The Tournament shall be open to all members and Associate members except the Cricket Club of India, National Cricket Club and Association of Indian Universities - Services Sports Control Board, and Railway Sports Control Board.
The tournament shall ordinarily be completed by the end of February of each year as may be decided by the Board on the recommendations of the Tour, Programme and Fixtures Committee.
The zonal teams selected will play in one zone. The draws, dates and venues to be fixed by the Tour, Programme and Fixtures Committee.
On the plea that players of any member are due to participate against the touring side the dates of the match as already fixed shall not be changed.
Postponement of dates could be done in case of unforeseen circumstances such as civil unrest, flooding of the place due to heavy rains whereby the opposite team is not able to reach the venue or if later on it is found that the dates clash with important festivals, when the Honorary Joint Secretary may permit change of dates and venues.
The players eligible to participate will be Under 16 years of age as on 1st September of the year of the Tournament. Those who complete the age of 16 years on or before 31st August of the year of the tournament are not eligible to participate.
For under 16, age shall be the only criterion for participating in the tournament. The player need not necessary be a student.
A player may play for their respective Association by virtue of their birth qualification irrespective of the place where they are studying or residing.
If any player in course of his bonafide change of residence or studies is transferred from the jurisdiction of one member to the jurisdiction of another member/associate member, on or before lst October of the year of the tournament, he shall be permitted to play for the member/associate member to whose jurisdiction he is transferred on production of satisfactory proof.
Application for transfer in such cases shall be made by the concerned player or the member/associate member concerned to the Honorary Joint Secretary of the Board with a copy to the Executive Secretary on or before 1st October of the year of the tournament.
Special cases of changes of residence, studies, transfers after 1st October of the year of the tournament shall be considered on merits of the case by a special committee consisting of the President, and the Honorary Joint Secretary of the Board. Their decision shall be final and binding.
As regards verification of age, School Certificate or Birth Certificate will hold good.
NOTE: Those who are eligible to play for the above tournament on lst September of the year, if they cross the prescribed age during the course of the tournament, they can play for that year till the end of the tournament. No change or alteration in the date of birth once registered with the Board shall be accepted on any ground whatsoever including change by an affidavit.
The Honorary Secretary of the Association where the selection of the Zonal team has taken place, from the list of 30 players submitted by each Association before commencement of the Vijay Merchant Trophy, Tournament shall immediately forward in a statement the names of the players selected along with the names of their Association and their date of birth certified to the organizing Honorary Secretary of the Association where the Vijay Hazare Trophy Tournament is to be played.
A copy of this statement also at the same time to be forwarded to the Board's Office, Bombay for their record.
The Manager of the Zonal team will be required to carry with him the forms along with the certified age certificate and passport size photographs of all the players of their zone to the venue of the tournament.
A cricketer who is under a ban passed by any member or the Board shall not be eligible to play the Tournament.
If any player who is not qualified under these rules to play for a Zone, plays for such a Zone, the player shall be disqualified from playing in the rest of the Tournament as well as in any other tournaments played under the auspices of the Board for next two years.
The Zones shall be disqualified from participating in the rest of the tournament.
The member to whom the player belongs shall have to pay a penalty of Rs. 5,000/- to the Board.
The team conceding a match shall be disqualified and the opponent shall be declared as the winner of the match.
A Captain responsible for conceding the match shall be debarred for two years from participating in any tournament conducted by the Board or by any member of the Board.
Walkover:
The team giving a walkover in a match shall be disqualified and the opponent shall be declared as the winner of the match.
No match shall be played on a newly laid turf pitch straightaway unless some local matches are played on this pitch and the same duly certified by the Association concerned.
The Umpires would have to satisfy themselves that best endeavors have been made by the Staging Association for mopping of the outfield grass every day before the start of the match.
Unless otherwise decided by the Board, Member/Associate Member not participating in the tournament shall not be entitled to receive subvention or grant, if any, granted by the Board.
The Captains are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted within the spirit of the game as well as within the Laws.
Players and Team Officials shall not at any time engage in conduct which could bring them or the game into disrepute.
Players and Team Officials shall not in any way be concerned in the use or distribution of illegal drugs.
Players and Team Officials shall not disclose or comment upon any alleged breach of the Code or upon any hearings, report or decision arising from such breach.
Players and Team Officials shall not make any public pronouncement or media comment which is detrimental to the game which is taking place.
In the event of a bowler being found guilty of gross misbehavior or of using offensive comments on the field such as:
swearing at the Umpires, batsman or any other player or spectators.
showing public dissent at the Umpires decision.
manhandling an Umpire, the batsman or the spectator
kicking the stumps and indulging in any ungentlemanly and unsporting conduct which might bring the game into disrepute
the Umpire concerned shall announce and call and signal Dead Ball and suspend the bowler from further bowling in that innings, and allow another bowler to complete the over from the same end, provided this bowler shall not bowl two overs or part thereof consecutively in that innings.
If a fielder other than the bowler indulges in such acts as stated above, the Umpire shall direct the Captain of the fielding side to send the concerned fielder off the field for that session and no substitute shall be allowed in his absence.
In addition to taking action as stated in paras (f) and (g) above, the Umpire shall also report the occurrence to the Captain of the batting side as soon as the players leave the field for an interval. The Umpires shall also report to the Executive authority of the fielding side and to the governing body responsible for the conduct of the match as well as to the Referee to take any action against the concerned bowler or player.
In the event of the batsman being found guilty of gross
misbehavior or using offensive comments on the field such as
swearing at the Umpires, bowler or any other player or a spectator.
showing public dissent at the Umpires decision.
manhandling an Umpire, the bowler, the fielder or a spectator
kicking the stumps or hitting the stumps with the bat when given out or indulging in any ungentlemanly and unsporting conduct which might bring the game into disrepute.
the Umpires at the bowlers end shall report the occurrence to the executive of the batting side and to any governing body responsible for that match as well as to the Referee who shall take appropriate action against the player concerned.
The two Umpires shall give separate reports regarding:
Administration and ground arrangements including the condition of the pitch and outfield and also about any untoward incident affecting the match.
Number of overs required to be bowled by the team and the number of overs bowled short by the team after days play along with the reasons for the team having bowled overs short on the day.
Whether the match was played in fair and competitive spirit? If not, state the reasons and details.
Also to give the runs scored, overs bowled, and total time taken in minutes, overs bowled short and result of the match.
Immediately after the conclusion of the match each Umpire shall immediately prepare the report and dispatch. them to the Executive Secretary within l5 days from the
conclusion of the match, under registered post acknowledgement due. Umpires who do not send completed reports within 15 days of the completion of the match may not be considered for posting for the next season.
The Umpires should see before the start of the match that the stock of old balls of different wear are kept ready by the Association staging the match. The Umpires will also add in their report to the Board information regarding the quality of balls, availability of old balls, etc.
If the two Umpires are of the opinion that the pitch prepared by the member on whose ground the match was played was underprepared, then the Umpires, immediately on conclusion of the match, shall submit a report to the Referee about the pitch being underprepared, with a copy to the member staging the match. If the Referee is convinced that the pitch was underprepared then the member will be fined Rs. 25,000/- for being responsible for the underprepared pitch and this amount to be adjusted against any dues to be paid by the Board to the member. Besides, the venue at which the match was played to be scrapped for a period of four years.
Referees to be appointed by the Board for matches in domestic tournaments.
To accompany the two Captains to supervise the toss. In the absence of Referee, the two Umpires to accompany the two Captains and supervise the toss.
Immediately after the conclusion of the match the Referee shall prepare his report covering all the points as drawn under 'The Duties and Responsibilities of the Referee', together with all the relevant papers connected in the matter and forward the same to the Executive Secretary of the Board within 15 days from the conclusion of the match under registered post acknowledgement due.
The Referee is responsible for keeping a record of all reports furnished by him.
Honorary Secretary of the Staging Association will appoint two local official Scorers.
Scorer to be made responsible for making proper entries in the score sheets and the score sheet should be completed in all respect.
Score sheets thus prepared by the Scorers, each score sheet to be signed by both of them after tallying all the details entered in the score sheet.
Scorers to obtain the signatures of the two Umpires on the score sheets after the match is over and before they leave the place of the match.
Scorers will then hand over the Score sheet to the Honorary Secretary of the Staging Association.
Honorary Secretary of the Staging Association under whose jurisdiction the match was played to see that both the Scorer sheets are forwarded to the Executive Secretary of the Board within 15 days of the completion of the match by registered post acknowledgement due.
Scorers to be paid remuneration as fixed by the Board and the same to be reimbursed by the Board.
The team shall consist of 16 members including the Manger. The Manager shall be appointed by the convenor.
Selection of Zonal Teams:
The Zonal Team shall be selected by the Zonal Selection Committee consisting of a representative of each member in the zone participating in the Vijay Merchant Trophy Tournament. Out of these members one shall be the member of the All India Junior Selection Committee from the zone who shall act as Chairman of the Committee. No person shall be qualified to be appointed on the Zonal Selection Committee
unless he has played in first class cricket.
The Secretary of the senior test center from the zone or his nominee shall convene and attend the meeting of the selection committee. He shall not be entitled to take part in the deliberations of the committee nor shall be entitled to vote, except when he attends the meeting as a selector.
Expenses of Selectors:
The journey and other expenses including the boarding and lodging charges of the Selection Committee including the Chairman shall be met by the respective member.
Members conducting the tournament shall be re-imbursed the following expenses by the Board:
Boarding and lodging of the visiting teams at the rate of Rs. 200/- per head per day for the duration of the match and one day before and one day after.
The boarding and lodging expenses shall not include expenses on laundry, alcoholic drinks, trunk and STD Calls and entertainment of guests incurred by the players and Managers and will be at their cost.
Cost of lunches, tea and soft drinks during the matches on the ground only for not more than 40 persons at the rate of Rs. 60/- per head per day,
Transport expenses at the rate of Rs. 20/- per head per day for the duration of the stay of the teams.
Medical expenses, if any, not exceeding Rs. 120/- per match.
Expenses for ground arrangements for practice and matches limited to a maximum of Rs. 250/- per day, if incurred.
Cost of balls not exceeding Rs. 720/- per match. Balls for practice shall be provided by the member staging the match.
Incidental expenses, if any, not exceeding Rs. 120/- per match.
Rs. 200/- per head per match as allowance to the team members for the duration of the match.
Travelling and journey expenses of the visiting teams to the venue of the tournament and back shall be re-imbursed by the staging association in the first instance, and later re-imbursed by the Board to the staging association.
The team will travel by 1st Class/Two tier A.C./Luxury Bus and Rs. 75/- for every 12 hours or part thereof as journey expenses both ways will be paid to them.
It will be obligatory on the part of the staging Association to see that the return rail booking/luxury bus of the visiting team is arranged by them.
NOTE: Local boys where the tournament is played will be paid Rs. 200/- per head per day as allowance for the duration of the match and Rs. 20/- per head per day as conveyance allowance.
For Umpires :-
First class/Two tier A.C./Luxury Bus fare from and to their place of residence.
Rs. 75/- as journey expenses for every 12 hours or part thereof.
Rs. 750/- as Umpires allowance per match.
Rs. 50/- as pocket money including conveyance allowance per day for the duration of the match plus one day before and one day after.
Towards boarding and lodging the member staging the match shall pay at the rate of Rs. 600/- per day per Umpire for the duration of the Match and one day before and one day after.
Rs. 50/- per day as pocket money including conveyance allowance for the duration of the match plus one day before and one day after to the local Umpires apart from the Umpires allowance as stated in para (iii) above.
NOTE: All the expenses of the Umpires under clauses (i) to (vi) above shall at first instance be paid by the Staging Association. The above expenses shall later be re-imbursed to the Staging Association by the Board.
All disputes of any nature shall be referred to the Junior Cricket Committee within 10 days of the completion of the match. The Junior Cricket Committee shall not be bound to give any reasons for its decision.
If there is any dispute in regard to the age, School Certificate or Birth Certificate will hold good.
The examination by the medical Board to determine the proof of age was considered not necessary.
All protests shall be made to the Honorary Joint Secretary of the Board and shall be accompanied by a protest fee of Rs. 15,000/-. The protest shall be made within 10 days of the completion of the match. Such protests shall be dealt with at the earliest by the Junior Cricket Committee. In case the protests is rejected, the fee of Rs. 15,000/- shall not be refunded. The Committee shall not be bound to give reasons for its decisions.
The winner of the match shall be awarded the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Certificates to be issued to the winners of the Trophy.
The Honorary Secretary of the staging Association shall see that the Vijay Hazare Trophy presented to the winner is returned to the Board's Office at Bombay within one month of the completion of the tournament. If the Trophy is carried away by the zone who is the winner of the tournament, then the permanent test centre of the zone concerned shall see that the trophy taken by their team is returned to the Board's Office, Bombay, within one month of the completion of the tournament.
NOTE: The Honorary Secretary of the staging Association, within 15 days of the conclusion of the tournament, shall inform the Board's office, Bombay, the winner and runner up of the tournament, name and designation of the person who handed over the trophy and photograph, if any, taken of the winning side with the trophy. Also to inform the Board's Office, Bombay, whether the trophy was carried away by the team who was the winner of the tournament.
Except as herein modified, altered or added to, all the matches shall be played in accordance with the Laws of Cricket framed from time to time by the ICC as modified by the experimental laws approved by the Board.
