Willow
League Rules and Points
For a downloadable copy - [Willow
Rules] [v1 14/04/2017]
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THE WILLOW LEAGUE
The Willow League was formed to provide recreational cricket
for adults, with the emphasis firmly on the social, fun and
friendly aspects of the game. It is played mid-week in and
around Cardiff.
WILLOW LEAGUE RULES
The rules of cricket as approved by the MCC shall apply
unless otherwise amended or adapted locally for the League.
The following local rules apply for the 2015 season.
GENERAL RULES - updated for 2017 season
Teams may rearrange games if the date they have been allocated
in the original fixtures is not convenient due to widespread
unavailability of players, unavailability of designated pitch
etc: providing that both teams can reach agreement on an alternative
date. However, this does not apply to those games lost to
bad weather as such games are not to be rearranged (except
in the Cup).
If the weather is particularly bad during the day of the
game and there is realistically very little chance of the
game being played, representatives from both sides may agree,
by telephone, to cancel the game beforehand to avoid players
from both sides unnecessarily making the journey to the ground.
[Notes for 2017 - as per the meeting Feb
2017 - see Willow News - the
following 3 paragraphs * to be read as guidance to get the
games started promptly]
*The toss for each game should take place no later than
5.55pm irrespective of whether the captains are present or
not and each team should be ready to commence the match as
soon as the toss has been completed. If the captain of a team
is not present by the appointed time to toss up and no other
member of the team is prepared to do so, the other team shall
be deemed to have won the toss and shall decide whether to
bat or bowl. The game then commences without further delay.
If local factors such as traffic hold-ups affect both teams
and there is mutual agreement by both captains (or another
representative of a team if the captain is absent) to delay
the start time then a game comprising a reduced number of
overs shall be played.
Where only 1 team, either through their actions or stated
wish, causes a delay to the game starting promptly at 6pm
then this team shall have the number of overs in their batting
innings reduced using the following format: 1 over less in
their batting innings after 5 minutes, and then 1 further
over less for each subsequent 5 minutes (or part thereof)
delay in the start, up to a maximum of 5 overs deduction.
If the game has not commenced after a delay of 25 minutes
then the team causing the delay shall forfeit the fixture
and it is awarded to the other team.*
The home team (as designated on the fixture list) must supply
the wickets and the Willow match ball in each game. Teams
are allowed to use a white ball for matches providing that
both teams agree beforehand.
The pitch costs are shared on the night between the two teams.
The minimum number of players in a team to take part in a
match should be no less than 7 otherwise the team forfeits
the game unless the opposition agree to play it.
Children/youths: may only
play where they have a familial or other long standing connection
to an existing or recent Willow player and/or team. It is
the responsibility of each team to ensure that they are fully
aware of – and comply with – the regulations,
safeguards and requirements of having children/youth players
(defined as under 18 years of age) in their team. A web link
to the appropriate area provided by the ECB will be uploaded
to the League website.
All teams agree to play the game in the spirit intended and
resolve to accept that the umpires’ decisions are final
and should not be questioned under any circumstances. In line
with this all teams should ensure that, wherever possible,
they provide individuals to umpire of sufficient competence
and familiar with the rules.
Wides - As in all forms
of limited overs cricket any ball bowled down the leg side
is deemed a wide. In the interests of fairness and to avoid
contention captains are to remind their team of this at the
start of the game.
No balls – All
full tosses over waist height are no-balls irrespective of
whether the ball is hit or not and bouncers over shoulder
height, when the batsman takes a normal stance, should also
be called as no balls. Either umpire may call and signal no
ball.
In the event of a side starting the game with less than eleven
players, any player turning up late will not be allowed to
bowl if 10 overs have already been bowled in the match.
Results
Scores and results* should be emailed danlewis@cardiffcasuals.co.uk
or texted 07725086385 to the Webmaster (Dan Lewis) by the
winning team as soon as possible after the game but by no
later than one week after the date game was played,
together with the scoresheet for the match (optional [Willow
Scoresheet Template]). Any scores and result not submitted
within this timescale will be classed as not having been played
and shall not count for points or in the season’s calculation
of relative positions in the competition to which the game
applied.
If games are not played due to bad weather please inform
the Webmaster by email so that the League table can be updated
accordingly.
*Within the email please give the result - all that
is required is a one liner saying Team A XXX-X beat Team B
XXX-X by XX runs or X wickets and who batted 1st.
COMPETITIONS
The format will comprise three competitions: the League,
the Cup and the Shield/Plate.
1. LEAGUE COMPETITION
- Teams play each other twice, once home and once away.
- Games comprise 20 overs with a maximum of 4 overs per bowler.
- Matches may comprise a reduced number of overs; in the event
of rain, bad light or other conditions on the day affecting
the number of overs that can be bowled, but this must be by
mutual consent between the captains and both teams must have
the same number of overs available to them.
- In the event of a tie for the League title or final table
placing, it will be decided in favour of the team that won
the game(s) played between the two teams. If this fixture(s)
were not played due to rain, then the team with the most number
of wins is awarded the title. If both teams have the same
number of wins, a play off shall be arranged to decide the
title.
- Points system. 15 points are available per game: 10 for
winning and 5 bonus points allocated between the two teams
according to the relative closeness of the result (as shown
in table below). If a game is tied, the points are shared
equally (7.5 each).
Wicket result |
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|
Wickets remaining
|
Winners |
Losers |
1 |
0 bonus pts |
5 bonus pts |
2 |
1 |
4 |
3-4 |
2 |
3 |
5-6 |
3 |
2 |
7-8 |
4 |
1 |
9-10 |
5 |
0 |
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|
|
Run result |
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|
Runs |
Winners |
Losers |
1-5 |
0 bonus pts |
5 bonus pts |
6-10 |
1 |
4 |
11-15 |
2 |
3 |
16-25 |
3 |
2 |
26-35 |
4 |
1 |
36 or more |
5 |
0 |
* where the side batting 2nd wins but has fewer than 11 batsman
available, the wickets result shall be adjusted so that the
margin of victory represents the actual number of wickets
remaining in the match (eg. a team winning with 3 wickets
lost but only 9 batsman available shall have won the game
by 5 wickets only)
- Positions will be decided on an average points system with
win and bonus points divided by the number of games played
to give a mean average rounded up to 2 decimal points.
- Matches cancelled due to bad weather will not be rearranged
– no points will be awarded as the averaging system
is used to determine positions.
- If a team fails to fulfil match due to lack of players the
opposing team shall be awarded 15 points. The defaulting team
receives no points but the game will count in averaging points
over the course of the competition
2. CUP COMPETITION (optional)
- The Cup competition is optional and is played on a knockout
basis.
- Unlike League games if Cup matches are cancelled due to
bad weather they will need to be rearranged unless one team
forfeits the game.
- Cup games comprise 18 overs with a maximum of 2 overs per
bowler and a requirement for batsman to retire as soon as
they have scored 25 runs (new 2017).
The batsman may resume his innings if all the other wickets
have fallen. In the event of two or more batsmen being retired
and needing to return, the return is done in the order of
retirement.
- If a team fields less than 11 players in a Cup match the
opposing captain is entitled to choose which bowler(s) must
bowl the extra overs if they have less than 9 people to bowl
2 overs each. For example, if a team has 8 players, once they
have all bowled 2 overs each the opposing captain can choose
the one who has conceded the most runs to bowl the extra 2
overs.
- A team may change its wicket-keeper once during the course
of a match except due to injury and, the original wicket-keeper
may then bowl a maximum of two overs.
- If a team cannot raise a side for a scheduled Cup match,
the tie is awarded to the non-defaulting team.
- In the event of a tie in a Cup match the game will be decided
by a bowl out (the number of wickets lost is NOT used to decide
the winners). The bowl out is by overarm bowling and is administered
as follows:
- A wicket is set at each end, the match ball is used for
bowling
- Normal no-ball rules concerning feet and number of bounces
before reaching the wicket shall apply.
- Six players from each team bowl one delivery each.
- Team that batted first starts the bowl out, and then alternates
between the two teams.
- The team with the most number of wicket hits (ie. the bails
are removed from the stumps) wins.
- If the bowl out is undecided after these 12 deliveries,
the bowl out switches to a sudden death basis, with the remaining
players from each side alternating. If required, the original
6 players who started the bowl out shall bowl again until
one team has one more hit than the other once both teams have
bowled the same number of times.
POLICY FOR ENSURING CUP GAMES ARE PLAYED ON TIME
If a Cup match cannot be played on its scheduled date it
should be rearranged as soon as possible thereafter to ensure
that the game is played by the date of the next round. If
a Cup match is cancelled on two separate occasions due to
bad weather and it cannot be played by the date of the next
round then the tie should be decided on a toss of a coin.
This is by no means ideal but otherwise games will not be
played by the date of the next round. If the Final is unable
to be played due to bad weather then, after two further attempts
have been made to play the game, the two teams shall agree
a mutually acceptable way of settling or sharing the competition.
In the event that agreement cannot be reached, the matter
shall be referred to the League Chairman. In the event of
the finalists disagreeing over whether a game should proceed
on a previously agreed date due to the weather, then one or
both of the independent umpires may be called upon to decide
whether the game is to be played.
Any disputes relating to the rearranging of Cup matches should
be referred to the Chairman as soon as possible for a decision.
If the dispute involves the Chairman’s club, then it
is referred to either the Vice Chairman or one of the two
Treasurers. If the dispute also involves the club of one of
these individuals, then it shall be referred to one of the
others.
Where a League or WiSP fixture between 2 clubs is used to
play a rescheduled Cup game then the teams either need to
agree that the League or WiSP fixture shall be recorded as
“no result” or to arrange a new date to play it
– a rearranged date shall not be after the week of the
final fixtures in each respective competition.
3. WiSP (Willow Shield/Plate) COMPETITION
- Teams play each other once in the 2nd half of the season,
with home or away being inverse to the respective fixture
in the League earlier in the season.
- Games comprise 18 overs with a maximum of 3 overs per bowler
and a requirement for batsman to retire as soon as they have
scored 30 runs (new 2017). The
batsman may resume his innings if all the other wickets have
fallen. In the event of two or more batsmen being retired
and needing to return, the return is done in the order of
retirement.
- Matches may comprise a reduced number of overs; in the event
of rain, bad light or other conditions on the day affecting
the number of overs that can be bowled, but this must be by
mutual consent between the captains and both teams must have
the same number of overs available to them.
- In the event of a tie for the WiSP title, it will be decided
in favour of the team that won the game(s) played between
the two teams. If this fixture was not played due to rain,
then the team with the most number of wins is awarded the
title. If both teams have the same number of wins, net run
rate shall be used to determine the winner.
- Points system. A simple win/loss/tie/cancelled format shall
operate. Win = 2 points. Loss = 0 points. Tied = 1 point.
Table positions will be decided on an absolute points system.
- Matches cancelled due to bad weather will not be rearranged
and points are shared equally.
- If a team fails to fulfil match due to lack of players the
opposing team shall be awarded the win and the defaulting
team receives no points.
SUMMARY TABLE OF RULES FOR COMPETITIONS
Competition |
No. of Max. overs |
Max overs per bowler |
Batt Retire |
Points system |
Game off due to weather |
Game off due to forfeit |
League |
20 |
4 |
NA |
Win, bonus and Average |
0 points each |
15 points |
Shield/Plate |
18 |
3 |
30 runs (new 2017) |
Win 2, Tie 1, Loss 0 |
1 point each |
2 points |
Cup |
18 |
2 |
25 runs (new 2017) |
Result |
Rearrange game |
Game awarded |
SUMMARY TABLE FOR BOWLER ALLOCATIONS IN REDUCED OVER GAMES
League – minimum of 5 bowlers
to be used |
No of overs |
20 |
18 |
16 |
14 |
12 |
Bowler allocation |
4ovs |
3x4ovs; 2x3ovs |
1x4ovs; 4x3ovs |
4x3ovs; 1x2ovs |
2x3ovs; 3x2ovs |
WiSP – minimum of 6 bowlers to
be used |
No of overs |
18 |
16 |
14 |
12 |
10 |
Bowler allocation |
3ovs |
4x3ovs; 2x2ovs |
2x3ovs; 4x2ovs |
6x2ovs |
4x2ovs; 2x1ovs |
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