B: ADMINISTRATIVE RULES

1 LEAGUE POSITIONS

1.1 League positions will be based on the average number of points obtained by a team in completed matches. In all divisions, no points will be awarded to either team in a match which has been abandoned.
1.2 In the event of two or more teams having the same points average at the conclusion of the League programme, the higher position in the League shall be determined by the following criteria, in order, as necessary:

1.2.1 the team winning the greater number of matches

1.2.2 the team with the greater number of ties

1.2.3 the team with the greater number of runs per over.

1.3 Averages shall be calculated to the precision necessary.

2 PROMOTION & RELEGATION

2.1 Between Divisions 1 & 2:
        The bottom team from Division 1 shall be relegated to Division 2 and be replaced by the top team of that division, subject to that team holding a current overall accreditation grading of at least Silver with Gold potential.

2.2 Between Divisions 2 & 3:
        The bottom two teams from Division 2 shall be relegated to Division 3 and be replaced by the top two teams of that division, subject to those teams holding a current overall accreditation grading of at least Bronze with Silver potential.

2.3 Between Division 3 and the Hampshire Cricket League:
        The bottom two teams in Division 3 shall be relegated to Hampshire Cricket League County Division 1 and be replaced by the top two teams in that division, subject to those teams holding a current overall accreditation grading of at least Bronze.

2.4    In the event of termination of a club’s membership of the League in accordance with Article 4 of the Constitution, the number of relegated clubs may be reduced by a decision of the Annual General Meeting.

2.5    In the event of a promoted team not being eligible for membership of a Division, the Committee shall have sole jurisdiction over whether to accept the next eligible club from the division concerned or from the Hampshire Cricket League.

Note: The Management Committee’s policy will generally be as follows:
If the top team in Division 2 is not graded at least Silver with Gold potential, the second placed team (if accredited) will be promoted to Division 1 instead. If neither of the top two are so accredited, there will be no relegation or promotion. If either of the top two teams in                 Division 3 is not graded at least Bronze with Silver potential, the third placed team (if accredited) will be promoted to Division 2 instead. If neither of the top two are so accredited, only the third placed team (if accredited) will be promoted, with one team relegated. If none of the top three is so accredited, there will be no relegation or promotion. If either of the top two teams in HCL County Division 1 is not graded at least Bronze with Silver potential, the third placed team (if accredited) will be promoted to Division 3 instead.  If neither of the top two are so accredited, only the third placed team (if accredited) will be promoted, with one team relegated. If none of the top three is so accredited, there will be no relegation or promotion. No more than two teams in Division 1, and three in Division 2 and 3, will be relegated as a result of their League position or accreditation grading (see 8.2). Promotion and relegation in any other                 circumstances will be at the discretion of the Management Committee, whose decision will be final.

2.6 No club may have more than one team in a division. If necessary, to enforce this rule, the team of lower standing will be refused promotion.

2.7 The accreditation grading referred to above shall be that which is current at the time of the General Meeting at which the promotion or relegation is approved.

2.8 Should a vacancy occur in any of the three Leagues, a team from a neighbouring Premier League may be considered for entry into the Southern Premier League, subject to the approval of an AGM or EGM called in accordance with Clauses 5 and 6 of the Constitution. The level of entry of such a team shall be recommended by the League Management Committee, but shall be no higher than the Division in which the vacancy occurs. 

3 NOTIFICATION OF RESULTS

3.1 All Clubs in Divisions 1, 2 & 3 are required to publish their scores and points through their Club’s Play Cricket site by 12 noon on the Sunday following the match

3.2 The League will provide result sheets. They must be fully completed, be legible and then signed by both captains at the close of every match. The home club shall then fax or ‘scan & E-mail’ the result sheet to the Results Secretary on 023 8061 0210 and Mike Vimpany on 01329 221177, as soon as possible after the match, but not later than 10.00pm on the day of the match. Fax confirmation notices should be retained by the sender for verification purposes.

3.3 In the event of the match being abandoned / cancelled BEFORE the start of the match, the HOME CLUB MUST notify the Results Secretary, and Mike Vimpany, as soon as possible after the decision to abandon / cancel the match is made, and in any event not later than 10.00pm on the day of the match.

3.4 In the event of the match being abandoned / cancelled AFTER the start of the match, the HOME CLUB SHALL fully complete the result sheet with the relevant details and fax or ‘scan & E-mail’ it to the Results Secretary, and Mike Vimpany, as soon as possible after the decision to abandon / cancel  the match is made, and in any event not later than 10.00pm on the day of the match.
Any club in breach of any part of the above Administration Rule 3 shall be liable to the following penalties:-
  
First offence - Level 3 fine
Second offence - Level 4 fine
Third offence - a deduction of 5 points.  Any further offence - the   penalty  will be at the discretion of the Management Committee, whose decision shall be final.

4 ELIGIBILITY OF PLAYERS

4.1   General Conditions: A player is entitled to play in a Southern Premier League match for the cricket section of the club of which he is a fully paid up member and is registered (See Clause 4.3.1). Notwithstanding the foregoing, any player who has played in a League or Cup competition during the  current season in the Southern Premier League, Hampshire Leagues or any other ECB accredited Premier League, or a National Cup competition (excluding the National Village Championship) shall be considered a recognised member of the club for which he has played and shall not be eligible to play for any other club in any of the above competitions, without obtaining the necessary transfer; see Rule 4.8. If a Member Club has any doubts as to the eligibility of a player, it should contact the General Secretary BEFORE the player takes part in a competitive match for the club.
 
4.1.1   No player shall play for a member club while there is a debt owed to a previous club. Evidence must be available to prove such a debt. Either party shall have the option to request the Management Committee to conduct a hearing and/or investigation in relation to an outstanding debt. The decision reached by the Management Committee shall be final and binding.

No payments shall be made to players for representing clubs in the Southern Premier Cricket League and/or T20 Cup.

4.2 After 31st July no club may play in a minor XI in the League, more than two players who have each played more than six games in a more senior Saturday XI of the club.

4.3 Registration of players

4.3.1 All Clubs in the Southern Premier Cricket League shall register all players as follows:-

Category 1 – (Players Qualified to play for England under the current ECB 
Regulations or Scotland under the current ICC Regulations) i.e.:- (he has been resident in   any of the qualifying countries for the immediately preceding four consecutive years)

Qualifying Countries - England, Wales, Scotland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.

Note: Players from both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland are considered to be Overseas Players under this regulation

Category 2 – Contracted players (see Rule 4.5)

Category 3 – Overseas Players (a cricketer who is not qualified to play for England  under the current ECB Regulations or Scotland under the  current ICC  Regulations)
Only one Category 3 Player can be registered to any one member Club

Category 3- (Exempt) - Overseas players ordinarily resident in England who have been resident in one of the qualifying countries for a period of 18 consecutive months before the date of his request for   registration,and he has not been out of these countries during that period for longer than 35 days consecutively nor 70 days in total.

 Note:   Category 3 (Exempt) registrations will not count towards the
             number of overseas players allowed by the League.

4.3.2a Category 1 players registered on Play Cricket Clause 4.3.4, will remain permanently registered unless removed by their Club or transferred (See clause 4.8)

4.3.2b   All Category 2; 3 and Category 3 (exempt) players will have their registrations removed following the 30th September each year.

4.3.3 No Category 1, 2, 3 or 3 (exempt) player can play in the League until confirmation of that player’s registration is authorised by the Registration Secretary. However, in an emergency a Category 1 only  player can be registered on the day of the match, provided that both Umpires have countersigned the registration form as being fully completed BEFORE the start of the match. The Registration Secretary must receive the fully completed registration form and the player registered on Play Cricket before Wednesday Midday following the Saturday of the match. Failure to comply will mean an automatic deduction of 5 points for the offending Team. Should it be subsequently found that any player registered was not free to register the player shall be assumed to have played illegally and the points deduction in 4.10.1 below shall be enforced. The form can be faxed, ‘scanned & E-mailed’, or hand delivered.

4.3.4 Division 1, 2 & 3 Clubs will be required to use Play Cricket for on-line player registration as directed by the Management Committee.

Note 1. Clubs are able to download complete lists of registered players via Pay Cricket and are   encouraged to do so.
Note 2. Clubs should regularly check to ensure that their player database at club
level is clean and accurate.

4.4  Players from Overseas

4.4.1 A foreign national (a cricketer who is not qualified to play for England under the current ECB Regulations or for Scotland under the current International Cricket Council (ICC) Regulations) who has not ordinarily been a resident within England, Wales, Scotland, the Channel Isles or the Isle of Man, may play for a member club, but must be registered as a Category 3 player. Note: Players from both the Republic of Ireland, and Northern Ireland, are considered Overseas Players under this regulation.
 
In determining questions of nationality, the Committee shall adopt the criteria employed by the ECB. (see Appendix A)
 
A person is ordinarily resident in these Countries if:
i) he has been resident in these countries for a period of 18 consecutive months  before the date of his request for registration, and

ii) he has not been out of these countries for longer than 35 days consecutively nor 70 days in total during the previous twenty-four months.

4.4.2 Clubs may register only one overseas player during the season. Such a player shall have previously attained a Certified Coaching Certificate from his country of origin or a UKCC2 coaching qualification and have evidence of a CRB check or equivalent. Should the coaching certificate from his country not be accepted by the ECB as equivalent to the UKCC2, he may coach only with supervision of a suitably qualified coach.
Proof of the player’s coaching qualification certificate and CRB check, must be lodged with the Registration Secretary.
 
(Overseas players are expected to play a full and an active part in club junior activities).

4.5 Contracted Players (this includes Development Contracts)

4.5.1 No player receiving emoluments as a cricketer from a First Class County or has played First Class cricket overseas in the 12 months prior to the start of the League season, may play for a member club unless he is registered with the League as a Category 2 player.
An Overseas Player who has played First Class Cricket in the 12 months prior to the start of the League season shall be registered as both Category 2 and Category 3 and the Club shall not register another Contracted Player or First Class Professional other than under 4.5.3
Only one such player may be registered by each club during the playing season unless he qualifies via clause 4.4.2, or 4.5.3

4.5.1a  In Division 1 only, a Contracted Player (Category 2), who is qualified to play for England, may play in the same match as an Overseas Player (Category 3 only) and Contracted Player (Players) who qualify under Clause 4.5.3a.

4.5.1b   In Division 2 & 3, a Contracted Player (Category 2), may not play in the
same match as an Overseas Player unless the said Contracted Player qualifies under Clause 4.5.2 or 4.5.3.

4.5.2  In Divisions 2 & 3, a contracted young player in further education during that season may play for a Club in the League provided that:-
The individual concerned is the product of the Hampshire Development system or the Youth Section of any Southern Premier League Club that is situated outside Hampshire and no more than one such player can play in the same game as either a full Professional or Overseas Player.

4.5.3

4.5.3a  In Division 1 only a Contracted Player or First Class Professional who has been a full member and played for a member club for the three seasons immediately prior to obtaining a contract, (the three years may include the time a young player called up by and plays for the Hampshire Academy providing, during that period that player was registered by his home Club), may continue to play for that club at the same time as an Overseas Player (Category 3) and a Contracted player as in Clause 4.5.1a or an Overseas Player (Category2&3) . Should a member club have two such Contracted  Players, those Contracted Players may continue to play for that member club in the same match as either an Overseas Player (Category 3 or 2&3) or a Contracted player as in Clause 4.5.1a .

Should a member club have three or more such Contracted Players, those Contracted Players may continue to play for that member club in the same match. But not at the same time as an Overseas Player (See Clause 4.5.4a)
 
4.5.3b In Divisions 2 and 3, a Contracted Player or First Class Professional who has been a full member and played for a member club for the three seasons immediately prior to obtaining a contract, (the three years may include the time a young player called up by and plays for the Hampshire Academy providing, during that period that player was registered by his home Club) may continue to play for that club at the same time as an Overseas Player (Category 3 or 2&3). Should a member club have two or more such Contracted Players, those Contracted Players may continue to play for that member club in the same match but only one Contracted Player may play at the same time as an Overseas Player.
 
4.5.4

4.5.4a  In Division 1 only, a member club with three or more Contracted Players qualified to play for that club under Rule 4.5.3 shall not register another Contracted Player or First Class Professional covered by Rules 4.5.1
 

4.5.4b In Division 2 & 3, a member club with two or more Contracted Players qualified to play for that club under Rule 4.5.3 shall not register another Contracted or First Class Professional Player or Contracted Young Player covered by Rules 4.5.1 and 4.5.2

4.5.5 Should any player obtain a contract after the start of a season, he may continue to play for the member club for which he is registered, for that season, without penalty to that club.

4.6 All Category 2 and 3 players must be registered no later than 1st July.
Category 1 & Category 3 (exempt) players may be registered at any time during the season providing there is no Transfer involved. (See 4.8.6 below)

4.7 No transfers will be permitted for Category 2 or 3 players.

4.8 Transfers

4.8.1    All Category 1 players now registered on Play Cricket are considered permanently registered. Therefore to change Club during or out of season will require a Transfer. This includes transfers to any ECB Accredited League or any Club within the Hampshire Pyramid.

4.8.2 Transfers must be arranged using an approved transfer form which will be available from the Registration Secretary. The forms must be signed by the player concerned and the secretaries of both clubs.

Application forms must be received by the Registration Secretary at least seven days before the player seeking the transfer will be eligible to play.

4.8.3 On receipt of a completed Transfer request form by the League Registration Secretary the said player ceases to be eligible to play in a League or Cup competition for his present club.

4.8.4 Only after seven clear days from the time and date when the League Registration Secretary receives the completed transfer request form will the player then become eligible to play for his new Southern Premier Cricket League Club or in the Southern Electric Cup Competition - providing he is not ‘Cup-tied’ see Clause 3.2 Southern Electric Cup Rules. The League Registration Secretary will notify the new club when the transferred player is eligible to play at the same time as sending a copy of the completed and endorsed transfer forms.

4.8.5 It is the responsibility of the player and the club to ensure that the Registration Secretary of the League receives the fully completed Transfer Request Form. Placing the form in the post box does not guarantee the form is received at a specific time and date.

4.8.6 If the player’s present club objects to the transfer and refuses to sign section 2 of the Transfer Request Form, the reasons must be stated separately. Normally the only reasonable objection is that the player has unpaid debts or other unfulfilled obligations to that club.
No player shall be permitted a transfer at ANY time or be permitted to play for another club within the Pyramid should he have an outstanding debt with his present club.

4.8.7   Category 1 and Category 3 (exempt) players transferred within the SEPCL after Ist July in any season will not be permitted to play until the following season

4.8.8   Transfers of players to a SEPCL Club will not be permitted after midnight 1st July in any season

4.9 Special Regulations for the Hampshire CCC Academy.

4.9.1 Before the commencement of the season Hampshire CCC will register a squad comprising a maximum of 11 Academy or prospective Academy players from the Hampshire pyramid, plus full or development contract players aged under 24 on the first day of the season.

4.9.2 Any other players that may be required during the season would not come from clubs in the League unless mutually agreed between Hampshire CCC and the clubs concerned. No Player will be approached without the prior consent of the player’s Club

4.9.3 No more than two full plus two development contract players; or one full plus three development contract players; or four development players, may play in any one game.

4.9.4 The Captain may be from the Hampshire CCC staff and may be aged over 24

4.9.5 Any prospective Academy player would not play against his own club without the agreement of the club.

4.9.6.1 Any Academy or prospective Academy player not chosen in the team 12 for any match will be available to play for his home * club for which he must be registered, hence he will have dual registration.  This Clause and Clause 4.9.6.2 shall apply to any County Academy

 *Home club being the club to which he was playing at the time of joining the Academy

4.9.6.2    Should an Academy or prospective Academy player wish to have dual registration with a SEPCL Club other than his home* club he may do so providing he has registered for that Club prior to midnight 1st July  of the season and where necessary obtained the required transfer.

4.9.7 All full or summer contract players may register with another club in the League in accordance with Rules 4.5, 4.6 and 4.7 and play for that club when not required by their County or Academy

4.9.8 No Contract or Academy player shall be paid to play in a League match.

4.10     All Registration and Transfer Responsibilities

4.10.1  It is the responsibility of the Club to ensure any player they register, is correctly 
registered and is free to sign having not played for any other club in a League or Cup competition during the current season in the Southern Premier League, Hampshire Leagues, or any other ECB accredited Premier League, or a National Cup competition (excluding the National Village Championship), see clause 4.1, General Conditions, above.  Should it be found the player has been signed in contradiction to Clause 4 or plays in a match contravening Clause 4 the offending team shall lose any points gained in matches the said player played, and not less than 10 points per game played.

5 SCORERS

5.1 Each team shall supply a competent scorer, who preferably shall have passed the Level 2 Scorer Membership of the ECB ACO. The scorer shall not be a player in the match. Regular failure to comply with this provision shall result in a penalty at the discretion of the Management Committee.

5.2 If no scorer is available then the Captain will nominate one of his team players to undertake the scoring. No substitute shall be allowed for this player who may however, resume his place in the nominated side, with any resultant penalties under the Laws, if a scorer is subsequently provided.

6 DISPUTES & COMPLAINTS

6.1 Disputes and complaints shall be made in writing to the General Secretary within seven days of the incident or occurrence to which they refer. The General Secretary shall refer these matters to the Committee and the decision of the Committee shall be final.

7 CANCELLED FIXTURES

7.1 Any member Club failing to honour a fixture for reasons other than weather shall advise the reasons in writing to the General Secretary as early as possible, and not later than the Monday after the fixture was due. If the opponent club wishes to claim any expenses in regard to the cancelled match, it shall lodge its claim with the General Secretary within seven days of the fixture date. In the event of a member club having more than one Saturday team and being unable to fulfill all its fixtures on any day, the playing of Southern Premier League matches shall take precedence. Any club failing to comply with the above shall be subject to a penalty laid down in the Constitution (see Article 12 of the Constitution).

7.2 INCLEMENT WEATHER – Postponed Matches

 No match is to be postponed due to adverse ground conditions without a prior ground inspection by a Member of the South Coast Panel.

7.3 Where a club withdraws from all it’s fixtures, whether before or during the relevant season, the Management Committee shall take such action as it appears to be necessary in order best to serve the needs of the club concerned, the League, other Leagues and club cricket in general.

8 GROUND STANDARDS & MINIMUM FACILITIES CRITERIA

8.1 The minimum facilities requirements for ground and youth development shall be specified by the Committee and certified by the Hampshire Cricket Board. The requirements shall vary by division, with basic criteria applying to Division 3 and incrementally more stringent criteria applying to Divisions 2 and 1 respectively. Variation of these criteria shall be at the sole discretion of the Committee. Any such variation shall not normally take place following commencement of the playing season.

8.2 For the removal of doubt, should the accreditation of a side fall below the minimum level required to compete in a particular division, the side shall be relegated to the division or League appropriate to its accreditation. (see also Note to Clause 2.5)

9 CLOTHING

9.1 Cricket Wear. All clothing shall be white. The current ECB Regulations on advertising insignia shall apply to all items of clothing and equipment worn or used on the field.

10 REFRESHMENTS

10.1 The Home side shall provide lunches and teas (as appropriate) without cost to the visiting side.

RESULT NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES

FOR ALL DIVISIONS

HOME CLUBS

MUST
Fax the Result Sheet to the Results Secretary,
Mike Rose on 023 8061 0210
immediately after the match and no later than 10.00pm Saturday
Email facilities at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

ALSO
Fax the Result Sheet to Mike Vimpany 01329 221177
immediately after the match and no later than 10pm Saturday
Email facilities at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

PREMIER DIVISIONS I and II

Winning clubs to telephone match details to:
Mike Vimpany at 01329 310256 or 07899 711116

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