately at a full wicket. Each side shall bowl a minimum of 6 balls. The side that breaks the wicket the most times shall be deemed to be the winners.
4. The only exception to this shall be when the scores are tied in a final, in which case there will be a SUPER OVER. The bowling side shall be limited to ONE BOWLER. The batting side shall be limited to FOUR BATSMEN. The team with the most runs shall be deemed to be the winners. If the scores are still level then a bowl off as detailed in 16 c) above shall apply.
17. Rain and Bad Light. If rain or bad light prevents the start of completion of a match then, if no agreed date can be found for a replay, then a Bowl Off shall be performed according to 15 c) above.
18. The two captains can agree to play a reduced overs match.
19. Fixtures not completed within the designated dates will mean that the two teams involved will decide between them which one will concede and allow the other to proceed to the next round of the competition. If no agreement can be reached then the Competition Organiser will toss a coin to determine which team goes through to the next round.
20. All matches will start no later than 6.00 pm.
21. The break between innings shall be limited to 5 minutes.
22. Power Play The first 6 overs of a team’s innings shall be a Power Play. There shall be no more than 2 fielders outside a 30 yard circle during this stage.
23. Free Hit. If the bowler delivers a NO BALL then the next delivery shall be a free hit.
24. Dates.
1. Preliminary Rounds, if required, will be completed by 17th May 2024.
2. 1st Round of the Hunts County Bats Norfolk Senior Cup shall be completed by 7th June 2024.
3. The 2nd Round of the Hunts County Bats Norfolk Senior Cup and the 1st Round of the Hunts County Bats Norfolk Junior Cup shall be completed by 28th June 2024.
4. The 3rd Round of the Hunts County Bats Norfolk Senior Cup and the 2nd Round of the Hunts County Bats Norfolk Junior Cup shall be completed by 19th July 2024.
5. The semi-finals of both competitions shall be completed by 9th August 2024.
25. Teams drawn first will have home advantage and will provide their opponents with a choice of THREE dates for the appropriate round within the nominated period as detailed in Rule 24.
26. If the away side is unwilling to play on any of the three dates offered then they will be eliminated from the whole competition.
27. The COMPETITION ORGANISER must be kept informed of all mutually agreed match dates by the HOME team prior to the fixture. This can be via Text, Email or Telephone.
28. Match results and score details must be entered onto PLAY-CRICKET within 24 hours of the match. Failure to do this will, at the discretion of the Competition Organiser, eliminate that team. The losing team will proceed into the Hunts County Bats Norfolk Junior Cup, if appropriate.
29. With the exception of inclement weather causing a match to be cancelled, no team may cancel a fixture. If there are difficulties, they should be brought to the attention of the COMPETITION ORGANISER.
30. The Draw. Draw will be made publicly on ZOOM on Saturday 20th April 2024. The ZOOM link will be emailed to all participating teams at least seven days before the draw is made.
31. Any point not covered by these rules shall be governed by the LAWS OF CRICKET, the ECB guidelines for Junior players in all age cricket and the Disciplinary code of the Norfolk Cricket Board.
32. All other rules relevant to this competition are covered by the Rules of the Mid-Norfolk Sunday Cricket League.