Law 1: Players
Each captain shall select his playing 11 in the CricClubs app in front of one of the umpires before the toss. No player may be replaced after the nomination without the consent of the opposing captain.
By agreement a match may be played between sides of fewer than, or more than, eleven players, but not less than seven (7) players and not more than eleven (11) players may field at any time.
Only 2 substitutes can be used at any given time. Substitutes can not have their own substitutes.
Law 2: The Umpires
An umpire shall not be changed during the match, other than in exceptional circumstances, unless he/she is injured or ill. If there has to be a change of umpire, the replacement shall act only as the striker’s end umpire.
The Team which has played a match before or the team whose match is next has the responsibility to send two qualified and impartial umpires to the games.
The umpires shall be the sole judges of fair and unfair play. Organizers may be called upon in case of any disputes, but at the end whatever is the umpire's decision, that is considered as a final decision.
An umpire may change any decision provided that such alteration is made promptly. This apart, an umpire’s decision, once made, is final.
The umpire shall wait until each signal to the scorers has been separately acknowledged by a scorer before allowing play to proceed.
Consultation between umpires and scorers on doubtful points and after every over is important.
Law 3: The scorer
Both the teams should assign one of the players as the scorer. They both together should score in the CricClubs app. Its captain's responsibility is to make sure that the scorers are provided with the running app.
The scorers shall accept all instructions and signals given to them by the umpires and shall immediately acknowledge each separate signal by showing the hand.
The scorers shall check the score with the umpire after every over and announce to everyone.
They should not announce the score to anyone while the over is in progress.
Law 4: The Ball
Only ‘Captain’ hard tennis yellow colored balls are accepted in BTCL. They shall be provided by the organizers.
Each innings shall start with the new ball.
If, during play, the ball cannot be found or recovered or the umpires agree that it has become unfit for play through normal use, the umpires shall replace it with a ball which has had wear comparable with that which the previous ball had received before the need for its replacement.
The batsman should not unnecessarily demand to check the ball after every boundary or violently squeeze or tamper the ball. He may be given OUT ‘tampering the ball’.
Law 6: The Pitch
The pitch shall be marked as per MCC dimensions as follows.
Law 7: The creases
The pitch shall be marked as per MCC dimensions as follows.
Stumps to Stumps - 66 ft (22 yards)
Popping crease - 4 ft from the stumps.
Wide line - 2 ft 11 inch (from the middle stumps)
Bowlers return crease (for backfoot No ball) - 4 ft 4 inch (from the middle stump)
These dimensions can be changed if the ground owner does not allow it or the pitch is already completely marked.
Wherever possible, try to mark with MCC approved dimensions.
Please don’t use ‘human steps’ or ‘bats’ to mark any crease lines. They are not accurate measurement devices.
Law 11: Intervals
Maximum break of 5 mins between the innings is allowed.
Maximum break of 10 mins between the matches is allowed.
Law 13: Innings
As soon as the toss is completed, the captain of the side winning the toss shall decide whether to bat or to field and shall notify the opposing captain and the umpires of this decision. Once notified, the decision can not be changed.
Law 16: Results
There is no tie in BTCL. If both the teams score an equal amount of runs, then the team batting first is awarded the WIN.
Any decision as to the correctness of the scores shall be the responsibility of the umpires and the scores. They both should consult and satisfy themselves.
Once the umpires have agreed with the scorers the correctness of the scores at the conclusion of the match the result cannot thereafter be changed.
Law 17: The Over
If the umpire miscounts the number of valid balls, the over as counted by the umpire shall stand. The scorer can inform the umpire but the balls counted by the umpire shall be considered final.
The umpire shall count the ball after every ball to indicate that the ball is now DEAD. The batsman should not leave their crease until the umpire counts.
There is no need for the batsmans to tell the umpire that they are leaving the crease. That has no effect whether the ball is dead. Thus he will be given out if the ball is not dead.
Law 18: Scoring runs
If either umpire considers that one or both batters deliberately ran short at that umpire’s end, the umpire concerned shall, when the ball is dead, call and signal Short run and inform the other umpire of what has occurred and award a 5 runs penalty.
Law 19: Boundaries
Where there is no white line or object providing continuous marking, objects such as flags, posts or boards may be used to mark specific points on the boundary. The boundary shall be the IMAGINARY STRAIGHT LINE on the ground joining the two nearest marked points.
A person or animal coming onto the field of play while the ball is in play shall not be regarded as a boundary unless the umpires determine otherwise at the time that contact between the ball and such a person or animal is made. The decision shall be made for each separate occurrence.
Law 20: Dead ball
The ball becomes dead when. It is finally settled in the hands of the wicket-keeper or of the bowler.
Whenever the umpire counts the ball.
Whether the ball is finally settled or not is a matter for the umpire alone to decide.
The call of the Over or the count of the ball indicates that the ball is dead.
The ball ceases to be dead – that is, it comes into play – when the bowler starts his/her run-up or, if there is no run-up, starts his/her bowling action.
Law 21: No ball
The umpire shall ask the bowler intends to bowl right handed or left handed, over or round the wicket, and shall inform the striker. He can not give NO BALL if the bowler does not tell him.
It is unfair if the bowler fails to notify the umpire of a CHANGE in his/her mode of delivery. Only In this case the umpire shall call and signal No ball.
A ball is fairly delivered in respect of the arm if, once the bowler’s arm has reached the level of the shoulder in the delivery swing, the elbow joint is not straightened partially or completely from that instant by more than 15 degrees until the ball has left the hand.
The flexing or rotating of the WRIST in the delivery swing is not considered a ‘throw’.
If the bowler’s back foot touches the return crease, whether ground or raised, shall be considered a NO BALL.
If the bowler’s front foot is completely out of the popping crease and not touching ,whether ground or raised, shall be considered a NO BALL.
If the front foot of the bowler touched the line during delivery but then slided out, that is NOT a no ball.
If the ball bounces more than twice before reaching the popping crease, that is a No ball.
The umpire shall call and signal NO BALL for any delivery which, after pitching, passes or would have passed over (if the batsman hits) the head height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease.
If the bowler breaks the wicket at any time after the ball comes into play, either umpire shall call and signal No ball.
No ball always overrides a wide ball. Meaning, if the No and Wide ball occurs at the same time, then that will be called a No ball.
Law 22: Wide ball
If the ball passes over the wide marked line, the umpire shall call and signal WIDE.
The line belongs to the umpire, so some error of judgment is allowed. The umpire shall pause and think for a couple of seconds and then give their decision.
If the batsman switches or shows the intention to switch during the bowler's runup, then both of his sides shall be considered as ‘off side’ and off side wide rules shall be applied.
If the batsman moves, the wide line will also move.
No ball trumps Wide ball.
Law 24: Fielders absence, Substitutes
The umpires shall allow a maximum of 2 substitute fielders.
The players from the fielding side can field only after completion of 2 overs, i.e before beginning on 3rd over. No new players, either from the playing team or the substitute, can play once 3rd over has begun.
Above law is applicable irrespective of the number of games in the innings. Meaning it shall remain the same whether the match is 3 over, 4 overs, 5 overs or any overs.
No player can come to the field during the over. They can enter the play only in between the overs.
If a player comes onto the field of play without informing and comes into contact with the ball while it is in play,
the ball shall immediately become dead.
The umpire shall award 5 Penalty runs to the batting side.
Runs completed by the batters shall be scored together with the run in progress if they had already crossed at the instant of the offence.
The ball shall not count as one of the over.
The umpire shall inform the other umpire, the captain of the fielding side, the batters and, as soon as practicable, the captain of the batting side of the reason for this action.
The umpires together shall report the occurrence as soon as possible after the match to the Executive of the offending side and to any Governing Body responsible for the match,
Law 25: Batter’s Innings, Runners
A batter may retire at any time during his/her innings, for any reason, when the ball is dead. The umpires, before allowing play to proceed, shall be informed of the reason for a batter retiring.
Once retired that batsman can only come back after all the wickets have fallen as a last batsman.
No runners allowed. If the batsman gets injured, tired and unable to resume his innings, then he has to retire.
Law 26: Practice on the field
There shall not be any practice on the pitch at any time on any day of the match.
On any day of the match, all forms of practice are permitted on the outfield.
Law 27: The wicket keeper
The movement of the wicket keeper by few paces forward and sideways is allowed.
If, in the opinion of either umpire, the wicket-keeper movements are not legal, he may call and signal a dead ball.
The umpires need not be informed about the wicket keeper change. If the umpire notices that the wicket keeper has changed or his position has changed, he should inform that to the striker’s batsman.
Law 28: The fielder
The movement by any fielder by few paces towards the striker or sideways which does not significantly alter the position of the fielder is permitted.
If the umpire judges the movement to be unfair, he may call and signal a Dead ball.
There is no warning and it’s a 5 runs penalty.
It is completely Umpires responsibility, he can only give the decision if he PERSONALLY observes the violation.
No one outside of the field or inside the field can point that out during or after the delivery.
Law 30: BATTER OUT OF HIS/HER GROUND
The batter has to stay in his ground until the umpire announces the ball dead.
There is no need to inform the umpire.
LAW 31:APPEALS
Neither umpire shall give a batter out, even though he/she may be out under the Laws, unless appealed to by a fielder.
If an umpire is doubtful about any point that the other umpire may have been in a better position to see, he/she shall consult the latter on this point of fact and shall then give the decision. If, after consultation, there is still doubt remaining, the decision shall be Not out.
The captain of the fielding side may withdraw an appeal only before the ball comes in play again.
LAW 35: HIT WICKET
The striker is out Hit wicket when his/her wicket is put down in setting off for the first run immediately after playing or playing at the ball.
The striker is not out when his/her wicket is put down after the striker has completed any action in receiving the delivery and was not trying to run.
In both these cases either umpire shall immediately call and signal Dead ball.
LAW 41: UNFAIR PLAY
The umpires shall make frequent and irregular inspections of the ball after every over. In addition, they shall immediately inspect the ball if they suspect anyone of attempting to change the condition of the ball
Mankading in now run out - If the non-striker is out of his/her ground at any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be Run out if appealed by the fielding side captain.
No warning is required.
LAW 42: PLAYERS' CONDUCT
Level 1 offenses and action by umpires. Any of the following actions by a player shall constitute a Level 1 offense:
wilfully mistreating any part of the cricket ground, equipment or implements used in the match.
showing dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action.
using language that, in the circumstances, is obscene, offensive or insulting.
making an obscene gesture.
appealing excessively.
advancing towards an umpire in an aggressive manner when appealing.
any other misconduct, the nature of which is, in the opinion of the umpires, equivalent to a Level 1 offense.
If the Level 1 offense is the first offense, at any Level, by that team, the umpire shall
Summon and inform the offending player’s captain.
Issue a first and final warning which shall apply to all members of the team for the remainder of the match.
Warn the offending player’s captain that any further Level 1 offense by any member of his/her team shall result in the award of 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team.
Any of the following actions by a player shall constitute a Level 2 offense:
showing serious dissent at an umpire’s decision by word or action.
making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with another player.
throwing the ball at a player, umpire or another person in an inappropriate and dangerous manner.
using language or gesture to another player, umpire, team official or spectator that, in the circumstances, is obscene or of a seriously insulting nature.
- or any other misconduct, the nature of which is, in the opinion of the umpires, equivalent to a Level 2 offense.
If the Level 2 offense then the umpire shall
Summon and inform the offending player’s captain.
award of 5 Penalty runs to the opposing team.
Issue a first and final warning which shall apply to all members of the team for the remainder of the match.
2 game suspension for the captain only.
Warn the offending player’s captain that any further Level 2 offense by any member of his/her team shall result in the awarding of the match to the opponent team.
Any of the following actions by a player shall constitute a Level 3 offense:
threatening to assault an umpire.
making inappropriate and deliberate physical contact with an umpire
physically assaulting a player or any other person.
committing any other act of violence.
If the Level 3 offense then the umpire shall
Summon and inform the offending player’s captain.
award the WIN to the opponent teams. WIN points and +1 NRR.
Inform the committee to ban the player and the captain from the league.
