1. 1. All matches to start at 1.30pm promptly unless a delayed start is agreed in accordance with Rule 7.
   2. The toss shall take place no later than 15 minutes before the start, with incomplete teams forfeiting the right to toss and being reported to the Executive Committee.
   
   
2. Tea interval will be 20 minutes maximum (under the Umpires’ control). The home team only is responsible for the payment of teas.
3. 1. Two neutral umpires will be appointed for Premier Division games. In all other Divisions both sides shall provide a non-playing umpire. If only one umpire is present he will stand at the bowlers’ end for the entire game. In Premier Division games the umpires must be paid prior to the start of the match.
   2. In all Premier Division games, fielding sides for both innings are required to commence the 45th over within two hours and 45 minutes or pro rata when the allocation is reduced, to avoid a penalty of points reduction. One point will be deducted for every over bowled beyond the time allocated. Umpires are requested to use their discretion on the application of this rule and make allowance for any avoidable breaks in play.
   
   
4. In all matches one new ball shall be provided for each innings. The League decides on the choice of match balls.
    
5. Any bona-fide member of his club can play in matches provided that :-
   1. he has not played for any other club in the League that season
   2. he has not played League cricket at all on a Saturday for a club outside of the League that season. A person moving into the district is eligible to play after the Secretary of the League is notified of the name and circumstances.
   3. students who were previously bona-fide members of a Cotswold Hills League club will be eligible to play upon return from their further education provided that the League Secretary is notified of the circumstances.
   In each and every match where a team breaches this rule, the team will forfeit all points earned and incur a 20 point penalty. Points earned by the opposing team will stand, subject to a minimum of 20 points being awarded.
   
   
6. In an uninterrupted match each team shall bat for 45 overs unless the team is all out earlier. The team batting first can declare it’s innings closed at any time up to their 45 overs, but any team declaring “innings closed” is considered as all out. If the team batting first does not use it’s full quota of 45 overs by reason of declaration or being bowled out, then all complete unused overs will be transferred to the team batting second.
    
7. If owing to bad weather or other circumstances the start is delayed, the captains have the option to agree on a match of a lesser number of overs with a minimum of 50 overs in total. Such a match will count under the point scoring system as if the full 90 overs had been played. Matches must start within 2 hours 20 minutes of the scheduled start time. Overs shall be taken equally from each team at a rate of one over from each side for every complete seven minutes of delay. Example, a match starting 40 minutes late will be reduced by 5 overs per side, thus the game will become an 80 over one, with the team batting first having the opportunity to bat for a maximum of 40 overs.
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8. If owing to bad weather or other circumstances play is suspended after the match has started, the following guidelines will apply to each suspension of play :-
   1. If a suspension in play occurs during the innings of the team batting first, the team batting first must complete its innings. The team batting second will have their innings reduced by one over for every three and a half minutes of suspension, with a minimum innings of 25 overs. The revised target score for the team batting second shall be calculated by multiplying the reduced number of overs, without taking in to account any additional overs gained by the side batting first not using their full quota for any reason, by the average number of runs per over scored by the team batting first. In the event of the team batting first being all out or declaring in less than their full quota of overs, the calculation of the run rate shall be based on the full quota to which they were entitled.
   2. If suspension in play occurs during or immediately prior to the start of the innings of the team batting second, their number of overs and revised target score shall be calculated as in 8(a) above. The calculation applies only when play is resumed after the suspension.
   3. If play is suspended and not resumed, then Rule 8(b) still applies, unless the team batting second has not had the opportunity of receiving 25 overs in reply, then the match is abandoned.
   
   
9. If a match starts as a 45-over match, no bowler may bowl more than 10 overs in an innings, and his allowance shall not be restricted owing to the weather. If, however, the start of the match is delayed, and the overs of both teams are restricted to less than 45 overs, no bowler shall bowl more than the quota below :-
          An innings between 43 - 45 overs = maximum 10 overs
          An innings between 39 - 42 overs = maximum 9 overs
          An innings between 34 - 38 overs = maximum 8 overs
          An innings between 30 - 33 overs = maximum 7 overs
          An innings between 25 - 29 overs = maximum 6 overs
    
10. In Premier Division matches, for each match there shall be a Fielding Circle. This is defined as an area bounded by two semi-circles centred on each middle stump, each with a radius of 30 yards and joined by a parallel line on each side of the pitch marked with a continuous line or plastic discs/white circles (minimum 3" diameter), no more than 5 metres apart.
    
    No more than 5 fielders may be outside the Fielding Circle at the moment of delivery. In the event of an infringement, the umpire at the striker's end shall call and signal 'No Ball', and the score shall be adjusted in accordance with Law 24. An extra delivery in that over shall be allowed as a consequence.
    
    
11. Points Scoring System :-
    For the team scoring most runs - 10 points.
    For a match with runs total equal - 5 points.
    For each 25 runs above 75 runs - 1 point (maximum 5 points).
    For every two wickets taken - 1 point.
    For bowling out the opposition for 120 runs or less -  2 points.
    One bonus point may be added to a team batting second and winning a match for every 2 wickets remaining intact
    In an abandoned match any bonus points gained by either team prior to abandonment stand plus 5 points each team.
    All matches cancelled due to inclement weather - 5 points each team.
    Where matches are cancelled for any reason other than the weather, 20 points will be awarded to the opposing team. The side cancelling the match will be deducted 20 points.
     
12. Provided both captains agree before the toss, the pitch may be covered completely to protect from inclement weather.
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13. Matches can only be cancelled due to inclement weather conditions within 3 hours of the scheduled start time. All teams shall attend at the appointed ground unless the two captains (or their authorised deputies) agree to cancel at least 2 hours before the scheduled start time. Where agreement has been reached to cancel the match, the time of the decision must be noted and recorded on the match result form. The two captains can agree to wait until 2 hours after the scheduled start time to abandon the match. There is to be no transference of match venues because of unfit grounds due to inclement weather.
     
14. Matches are permitted on artificial surfaces provided that both captains agree, and that a grass surface was prepared but proved to be unplayable.
     
15. The fitness of grounds, weather and light and guidelines to umpires appear in The Laws of Cricket under Law 3 and are to be adhered to except where an umpire (or umpires) is (are) not present then the captain(s) of the team(s) shall deputise.
     
16. For each Division, the team with the highest number of points at the end of the season shall become the winners for the year. In the event of two or more teams having equal points, the team winning most matches will become champions; if these are equal, then the winners will be determined by dividing the number of wickets lost into the number of runs scored over the whole season.
    In the case of relegation with two or more teams having the same number of points, the same calculations will apply with the team winning the most matches staying up; if these are equal the team having the lowest average determined by dividing the number of wickets lost into the number of runs scored over the whole season will be relegated.
    Two teams shall be promoted and relegated from each Division with the previously quoted provisions of equality applying.
     
17. Clubs may not employ the services of a player :
    1. if the player receives payment either directly or indirectly which is conditional on playing for the Club
    2. if the player receives free accommodation, housing or board and lodgings of any kind from the Club, sponsor or an individual connected to the Club
    3. if any air fares to, from or within the UK are paid for either directly or indirectly by the Club, sponsor or an individual connected to the Club
    4. if the player receives a complimentary car from the Club, sponsor or an individual connected to the Club
    5. if the player was recruited through or by an agent of the Club.
    
    If this rule is transgressed, any points accrued in a match involving the player will be forfeited with the opposing team receiving a minimum 20 points from the game concerned.
     
18. No more than one overseas player per club is eligible to play in League matches to be registered as a bona-fide club member in writing to the Secretary and confirmed as such by the Executive Committee before he can play. An overseas player is defined as normally domiciled outside the UK, regardless of nationality, unless he has been in continuous residence in the UK for a full two years before commencement of the current season. The decision of the Executive Adjudication Committee in determining the eligibility of an overseas player shall be final. If for any reason any club is in doubt, they must contact the Secretary immediately. If this rule is transgressed, any points accrued will be forfeited.
     
19. All League matches are to be subject to the England and Wales Cricket Board Code of Conduct in Disciplinary Matters.
     
20. It is the responsibility of the Home Team Captain to notify match results to the Results Co-ordinator (all means of contact are detailed on the results forms) by 9.00am on the Monday after the match is played, even if the match is abandoned or cancelled. The results form must be posted or faxed to the Results Co-ordinator to arrive no later than the Thursday after the match is played. If for any reason either or both of the above have not been complied with, an automatic five point penalty will apply.
     
21. For Clubs that have more than one team entered in the Cotswold Hills League, the team in the higher division shall always take precedence when fulfilling fixtures. Any violation of this rule shall result in both teams being deducted 20 points.

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