Regulation changes for the 2001 First Class season
Following are the main regulation changes which have been approved for the 2001 season by the ECB
Following are the main regulation changes which have been approved for the 2001 season by the ECB.
County Championship: slow over-rates
The Board's Cricket Advisory Committee acknowledged that the current system
of fines was not reducing the slow over-rates in County Championship cricket. From the 2001 season, a system of penalty points will instead be applied for slow over-rates, on a match by match basis.
In explanation: the minimum over-rate for all teams in every match throughout the season will be 16 overs per hour. If a team fails to attain this over-rate, calculated over the duration of the match, it will be deducted championship points on the following basis:
1 over short of the match target 0.25 points deduction 2 overs short of the match target 0.50 points deduction 3 overs short of the match target 0.75 points deduction etc.When calculating the over-rate, no allowances will be made for wickets taken or for drinks intervals. However, any suspension of play for an injury to a player or for any other reason beyond the control of the players shall be a deductible allowance.
Only innings that have lasted 60 overs or more shall qualify for the purpose of over-rate calculations with the exception that if a team has bowled the opposition out in less than 60 overs and achieved an over-rate above 16 overs per hour then that will be taken into account when calculating the overall rate for the match.
Durham UCCE gains First Class status
In addition to the Cambridge and Oxford University Cricket Centres of
Excellence, games involving Durham UCCE against First Class Counties have
been awarded First Class status. Matches between the three other UCCEs
(Bradford & Leeds, Cardiff and Loughborough) and First Class Counties will
not be given First Class status for the 2001 season, but this will be
reviewed on an annual basis.
First Class status for the three or four-day contest between Oxford and Cambridge Universities has been confirmed for the 2001 and 2002 seasons.
Domestic one-day competitions: slow over-rate
The current system for combating slow over-rates in one-day cricket -
over-rate fines and the notion of the team batting second only receiving
what it had bowled at the cessation time for the first innings - has been
replaced for the 2001 season.
In future, six runs will be credited to the batting side for each complete over not bowled by the designated 'cut-off' time.
In explanation: all sides will be expected to be in position to bowl the first ball of the last of their scheduled overs by a specific playing time. In the event of them failing to do so, the full quota of overs will be completed, and the batting side will be credited with six runs for every whole over that has not been bowled. This will apply to both innings of the match.
If the side batting second is credited with runs in this way and this subsequently takes their score past that of the side batting first, then the match shall be deemed to be won by the side batting second.
If the innings is limited, via a delayed start or an interruption, the calculations will be revised accordingly. Penalties will apply only to innings of at least one hour's duration.
Cricket balls
In order to maximise consistency, the Cricket Advisory Committee has approved the use of particular makes of ball for nominated competitions in 2001.
County Championship Dukes Norwich Union National Cricket League Readers (white ball) Benson & Hedges Cup Readers Trophy (formerly NatWest Trophy) Dukes Second Xl Trophy Dukes Orange balls County Second XI Championship Any BSI licensed ball* County U19 two-day competition Kookaburra (if licensed)
*Three manufacturers currently have BSI Licensed balls: Dukes, Readers and Oxbridge. Kookaburra expect to gain their license in the near future.
In future, the ECB will source and distribute the balls to the Counties centrally. This will allow manufacturers to work closer to ECB guidelines and will allow the ECB to conduct quality control checks more easily.
Replacement of overseas players
Subject to final approval by the First Class Forum (FCF) at its meeting on
14 December 2000, there will be provision in the regulations for replacement
of injured overseas players from the start of the 2001 season and for replacement of overseas players on international duty from the start of the
2002 season. This second measure is being delayed until 2002 so as not to
disadvantage those Counties that have already selected their overseas player
for the 2001 season, taking availability for the whole season into account.
Further details will be available following the FCF meeting.
Intimidatory appealing / premature celebrations
New regulation introduced to prevent intimidatory appealing and premature
celebrations from the fielding side. The new regulation will read:
"In the event of an appeal, all members of the fielding team must maintain
their fielding positions until a decision is given, unless legitimately in
the act of fielding or backing up the ball which is not yet dead. For the
purposes of this playing condition, a referral to the third umpire will
constitute a decision".
Note:
A number of other minor regulation changes have also been approved.
For full details, please contact Mark Hodgson at the ECB on 020 7432 1251.
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