1.GENERAL

1.1Title

The league shall be called the "Bedford and District Cricket League". The League shall be open to all bona fide Clubs in the County of Bedford and the vicinity, subject to the approval of the Committee.

1.2Officials

The Officials of the League shall consist of a President, Vice-Presidents, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Committee, Treasurer and Secretary, who shall be elected annually.

1.3 League Secretary

The Secretary of the League shall be one who does not hold secretarial office in any Club connected with the League.

1.4 Management

The Management shall be by a General Committee who will appoint an Executive Committee from its body.

1.5 General Committee

The General Committee shall consist of one representative for each team registered with the League together with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Executive Committee. Each individual shall have one vote but the official occupying the chair at the meeting may, in the event of a tie upon any matter, use a second or casting vote. This Committee shall deal with Divisions, decide eligibility of players and teams. Clubs must send a representative to the meetings of the Committee or be fined ?2 for each occasion, except the com?bined AGM/Fixture Meeting where the fine shall be ?5.

1.6 Executive Committee

The Executive Committee shall consist of 7 members elected by the General Committee together with the Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. This election shall take place at the Annual General Meeting or at a meeting of the General Committee to be called for the purpose on or before 31st March. This Committee shall have full executive powers to carry out the business of the League, matters referred to it by the General Committee, in accordance with the policy and laws contained in these rules.

1.7 Special Meetings

A General Meeting shall be held annually on or before 31st March, when the officers shall be elected, 14 days' notice to be given with the agenda of business. The secretary shall convene Meetings at the instruction of the Executive Committee or at any reasonable time he may deem it neces?sary, or on the requisition of four League Clubs, signed by the Secretaries, shall call a special General Meeting of the League, 14 days' notice of such General Meeting to be sent to each Club.

1.8 League Property

The Chairman, Vice-Chairman, and Treasurer shall, during their term of office, be considered the joint owners of all property belonging to the League - this ownership ceases when the person vacates office and passes to the person elected in his stead. The League Trophies will be held by the winning clubs for one year and must be returned to the Secretary by 31st August in each year.

1.9 Auditors

Two Auditors shall be elected at the Annual Meeting to audit the annual League Accounts, and a duly certified Balance Sheet shall be presented at the Annual Meeting.

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2.LEAGUE STRUCTURE

2.1 Divisions of League

The League shall consist of Premier, First, Second, Third and Fourth Divisions. Winners and runners-up in the First, Second, Third and Fourth Divisions will move up to the next highest Divisions in the following season. The two bottom teams in the Premier, First, Second and Third Divisions will move down to the next lowest Division in the following season. Exceptions to this Rule may be authorised by the Executive Committee.

2.2 Shields, Cups and Medals

Eleven League Medals shall be awarded annually to the Champion Clubs in each Division, if funds permit. The League Shield to be held annually by the Champions of the Premier Division, The High Sheriff of Bedfordshire's Challenge Cup by the Champions of the First Division, the Whitchurch Cup by the Champions of the Second Division and the Third and Fourth Division trophies by the Champions of these Divisions. All teams who finish runners-up in all Divisions shall be entitled to buy, through the League, at their club's expense, runners-up medals with the Beds. League Centre placed on them.

2.3 Withdrawal

Teams withdrawing from the League after the Annual General Meeting will be fined ?5.

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3.REGISTRATION

3.1Registration of Members and Teams

Each member of a League Club shall be registered on the reg?istration form provided, and this form shall bear the signature of the Secretary of that Club. A fee of 20p for each Member shall be paid to the League at the time of Registration. In addition, each Club shall pay an annual subscription of ?20 for each team entered by that Club. This subscription will include 20 handbooks. The Committee reserve the right to refuse Registration to any player.

3.2 Registrations

All registrations shall be handed in at a meeting of the General Committee to be held as required at the beginning of the season.

3.3 Period of Registration

Any subsequent registrations shall be registered on the official form provided by the League Secretary and the appropriate fee paid by 9 p.m. on the Friday preceding the match. Late registratons can be accepted on the day of the match provided that the newly registered member is clearly annotated NRM on the result card. The official form and registration fee must accompany the result card.

3.4 Qualifications of Members

No player shall be allowed to play for more than one League Club, of which he is a qualified member.

3.5 Professionals

Professionals shall be allowed to play in the Premier and First Divisions of the League, but debarred from playing in other Divisions.

3.6 Penalty for Non-Registration

A club playing an ineligible player shall be fined ?5 for each non-registered player, and the match shall be awarded to the opponents. The time limit referred to in Rule 7.2 does not apply to this Rule.

3.7 Transfers

In the event of any member of a Club wishing to be transferred to another Club within the League, the player may do so providing the Club he has already signed for gives him written permission and the player also obtains the sanction of the Secretary. No transfers will be permitted after 1st August.

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4.FIXTURES

4.1 Matches

All fixtures shall be made by the Secretary who shall furnish each team or Club with a list of the fixtures so made seven days prior to Fixture Meeting. The Secretary must be informed by Clubs, before 31st January, of dates unavailable for fixtures.

4.2 Fulfilment of Fixtures

All matches must be played upon the dates arranged. Clubs failing to fulfil any fixture shall lose the points. In the event of bad weather, or in cases where two teams arrive on the ground and play is impossible owing to the weather or bad state of the wicket, both teams shall be awarded six points. In all cases visiting clubs must go to the home club on the date fixed unless they receive a notification from the home club that the ground is unfit. It is the responsibility of the home team to advise the visiting team by the Wednesday prior to the Match, of the venue and availability of teas. League fixtures arranged as such, must take precedence over friendly matches. All league matches shall be completed not later than September 30th in each year. In the event of a club with more than one team in the League being unable to fulfil a fixture, the Senior match (matches) will take precedence.

4.3 One-day Matches

All matches shall be conducted under the laws of cricket governing one-day matches with the exception of the provisions as laid down in rules 4.4.

4.4 Time for Matches

All matches shall commence at 2.30 pm excepting all matches played in September - these to commence at 2 pm. Provided that both teams agree, an earlier start can be made. All matches will be played for a maximum of 40 overs but the Captains may agree to a smaller number of overs with a minimum of 28. Bowlers shall be limited to a maximum of a quarter of the overs available for the innings (rounded down). The match will be deemed to be over when both teams have completed their innings or the winning run is scored. After the match is completed any further play will be by the agree?ment of the Captains and will be ignored for the purposes of the averages. Any Club reported for failing to turn out on time will be fined ?5.

4.5 Umpires and Scorers

Each Club shall appoint its own Scorer and Umpire. Clubs wishing for Neutral Umpires shall make application to the League Secretary fourteen days before they are required, and he shall have the power to nominate two, provided the applying Club pays the fees as laid down by the Bedfordshire Association of Cricket Umpires, plus travelling expenses.

4.6 Umpires being Absent

In the case of either of the appointed neutral Umpires not being present, the captains in the matches concerned may mutually agree upon substitutes on the ground; by doing so the game will be officially recognised. In the event of only one neutral umpire being present, he/she shall stand at the bowler's end for all overs throughout the game.

4.7 Tackle

The Home Club shall in all cases provide a new leather ball, the stumps, bails and ground with changing facilities, such ground having been approved by the Committee.

4.8 Score Books

Each Score Book must be signed at the end of every game by the Scorer of the opposing side and the Captains, and in the event of the Captain refusing the sign the Score Books should be forwarded to the League Secretary without delay for examination.

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