ARCL Men’s League Game Format - Rules and Regulations
Teams are required to print out these rules and keep a copy with them. These rules can be used in case of a controversy. In the absence of these rules or if the particular situation is not covered in the rules, then teams must follow the ICC Cricket Rules and if they are not able to find it there then the neutral umpire’s decision will be final. If a rule is missing please email arclorg@arcl.org explaining the situation and we can update the rules as needed.
Rules were last updated on June 23rd 2024. The changes are highlighted in yellow and will take into effect from Summer 2024 season and onwards.
July 12th 2024 - Additional clarifications and details were added to the format, ranking process (No changes in the process/format) and substitute rule.
League Overview
Ground Ethics/Leaving Garbage in the Field
Playing in Quarter Finals/Semi Finals/Finals
In Case of a Tie in Playoffs ( Quarter Finals, Semis or Finals)
What will happen in the background
Changes to ICC Rules and ARCL Stance
Definition of fair delivery - the arm
Appendix A (Process of Tie Breaker)
Appendix C (Format & Shuffling teams across divisions each season)
Appendix F (Match Points Calculation)
Appendix I (Awards for top 3 only)
Appendix J (Adding and Registering players)
Appendix K (Steps to review/sign/accept the policies)
Appendix L – Number of teams in a season
Below are guidelines ARCL will follow:
· League will finish within 4 months
· One day tape ball tournament will be held around Mid Feb - Mid March
· Spring league will run from mid-March to 2nd to week of July. The start may get delayed by a week or 2 based on weather.
· Summer league will run from 2nd week of July to mid-November of October
· Winter recreational league (tape ball) MAY be played for 1 month in November. This will not impact rankings. The format will be decided based on number of teams registered
As the weather in Seattle can get pretty cold at times, ARCL now allows fielders to wear thin leather/cloth gloves.
· League is divided into divisions – A, B, C….
· Every division has 24 teams
· Every division has 3 sub-divisions.
· Each sub-division has 8 teams. Teams will play round robin within their subdivisions. The last division will have more or less number of teams and hence might have a different format than other divisions. This will be communicated to the teams in last division separately.
· Quarter Finals Format
Top 8 teams across the entire division will qualify for quarters based on average league points.
Quarter1 -- League Rank 1 vs League Rank 8
Quarter 2 - League Rank 2 vs League Rank 7
Quarter 3 -- League Rank 3 vs League Rank 6
Quarter 4 - League Rank 4 vs League Rank 5
· Semi Finals Format
Semi1 – Winners of Quater1 vs Winners of Quater4
Semi2 – Winners of Quater2 vs Winners of Quater3
· 3rd place is determined based on average points which includes all matches (league, quarters and semis)
· After the completion of quarter finals, teams will be ranked based on quarter final results and average league points. Top 5 teams will move up one division and bottom 5 will move down one division.
The top 5 teams will be determined as follows:
• The first 4 teams will be the winner of quarter finals.
• The 5th team will be the one among the 4 quarter final teams which lost and has higher average league points.
· Teams qualifying for the next level of playoffs will always be ranked higher than the non-qualifying teams.
· Ties at any level will be resolved using the criteria in Appendix A. While following the elimination process, all teams have to be considered in all steps. This is a common scenario when more than 2 teams are tied (3/4/5...- way ties)
· Sub-divisions will be assigned in the following manner -- rank1 in A1, rank2 in A2, rank3 in A3, rank4 in A3, rank5 in A2, rank6 in A3 and so on
· New teams are added in last the last division and are ranked in the order of their registration date and time.
· Below is the criteria to form second last and last division. Once a division is formed, it will have the same playoff format as above.
|
No of teams |
Division-Teams distribution |
|
24 to 31 teams (<30%) |
All teams in one last division. |
|
32 to 40 teams (<70%) |
Equal number of teams (+/- 1) in two divisions (second last and last division) |
|
41 to 48 teams (>70%) |
Second Last division - 24 teams; Last division -- remaining teams |
· Based on ground reservations, ARCL will cap the number of teams for every season. In case there is a decrease in number of teams as compared to last season then the teams will be dropped from the bottom based on last season’s ranking process. In case there is an increase in number of teams then the new teams will added to the bottom of the list. See Appendix L for more details.·
· If team drops out from the league then that many less teams will go down the division. e.g. if TeamA drops out from a Div then instead 5 teams only 4 teams will go down the division. More details in Appendix C.
· If drop out teams come back in the following seasons then they will be considered as a new team and will join the last division.
· If the team splits and there is a contention among players for the original team: In such case a team which has more than 5 league players will retain the original team’s position in the league. League players are those players who have played 4 or more matches in the previous league for that team.
Innings
· Each inning will have a maximum of 16 overs a side, a bowler can bowl maximum of 4 overs.
· Boundaries will be determined based on the ground the teams play in with the consent of the umpire and the team captains. Once the boundaries are determined they cannot be changed for the duration of the game.
· Minimum 4 players are required in order to start a game
o In case a team has less than 4 players the other team can wait up to 12 minutes before starting the game and allowing 4 or more players to come. The offending team will play 1 over less for every 4 minutes of play lost for a maximum of 3 overs (12 minutes)
o If the team does not have 4 or more players within the timeframe then the other team gets a walkover with 30 points and offending team gets 0 points and penalties for no-show (see penalty section for more details)
o Players can join anytime during the game and can bowl/bat as soon as they join the game. Team can play in substitutes or play with less players (minimum 4 players is required to start the game). The captain needs to explicitly let the umpire and opponent’s captain know that he is expecting players who will be replaced by the substitutes.
· Game should be conducted in the following time frame
o 1 over should be completed in 4 minutes
o 2:25 minutes - Total Game time
o 5 minutes break between innings
o 1:10 minutes for 1st innings
o 1:10 minutes for 2nd innings
o 5 minutes buffer so teams playing next match can set up the field as needed
· Each team will play the game with at most 8 players. The playing 8 for a given match along with substitutes must be declared to the umpires and opponents before the match starts. Only these players will be allowed to play the match. Even if a player will be joining late, the umpire needs to be notified of that player.
· No player can play for more than one team in the season. A player can only play in one league (Men/Women/Youth) per season. They may field as substitutes for any team.
It is okay for any player to substitute out any time during the game regardless of injury or any reason. There is no restriction on when a player is allowed to be substituted for Men’s league. The only restriction is that only the playing 8 identified in the beginning of the game can bat and bowl. Substitute player is only allowed to field.
· Age limit to play in Men’s League is 18 and over. Anyone under 18 can only participate in Youth League.
· They can change teams for the next league (quarter, semi and finals are considered part of the league).
o Teams and players will get penalized if players are playing in more than 1 team for a given season (see penalty section for more details)
· Given the cap of teams that can register, ARCL will pay closer attention to returning teams. Starting Summer 2023 season, a team can only register as existing team if there are atleast 4 players who have played atleast 1 game with the team in the last 1 year. Failure to do so will result in automatic disqualification of the team. The team will lose their playoff spot and will have to register as a new team in the next season.
· In case of a dispute and team wants to split into two teams the group with most number of games played will be allowed to keep the existing team. The other group will need to register as a new team. For example, if a team had 12 players and there was a split with 5 players on one side and 7 on the other, we will add up total games played by each player with the team. If total games played is higher by 5 players then they will get to keep the team. The split team does need to have atleast 4 players to be eligible else both teams will need to register as new teams.
ARCL maintains a list of suspended teams and players. This can be viewed by log-in to the website. Suspended players cannot be part of any teams unless and until they clear their fines. If teams play suspended players in their matches then the penalties for “Playing for Multiple teams” will apply.
· Signing Privacy policies, Terms of Service (ToS) and Waiver forms:
o We have been advised by our legal and privacy team to have every player review, sign and accept the privacy policies, terms of service (ToS) and waiver forms. This is in an important step as we grow.
o Starting 2019, all players will have to sign it every year and it is a mandatory requirement. Parents will be signing the documents for players under 18 years of age. (See Appendix K for more details on how to sign it.)
o Players will not appear in the roster and in the scorecard unless they have signed it online. Hence it’s an important to get this legal process done before the league starts.
· The team needs to register their players on the website for every season. (see Appendix J on how to register players)
· Players are free to practice with any team they want.
· Female players are not allowed to play in Men’s Competitive Division.
· Men cannot play in Women’s league
· Umpiring and game for a team will only be on the same day if the umpiring and game is back to back
· ARCL reserves the right to assign umpiring assignments based on penalties any day/time they want
· A team can have an umpiring when they do not have a game any weekend though so teams need to check the schedule
· Leg umpire during league games will be from the batting team.
· For Quarter/Semis/Finals, ARCL will try to arrange two neutral umpires. In case ARCL cannot manage that, the leg umpire will be from the batting team.
· Neutral umpires should be on the ground 12 minutes before the game starts. After 12 minutes it will be regarded as no-show by the umpire and penalties will be applied (see penalty section for more details)
· Each game will have a neutral umpire. The neutral umpiring is mostly done by another team randomly selected by ARCL.
· Neutral umpire’s decision is FINAL.
· Neutral umpire needs to warn the teams/players on the very first account of bad conduct which includes -- direct sledging, excessive appealing, excessive shouting/yelling, abusive language and bad gestures. The warning has to be given in front of both captains, leg umpire and offending player(s). If the team/players continue to play the game in misconduct way, the umpire has the authority to send the player(s) off the field or stop the match and award the match to other team. If both the teams are found guilty of misconduct, the umpire can stop the game and walk off. The offending teams/players will get penalized (see penalty section for more details)
· Neutral umpire can override leg umpire’s decision.
· It is the responsibility of neutral umpire to ensure the game starts and ends on time.
· The neutral umpire should deduct 1 over for every 4 minutes the game is delayed.
· It is NOT the responsibility of the neutral umpire to set up the field for the game. The playing teams should set that up. The neutral umpire should however ensure the teams set up the field in a timely manner so the game can start on time.
· Unless there is an emergency, the neutral umpire should umpire the game for the entire time.
· Neutral umpire can also consult the leg umpire in case of any issues on the field (e.g. whether the ball touched the batsman body to help in judging wide or was there a sound of bat edge etc.)
· Neutral umpire can allow a batsman to have a runner even if the opposing captain is not willing to make such accommodation.
· Neutral umpire needs to be aware of all incidents during the game for the week the game was played in. In case of disputes ARCL will reach out to the neutral umpire and the expectation is that neutral umpire should be aware of final score (total runs/wickets/over played) for both teams. Neutral umpire is not expected to remember individual player scores etc but overall stats are required. Also in case of disputes neutral umpire needs to be crisp on his stance.
· Before leaving the fields, Umpire must ensure that the scorecard (at least the overs, wickets and runs for both innings) is agreeable to both the captains. (He can take a photo of the scorecard.)
o Fair delivery with respect to the arm: 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 point until the ball has left the hand. This definition shall not debar a bowler from flexing or rotating the wrist in the delivery swing. 101 on chucking: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmXEtV6e2Nk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2shrhaOWlQ
o Current regulations of the International Cricket Council (ICC) set the legal limit of 15 degrees of permissible straightening of the elbow joint for all bowlers in international cricket. This law applies between the point at which the bowling arm passes above shoulder height and the point at which the ball is released. The limit is to allow some natural flexing of the elbow joint which happens during the course of legal delivery.
o Below are images where the arm is bent and then it straightens out. It’s difficult to say whether it is within 15 degrees of variance with naked in real time or in a video.
o When the batsman appeals for chucking action, the neutral umpire will take the position of leg umpire for few deliveries. The umpire will not be able to see the 15 degrees variation with naked eye or in a video. The only thing the umpire can see is a bigger variation like throw action similar to when a fielder throws the ball or like a baseball throw, something which is much greater than 15 degrees variation. If the umpire sees such a big variance then he can give a warning and from the second occurrence onwards he can call no-ball. The umpire can choose to stand at the leg umpire position for as long as he wants to monitor the chucking.
· It is the neutral umpire’s and team’s responsibility to ensure 2 overs are deducted for every 8 minutes (1 over per team) the game is delayed. IF only 1 team is late then only deduct overs for that team. Failure to do so will result in the following penalty:
o For first time offenders
§ Up to 2 additional umpiring assignments
§ Up to $50 fine
o For second time and onwards in the same season
§ 10 points deducted from umpiring team
§ Up to 4 additional umpiring assignments
§ Up to $100 fine
· The neutral umpire also needs to make sure the game is being conducted in a timely manner. This includes but is not limited to resolving issues between teams in a timely manner to ensure unnecessary time is not lost during arguments.
· Neutral umpire has the authority to forfeit the game if one of both teams object to reduced overs game
o If both teams object and are not willing to play with reduced overs they will both get 0 points
o If one team objects and is not willing to play that team will get 0 points and the other team will get 30 points
· The neutral umpire will not be responsible if the game is delayed due to unforeseen circumstances when he did everything in his control to ensure the game went on as expected
· There should be one neutral umpire for the entire game. Teams should not substitute an umpire unless mutually agreed by both teams. This is to ensure the umpiring decisions are consistent across the game
· Once the number of overs is decided the game will continue with the same number of overs. Only exceptions to this rule are:
o The rain scenario. If the inning is impacted due to rain then the bad weather rule will take effect and the game will end on time. What this means is that if a game is impacted due to rain it will end at the allocated time and the result will be determined based on bad weather rule.
o Safety is first priority and neutral umpire will make the call to stop the game
o If either team is deliberately trying to delay the game, the neutral umpire is allowed to take necessary steps to ensure the game ends within the allocated time. This can include reducing overs for the culprit team if needed.
· If the previous game is delayed beyond the scheduled time regardless of the reason then it is mandatory for the neutral umpire of the next game to start the game with reduced overs. Failing to do so, ARCL will investigate the cause and then penalize the umpiring team involved
· Umpire is considered as ‘no-show’ if the umpiring team fails to send an umpire for their allocated game or forfeits the umpiring or if the umpire is more than 12 minutes late for the allocated umpire
· If there is a “no-show” then one of the teams will have to login to the website and mark the umpiring as no-show. Below penalties will be immediately reflected on the website. .
o $50 monetary fine
o 10 points deducted from overall points
o 3 additional umpiring at ARCL’s discretion.
· The deadline to mark the umpiring no-show is same as the scorecard deadline. Failure to do so within the deadline would mean that teams have agreed to not penalize the defaulting team
· Teams will be placed under probation for a complete season. Any such incident within probation period will result in following penalties:
o $200 monetary fine
o 20 points deducted from overall points
o 5 additional umpiring distributed as follows:
§ 1 umpiring each for the teams that did not have neutral umpire for their game.
§ 3 umpiring at ARCL’s discretion.
· We would also like to remind teams to send umpires who are aware of ARCL rules and regulations and should be able to control situation if it goes out of hand. If a team needs more information on this feel free to contact the ARCL.
· Teams are encouraged to provide feedback on the quality of umpiring (both good and bad). This will help ARCL keep track of individual umpires and can follow up with teams if needed.
· Teams should send a neutral umpire who can control the game.
· Teams could be penalized $150 and 3 additional umpiring for ARCL if the umpire consistently fails to keep the game under control and keep track of time.
· In the event, teams retract their complaints (as a goodwill gesture or teams feel that it was a genuine mistake) then no penalties will be applied.
· Team is considered as ‘no-show’ if the team fails to show up for their allocated game or forfeits the match or if the team is more than 12 minutes late for the allocated game.
· The umpire has to wait 12 minutes for the other team to show after the scheduled time. The team who is not on the field will lose 1 over for every 4 minutes. This starts from the time the game is scheduled. If a team does not show up within those 12 minutes the other team will get a walk over and ‘no show’ rule will be applied for the team which is late. Teams are encouraged to be at the field at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled time and set up the field so all games start and end on time. The umpire and the opposing team wait for 12 minutes before calling off the match.
· If there is a “no-show” then the team will have to login to the website and mark the game as no-show. Below penalties will be immediately reflected on the website.
o $250 monetary fine
o 10 points to be deducted from overall points
o 3 additional umpiring at ARCL’s discretion.
o The team will be demoted to the last division.
· The deadline to mark the game as no-show is same as the scorecard deadline. Failure to do so within the deadline would mean that the team has agreed to not penalize the defaulting team
· No player can play for more than one team in the league. They may field however, as substitutes. They can change teams for the next league (quarter, semi and finals are considered part of the league).
- Each player should only have one profile on ARCL.
- When recruiting a player, team captain/contacts should confirm the following information and keep a proof of this communication should any issues arise:
o Confirm if the player has played in any other team in the current season across any division.
o Confirm if they will only be playing for your team throughout the season
o Confirm their full name (check ID if needed)
o Confirm they don’t have any other profile and if they have another profile make sure they are not registered with another team for the season
o Create player’s profile as per their name on their ID
- In case we find out that a player has played with multiple teams, we will ask both teams to produce responses to above information to determine if the team contacts did their due diligence before recruiting any player.
- Team contacts/captains should confirm above for each of their existing as well as new players joining their team. We recommend going through this every season and making sure all player profiles are accurate.
Failure to do may result in penalties based on which team was at fault:
· In matches where defaulting team had lost the match, their bonus points will be made zero.
· In matches where defaulting team had won the match, their points will be made zero, additional 10 points will be deducted per match and the match status will be changed to abandon.
o Defaulting team will be fined $500.00 and will have to do 5 additional umpiring for ARCL
o A player can field as substitute. There is no upper limit to substitute fielders
o The substitute fielder can also act as the wicket keeper
Misconduct
· If the team and/or player are guilty then team can lose all the points it accumulated in the game in which the incident occurred
· Teams and/or players will be fined – min $500.00 to max $2000.00
· Teams and/or players will have to do additional umpiring assignments – min 5 to max 15
· Teams and/or players will be placed under probation for a complete season. Any such incident within probation period will result in suspension of players and/or teams for min 1 season to max 5 seasons, $2000.00 fine and 15 additional umpiring.
· If the problem occurs more than once or is too serious (such as something that can cause problems to the operation of the league like losing ground privileges) team and/or players can lose all their points and/or possible suspension from current and/or future leagues.
Ground Ethics/Leaving Garbage in the Field
· Teams cannot play/practice without reservations
· Teams must rotate the pitch to limit wear and tear by batting and bowling on the pitch area. Teams must shift the pitches by moving few steps left/right or by swapping the batting/bowling ends.
· Teams cannot leave garbage (soda cans, wrappers etc.) behind.
· Teams cannot bring sawdust/mulch to the ground.
· Teams cannot apply permanent markers on the pitch or tape the crease. Teams can only use cones.
· Players cannot smoke or drink alcohol or eat sunflower seeds or throw chewing gum.
· Team found guilty of above offenses will be charged $300 and 5 additional umpiring for ARCL.
· Teams will be placed under probation for a complete season. Any such incident within probation period will result in suspension of teams for min 1 season to max 5 seasons, $2000.00 fine and 15 additional umpiring or ARCL.
· It is umpire’s responsibility to remind the teams to clean the ground after the game ends and the team’s responsibility to ensure the ground is clean BEFORE they leave.
Playing in Quarter Finals/Semi Finals/Finals
Players who have played 1 or more matches during REGULAR season (quarter finals, semis and finals are not regular season) will be allowed to play in the quarter finals, Semis and finals. Failure to do so will result in team losing that game and the other team moving ahead. Defaulting team will be charged with $250.00 and 3 additional umpiring for ARCL. Teams can approach each other for allowing exceptions. Let ARCL know if teams have reached an agreement.
In Case of a Tie in Playoffs ( Quarter Finals, Semis or Finals)
In case of a tie in playoffs game the winner of that game will be determined as follows:
· Look at average points during the league phase
· If they are same then head to head results during league phase
· If that was a tie then we will compare net run rate for the league phase
· The schedule (games and umpiring) will be uploaded by 5pm Friday for the following week. Once the schedule is uploaded, any changes to it will be specifically notified by ARCL members via email and phone.
· For Playoff matches, we have to wait for scorecard upload (deadline is Tuesday 11pm) to finalize the playoff teams and umpirings. Hence the teams for matches and umpirings will be updated by Wednesday 5pm of the playoff week.
· ARCL will not change the schedule, once it is uploaded on the site, if the teams want to change it by talking to other teams (both opponent and umpiring teams) they can do so but ARCL will bear no responsibility if there are any concerns/issues later on. The teams would have to bear the ground responsibility as well. If for some reason (miss-communication, no-show by either team, no-show by umpire etc.) the match was abandoned then both the teams will get zero points for that match and they will be penalized with 20 points each. If the match was abandoned due to bad weather then the bad weather rule will apply.
· The only exception to a schedule being changed after Wednesday 5 pm is when there is a scheduling error by ARCL. In that case ARCL will take appropriate actions to fix the schedule and notify the teams involved about this change.
· Teams can request for games not to be scheduled BEFORE schedule is out and ARCL will try its best to accommodate them if possible. However, ARCL cannot provide any guarantees if it will be able to accommodate such requests.
· If all teams are playing on a given weekend no exceptions will be made.
· There will be no games scheduled on thanksgiving weekend, long weekend and Christmas weekend.
o No exception will be made for any religious event other than the ones mentioned above.
· Scorecard needs to be uploaded on the website by TUESDAY @11pm through ARCL Website/phone app. Every team will be given 1 exception per season if they report it the next day. ARCL will upload the scorecard on their behalf and the team(s) who is (are) asking the exception will be fined maximum 3 umpirings and/or $50 fine depending on their case. Second default in a season by the same team will not be accepted and both teams will lose all their points for that match.
o If any team has concerns around scorecard inconsistency they need to bring it to ARCL’s notice by Friday 11pm for the same week the game was played otherwise the scorecard will be considered final and no changes will be made.
o If a team is found guilty of manipulating the scorecard intentionally we will penalize them strictly including points penalty, additional umpiring and monetary fine.
o It is the responsibility of BOTH teams to keep a copy of scorecard and make sure it is submitted in a timely manner.
o We recommend taking a picture of the scorecard after the game via smartphone and keep it for your records.
o Any issues on uploading the scorecard need to be brought up BEFORE the deadline.
· You can be asked to umpire for any team in any division to check the Schedule page on the ARCL website, click on your division and on Left side Click on Schedule to see all the umpiring assignments and schedule fixtures.
· Each team can be asked to umpire up to 5 games in a season.
In case of 4th of July holiday (since it can fall on week day), we will pick the nearest weekend to 4th of July. If 4th of July falls on Monday and Tuesday no games will be played on Saturday and Sunday before but if it falls on Wed, Thu and Friday then no games will be played on the following week.
For transparency we are publishing how the games are scheduled and what considerations we take into account when scheduling games:
· Every team has 7 league matches (except for last division where matches are based on number of teams)
· Every team has 3-4 umpiring assignments (including paid umpiring assignments) in the league phase. We will carry forward the umpirings if the teams have less than 3 umpirings
· Most of the time umpiring assignments will be before or after the match except for paid and penalized umpirings.
· Paid umpirings: Many times only 1 slot is available on a ground. In such cases, umpiring assignments won’t be before or after the match. ARCL will pay $15 for it.
· Every team has only 1 match per week
· Every team has only 1 umpiring per week unless those are penalized umpirings
· Most of the time the umpirings will be before or after the match.
· At any given week, total number of matches scheduled for every team is +/-2
There are two options given below. The team must obey the following rules irrespective of the option chosen:
Option 1: Find another team/match for a swap from any division or play on some other day
· ARCL need confirmation from all impacted teams (including umpiring team) and booking confirmation
· Game should finish within one week of original schedule.
· Game shouldn’t impact any other schedule
· Once game is confirmed, it can’t be reschedule due to unforeseen reasons (like rain, snow, storm, etc.). Otherwise it will be unfair with other teams who had match abandoned due to same reasons.
Option 2: ARCL will try to adjust to team’s schedule request if below criteria are met:
· The request has to be sent to schedule@arcl.org before the registration deadline for that season.
· It has to be an unavoidable situation like company events, one off events etc. where 4 or more players are unavailable. You have supply proof. It cannot be player unavailability due to injury, vacation, other league participation etc.
· Upon verification ARCL will try to adjust the request in the schedule but it doesn’t guarantee that it will be met. There are times when all teams are playing every weekend or your match is a long pole in the schedule moving it would entail delaying entire league’s schedule or ground unavailability, ground shortage etc.
· For every request fulfilled, teams will have to do 2 additional umpirings
· We will NOT provide any NWCL exceptions. Teams need to make appropriate arrangements on their own.
Scoring could be done via palm or manually. Reminder to the teams that once the deadline for submitting scorecard is over, teams cannot make any changes to the scorecard including any stats and/or player names. Teams are strongly encouraged to check for consistency before the deadline.
Palm/Mobile apps
· Palm/mobile apps are recommended but not required for scoring.
· Umpire will NOT be scoring via palm during the game. This will be responsibility of the batting team. It is recommended that umpire should however, note down all the player names, final scores and wickets for both teams and any other information he thinks might be important to have. The umpire should keep this information available for one week at least. ARCL might request for this information if needed within one week of the game.
· Instructions for using the palm are provided here.
· Teams should beam the scorecard to both palms at the end of first inning and at the end of the match so if one palm crashes, they have a backup.
Manual Scoring
· Since Palm is not readily available, teams will have to manually keep track of the score.
· Teams are recommended to use the ARCL Scoring template provided here for scoring.
· Sample xls sheet is provided here.
ARCL will enforce this rule strictly. Games have to start on time and if they are delayed for whatever reason, appropriate number of overs needs to be deducted to ensure the rest of the games are not impacted. It is neutral umpire’s responsibility to ensure this is enforced since in case of controversies ARCL will penalize the neutral umpire first.
· The game must start on-time. It is the responsibility of the neutral umpire to ensure the game starts on time.
· For every 4 minutes the game is delayed 1 over must be deducted. The neutral umpire must enforce this rule. Failure to enforce this rule will result in ARCL taking action against the teams and the umpire.
· If a previous game ran over, the following game must be played with reduced overs. The teams can file a complaint with ARCL to investigate why the previous game took longer.
· From spring 2019 season onwards, teams will get the equipment (balls, stumps, cones, measuring tape and kit bag) directly from https://www.shoperies.com/ . ARCL will provide the promo code for the purchase.
· Teams must use one new ball per inning. If the ball is lost or punctured then an old ball will be used instead.
· The captains should bring these rules with them for all the games so in case of a dispute the umpire can consult the rules and make informed decision.
· The pitch will be measured using a measuring tape by the umpire. Official Pitch length is 22 yards/66 ft. Crease line – 48 inches from edge of the stump’s base to crease line. Wide line 35 inches from the edge of the stump’s base
· All measurements are from the edge of the base of the stumps. (the base is not included in the measurement)
· From Spring 2024, ONLY WOODEN BATS are allowed for ARCL Men's League.
o A team/umpire can point out to the umpire/opposition captain if the opposition/player is using a bat made of any material other than wood.
o Neutral Umpire should then request the batsman to change the bat from the point it is identified.
o If the batsman does not use a wood bat after notified by the neutral umpire, they will be considered retired out.
o Teams need to bring this up during the game. There will not be any changes to the result of the game once the game has concluded.
· Games WILL go on if there is a typical Seattle drizzle.
o Only the neutral umpire can call the games off.
· In case of a dispute on whether the game should be called off or not, the decision of neutral umpire will be considered final.
· Safety is first priority and neutral umpire will make the call to stop the game
· If the match is stopped due to bad weather and it’s below 3/4 (e.g. in case of 16 overs match, 3/4th match means 16 overs of first innings and 8 overs of the second innings) then it will be considered as “not played”, both teams will get zero points (Rankings/Positions are calculated based on average).
o If it’s a playoff match then the team with the highest average points during league phase will win. The match won’t be re-scheduled.
· If the match (league or playoff match – quarter, semis, finals ) is stopped due to bad weather and it’s beyond 3/4 (e.g. in case of 16 overs match, 3/4th match means 16 overs of first innings and 8 overs of the second innings) then the team with higher run rate wins the match.
· Games that are affected due to WEATHER or circumstances that are not in ARCL’s control will NOT be rescheduled. The game with either is considered abandoned or if more than 3/4th of the game was played then the rule above applies.
· When there has been a mistake on part of ARCL (e.g. scheduling conflict, ground not reserved etc.), ARCL will reschedule that game.
· ARCL reserves the right to investigate and propose alternate solution in case of extreme situations. In this case ARCL will communicate its stance to the affected teams.
· If a game is abandoned both teams will get 0 points. This should not impact team’s ranking since the final ranking is based on average points instead of total points.
· If the match is abandon then the team will have to login to the website and mark the game as abandon.
· The deadline to mark the game as abandon is same as the scorecard deadline. Failure to do so within the deadline would mean the “failure to upload the scorecard” penalty will kick in automatically and both teams will get zero points and the match will be counted as played and it will impact the average.
· Reach out to scorecard@arcl.org to upload partial scorecard for abandoned games.
· There will be 30 points awarded per game. Appendix F has more details.
· Losing team can get a maximum of 10 bonus points.
· If team plays with less than 8 people and the other team get them all out and lose, they will get maximum points for bowling regardless of wickets they took since ALL OUT will be considered a special case.
· Winning team gets 20 points plus the leftover bonus points from losing team. For example if the losing teams gets 4 points, the winning team will get 20 + (10-4) = 26 points.
· In case of a Tie both teams will get 15 points and no bonus points
At the end of the season, the awardees will be displayed on the website under your division.
· 1st Place Team Trophy + Individual Trophies
· 2nd Place Team Trophy + Individual Trophies
· 3rd Place Team Trophy + Individual Trophies
· League champions Team Trophy + Individual Trophies (If they are not 1st, 2nd, or 3rd Place team)
· Best Batsman – top 3 batsman based on points. 1 point is awarded for 1 run. A player needs to have a minimum 125 runs to be eligible for this award.
· Best Bowler – top 3 bowlers based on points. 10 points are awarded for 1 wicket. A player needs to have a minimum 12 wickets to be eligible for this award.
· Best Allrounder – top 3 allrounders based on points. 1 point is awarded for 1 run. 10 points are awarded for 1 wicket. A player needs to have a minimum 75 runs and 7 wickets to be eligible for this award.
Note: The awards will be given to only 3 players in each category. If there are multiple players with same points then the following ranked players won't get the award. See appendix I for examples
· Teams would have to confirm their attendance at the ceremony for the trophies to be ordered.
· If there is a no-show by a team at the ceremony then their trophies will be returned and the teams will be penalized $50.
· Teams can pay can their penalties and collect their awards in the next ceremony.
Moving forward, any issues/concerns needs to be addressed using the ARCL Complaint procedure. Following is how teams will submit the complaints, what to expect and actions ARCL will do to act on it.
The complaint can only be submitted in the same week the game was played. ARCL will close down on the complaint within the same week for most part. In case of delay, ARCL will communicate to all involved.
· Teams will need to fill out ARCL Complaint Form by logging onto the website with their username or send an email to arclorg@arcl.org
· The team complaining needs to fill this form within 1 week of the incident
· Only team contacts, umpire or ARCL board member can fill such form.
What will happen in the background
· ARCL will nominate 3 people for handling complaints. Whenever possible, the nominated people will not be part of the same division.
· The nominated people will contact umpires and team contacts and hear their side of the story and submit their report
· There will also be a silent reviewer who will be CCed in all interaction related to the complaint. He will also add his feedback if needed.
· The majority of decision committee needs to agree before the decision is sent out
· Only decision sent out via ARCL official email account will be considered valid.
Changes to ICC Rules and ARCL Stance
- ICC does not allow a runner anymore. ARCL will allow the runner for their games if the neutral umpire allows it
- ICC allows a bowler to run out a non-striker backing up unfairly. ARCL does not allow it. Non-striker cannot be run out before the bowl has been bowled. If an umpire notices non-striker backing up unfairly, he should warn him about it. Non-striker needs to be given three warnings. On third warning, non-striker batsman is ruled retired hurt and he cannot continue batting. He can bat again if all batsmen who have not been warned-retired-hurt by this rule have already batted and got out or are batting. If non-striker is still backing up unfairly, he again needs to be warned three times. On third warning this time, he is ruled retired hurt and cannot bat again. If a batsman in last wicket pair has got three warnings, he is ruled retired hurt and game is over.
- LBW is not a form of dismissal in ARCL.
All no balls will result in a free hit
We will follow the ICC guidelines here. If a bowler bowls a no-ball, the next ball is considered a free hit and the batsmen can only be run-out.
Exact rule from ICC’s site:
For any free hit, the striker can be dismissed only under the circumstances that apply for a no ball, even if the delivery for the free hit is called wide ball.
Field changes are not permitted for free hit deliveries unless there is a change of striker (the provisions of clause 41.2 shall apply).
The umpires will signal a free hit by (after the normal No Ball signal) extending one arm straight upwards and moving it in a circular motion.
In some scenarios, teams might choose to pre decide that the other team will be awarded runs if the ball goes in certain areas of the ground. This is very common for our games in soccer fields. This rule is generally referred to as 1D (1 declared) or 2D (2 declared) rule. If a ball crosses the 1D or 2D line then it is assumed the runs are given and the player cannot be caught out or run out. This is similar to a player hitting a boundary for 4 or 6. Once the boundary is hit the runs are granted and the bowler bowls the next delivery.
The players have to rotate the strike in case of 1-D
If the ball hits the legs of the batsman first (doesn’t matter if it hits the bat later), it is called LBW and the batsman is not out. He cannot take any runs. But he can get out either by stumping or if the ball (after it hits the leg/body) rolls onto the stumps. It is ok for the batsman to kick or move the ball using the bat in such a case but not use his hands.
· If the batsman misses a ball and the wicket-keeper fails to gather it, the batsman may take runs. These runs are called Byes.
· Run out or stumping on a bye run is valid.
· However if the ball hits the leg or any part of body (except the gloves or hands up to wrist, if the player is wearing it) no runs can be taken but the ball will be counted as a valid ball.
· A white line or a marker (35 inches from the middle stump) on the offside will be drawn to help the umpires in giving wide.
· It’s a wide ball if the ball is on or away from the wide line
· It’s a wide ball if the ball passes above the striker’s head standing upright at the popping crease
· Anything on the leg side outside the leg stump is a wide. If it’s on the leg stump then it’s not a wide.
· A ball is a wide ball if it passes over the wide line where the batsman is standing. In other words, if the ball pitches outside the wide line and spins inside the wide line near the batsman, so as to be within the reach of the batsman, the ball is not wide. On the other hand, if the ball pitches inside the wide line but spins outside the wide line and is so out of the reach of the batsman, it is a wide ball.
· Anything above waist is a no-ball.
· It is a no-ball if the bowler oversteps the crease line while bowling (it is ok to step after the ball has left the hands of the bowler). If the heel of the bowler’s leg crosses the crease before delivering the ball it is a no-ball.
· A ball is a No-ball if it is a full toss above the waist. If the batsman is out of the crease then it’s the umpire’s call.
· A bowler shall be limited to one fast short-pitched deliveries per over. Consequent short pitched deliveries will be called a no-ball.
o A fast short-pitched delivery is defined as a ball that passes or would have passed above the shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease
o Regardless of the contact of the ball with the batsman’s body/bat, a fast short-pitched delivery won’t be a no-ball on first attempt. Consequent short pitched deliveries will be called a no-ball.
· It is a no-ball if the bowler bowls from outside the sides of the crease boundaries.
· If a bowler puts wicket down at his end during delivery, and he delivers the ball, it will be signaled as NO BALL by the bowler's end umpire. If bowler does not deliver the ball, it will be signaled as DEAD BALL by the bowler's end umpire.
· It is a no-ball if the bowler bowls without the umpire indicating that the field was ready for play.
· The umpire should ask the bowling action from the bowler. It’s not a No-ball if the player doesn’t call his action. If the bowler fails to notify of a change in his mode of delivery the umpire will signal no-ball.
· Umpire can call a no-ball if the fielders move latterly after the bowler takes the start.
· Umpires will signal no-ball for a full pitched delivery and caution the bowler and inform the other umpire, batsmen and the captain of the fielding side. If the same bowler bowls a second full pitched delivery in the innings the umpire will signal a no-ball and will give a final warning to the bowler. After a third incident, the umpire will signal no-ball and suspend the bowler from bowling in that innings.
o Full pitched delivery definition -- (i)Any delivery, other than a slow paced one, which passes or would have passed on the full above waist height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease is (ii) A slow delivery which passes or would have passed on the full above shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease
· No-ball is based on where the foot lands finally and not where it landed first
· One run will be granted for no ball and the ball will be repeated. The run will be added to whatever is scored by the batsman. Umpire’s call is FINAL.
· The only way to get out on a no-ball is a run-out. Hit-wicket or being caught on such a ball will not get the player out.
· If a ball is both wide and no-ball, it is counted as a no-ball.
· All the “no-ball” decisions will be called out by the neutral umpire. Leg umpire can suggest or request or provide more data about waist height full toss or above shoulder no-ball but the Main is the final decision maker.
· If the full toss ball hits the stumps/bails it is out, umpire cannot call it is as a no-ball.
· Either umpire will signal no-ball if the keeper fails to inform the umpires about significantly changing his position (close to the stumps or far away from the stumps )
· If the ball pitches outside pitch area then it’s a dead ball. But in case of a turf field with no pitch area, the ball will be considered as a valid delivery.
· If a ball bounces twice in front of the batsman, the ball will be called a dead-ball and will need to be replayed.
· There will be no runs granted on a dead-ball.
· If a wide ball is also dead, it will be declared a dead-ball.
· If a ball is dead, the ball is considered no longer in play.
· If a dead ball rolls and hits the wicket, it is not out.
· If, in attempting to hit a ball or taking off for a first run, the batsman touches and breaks the wicket (with the bat or some other piece of equipment), this is called hit wicket and the batsman is declared out.
· Hit wicket is valid on a normal ball as well as on a wide ball. However in case of a dead-ball or a no-ball, it is invalid.
· If the batsman touches or breaks the wickets while completing the run is not out.
· If no fielder near the pitch gathers the ball and it continues into the field again, the batsman may take more runs.
· If the ball reaches the boundary on an overthrow, four runs are scored in addition to the runs taken before the overthrow occurred.
· If a batsman misses the ball and in attempting to play it, steps outside the crease, he is out stumped if the wicket-keeper gathers the ball and breaks the wicket with it before the batsman can ground part of his body or his bat behind the crease.
· If a player is out of the crease and the ball hits its legs, the keeper can still get the player stumped. However, the keeper cannot get the player run out. Umpire needs to be careful when determining this.
· On the line is out
· A run-out is when a batsman is attempting to take a run, or to return to his crease after an aborted run, and a fielder breaks that batsman’s wicket with the ball while he is out of the crease.
· It is possible for the non-striker to be run out if the striker hits the ball straight down the pitch towards the non-striker’s wicket, and the bowler/fielder deflects the ball on to the wicket while the non-striker is out of his crease.
· If the ball is hit directly on to the non-striker’s wicket, without being touched by a fielder, then the non-striker is not out.
· Batsman cannot be run out while the ball is not in play - so they may confer in the middle of the pitch between deliveries if they desire.
· For a run-out, the fielder has to break the wicket with the ball directly or with the hand that holds the ball. The fielder cannot hold the ball in one hand and touch the wicket with the other hand.
· In case of a run-out, the batsman nearest to the side of the wickets that are broken is out.
· The batsman must have some part of his body or his bat (provided he is holding it) grounded behind (not on) the crease.
· When the wicket keeper or the fielders break the stumps before collecting the ball then to run-out they have to hold the stumps (even one stump is fine) and the ball in their hands, touching each other.
· The ball is not dead if the fielder collects the ball and throws it towards the bowler or the fields and they miss to collect it, in that case the batsman can take run(s).
· The base of the stumps is to be treated as the wicket in case of run-outs, bowled, etc.
· On the line is out
· After the over is complete batsman or non-striker has to be in the crease till the umpire calls it over, if they are out of the crease fielders/wicket keeper can breaks the stumps and it is considered as run out/stump.
· If a batsman have a bi-runner, both of them has to be in the crease, either of them is outside the crease fielders/wicket keeper can breaks the stumps and it is considered as run out/stump.
o Neutral umpire makes the call if a player can have a runner
o In the spirit of the game we recommend teams to be considerate when a player asks for a runner
· No runs are scored on a caught out even if the batsman cross each other before the ball is caught.
· No run is awarded if a catch or a run-out was made after the run commenced.
· If, while running multiple runs, a batsman does not touch the ground beyond the crease before he returns for the next run, then the umpire at that end will signal one short, and that run will not be counted.
· One 1-D, the players need to rotate strike.
• If a batter decides to “retire out”, he can’t return to bat. This is different from batsmen who “retire hurt” due to injury or illness. They can come back to resume their innings.
• 25.4.1 A batter may retire at any time during his/her innings when the ball is dead. The umpires, before allowing play to proceed, shall be informed of the reason for a batter retiring
• 25.4.2 If a batter retires because of illness, injury or any other unavoidable cause, that batter is entitled to resume his/her innings. If for any reason this does not happen, that batter is to be recorded as ‘Retired – not out’.
• 25.4.3 If a batter retires for any reason other than as in 25.4.2, the innings of that batter may be resumed only with the consent of the opposing captain. If for any reason his/her innings is not resumed, that batter is to be recorded as ‘Retired – out.
Definition of fair delivery - the arm
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 point until the ball has left
the hand. This definition shall not debar a bowler from flexing or rotating the
wrist in the delivery swing.
Appendix A (Process of Tie Breaker)
1. Head to head (this criteria is applied to all teams in the tie breaker. If there is a 3 way tie then all 3 teams must pass each criteria, if they cannot then move to next criteria. E.g. in a 3-way tie, if there is a head-to-head match only with 2 teams then we move to the next criteria. )
2. Higher Number of wins
3. Higher Number of ties
4. Lesser number of losses
5. Net run rate
Net Run Rate = (Runs Scored / Overs Played) - (Runs Conceded / Overs Bowled)
HOW NET RUN-RATE IS CALCULATED: Net run-rate is calculated by deducting from the average runs per over scored by that a team throughout the competition, the average runs per over scored against that team throughout the competition. For example: India's net run-rate in the super six is calculated as follows: calculated as follows:
|
|
R1 |
R2 |
R3 |
R4 |
R5 |
B1 |
B2 |
B3 |
B4 |
B5 |
Total Runs |
Total Overs |
R/r |
Net R/r |
|
For India |
253 |
249 |
205 |
227 |
251 |
300 |
276 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
1185 |
246 |
4.82 |
-0.153 |
|
Against India |
254 |
252 |
282 |
180 |
253 |
284 |
300 |
300 |
300 |
290 |
1221 |
245.4 |
4.97 |
|
R = runs scored in each match
B = balls faced in each match
R/r = India's run-rate is calculated as 1185 / 246 = 4.817 (4.82)
R/r = India's opponents run-rate is calculated as 1221 / 245.4 = 4.970 (4.97)
Note: In the event of a team being all out in less than its full quota of overs, the calculation of its net run-rate shall be based on the full quota of overs to which it would have been entitled and not on the number of overs in which the team was dismissed. (For example: refer table R3 and B3 above. India against Australia were all out for 205, so B3 is 300 balls and not 290 (48.2 overs) - the actual balls required for India to make these runs)
Appendix C (Format & Shuffling teams across divisions each season)
Ranking Process: (Based on quarter final results and average league points)
Step 1: Get Rankings for previous season
1. Rank the teams per division based on the average league points & quarter finals
2. Resolve the ties using the criteria in Appendix A
3. Identify the drop outs
Step 2: Do Rankings for new season 1. exclude the drop-out teams 2. Include new teams in the last division and rank them in the order of their registration datetime. 3. move 5 teams up & down (due to drop out teams, teams are saved from demotion) 4. assign sub-division
Legends
|
|
|
Appendix F (Match Points Calculation)
Losing Team Batting Second
Batting Points
|
Points |
|
Formula based on team score |
|
1 |
|
>50 % and <=60% of winning teams score |
|
2 |
|
>60% and <=70% of winning teams score |
|
3 |
|
>70% and <=80% of winning teams score |
|
4 |
|
>80% and <=90% of winning teams score |
|
5 |
|
>90% of winning teams score |
Losing Team Batting First
Batting Points
|
Points |
Formula based on run rate |
|
1 |
>50 % and <=60% of winning teams run rate |
|
2 |
>60% and <=70% of winning teams run rate |
|
3 |
>70% and <=80% of winning teams run rate |
|
4 |
>80% and <=90% of winning teams run rate |
|
5 |
>90% of winning teams run rate |
Bowling Points
|
Points |
Formula |
|
1 |
1 Wicket |
|
2 |
3 Wicket |
|
3 |
5 Wicket |
|
4 |
6 Wicket |
|
5 |
7 Wicket |
Note: In the event of a team being all out in less than its full quota of overs, the calculation of its net run-rate shall be based on the full quota of overs to which it would have been entitled and not on the number of overs in which the team was dismissed. (For example: refer table R3 and B3 above. India against Australia were all out for 205, so B3 is 300 balls and not 290 (48.2 overs) - the actual balls required for India to make these runs)
· Tape balls $20 per dozen
Appendix I (Awards for top 3 only)
The awards will be given to only 3 players in each category. If there are multiple players with same points then the following ranked players won't get the award. See various scenarios below
Scenario 1: Best batsman trophy will be awarded to
only 3 players -- Rahul, Suresh and Amit.
Batsman – runs
Rahul - 159 runs
Suresh -159 runs
Amit - 137 runs
Jaggi -129 runs.
Scenario 2: Best batsman trophy will be awarded to
only 3 players -- Rahul, Suresh and Amit.
Batsman – runs
Rahul - 159 runs
Suresh -159 runs
Amit - 159 runs
Jaggi -140 runs.
Arun -130 runs.
Scenario 3: Best batsman trophy will be awarded to 4
players -- Rahul, Suresh, Amit and Jaggi
Batsman – runs
Rahul - 145 runs
Suresh -130 runs
Amit - 130 runs
Jaggi -130 runs.
Arun -126 runs.
Appendix J (Adding and Registering players)
Steps to register existing players in your team:
1. log-in
2. Click on “Register Players”
3. All your players from last season will appear in the left box.
4. From the left box, select only those players who are going to play for this season and move it to the right box
5. Click “Save Registration Details”
Steps to register new players in your team
1. log-in
2. Click on “Register Players”
3. Enter the player name in the search box and click “Search”. Results will appear in the left box.
4. Click on your player in the left box and move it to right box
5. Click “Save Registration Details”
Steps to add and register players who are playing ARCL for the first time:
1. log-in
2. Click on “Add Players”
3. Add player details and click “Confirm changes”
4. Click on “Goto Registration Page”
5. Enter the player name which you just added in the search box and click “Search”. Results will appear in the left box.
6. Click on your player in the left box and move it to right box
7. Click “Save Registration Details”
Appendix K (Steps to review/sign/accept the policies)
1. Captain/team contacts will login to the website using team’s credentials.
2. Click on “Update Player details “link. On this page you can also see the status of players who have signed the policies.
3. For every player, click on “update” link and add their email address which will be used as their login id.
4. Ask your players to “Sign up” on the website using the above email address. Upon signup, the player will get a link in his inbox from arclorg@arcl.org (check your junk folder). Click on the link to create password and login to the website
5. Once the player is logged in, click on “Player Privacy policies, Waiver Agreement, Terms of Service” link, go through the policies, sign and accept them.
Appendix L – Number of teams in a season
1. Based on the ground reservations, number of teams will increase/decrease every season.
2. Decrease in teams will be based on the rankings from pervious season.
3. Example 1: in spring 2019 there were 168 teams. ARCL had enough grounds for summer 2019 to field another division (24 teams). Hence the number of teams was increased to 192.
4. Example 2: in summer 2019 we have 187 teams. If we get ground reservations to accommodate only 168 teams then 19 teams will be dropped from the season. The removal of teams will happen after the summer 2019 rankings is completed. Ranking is process where by teams move up and down the division at the end of the season (see Appendix C for more details)
TERMS AND CONDITIONS: By playing in ARCL, the team agree to above rules and regulations and any decisions made by ARCL. The decision by ARCL members for any issues will be final and teams will have to abide by them.