Tournament Conduct Rules 1. Format - The tournament will be played on a league cum knock out basis. The host, based on number of teams participating, will decide the exact schedule of the matches 2. Dates - a) Matches will be played between 4th and 14th December, 2002 b) Inauguration ceremony on 3rd December, 2002 c) Arrival to India by member countries = 1st December, 2002 d) Departure of teams from India = latest by December 15, 2002 (expenses on stay and food for period 1st to 15th December, 2002 shall be borne by the host) 3. Participating teams - Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka (subject to last minute change) 4. Match Duration a) Matches will be of one innings a side b) Declaration of innings is not permitted c) Each innings shall be of 40 (6 ball) overs a side or 175 minutes (inclusive of two 7 & ½ minute each drinks interval at the end of 13 overs and 26 overs, respectively) which ever is earlier d) If the team bowling first fails to complete its quota of overs in the stipulated time, then while batting, it will face the same number of overs bowled by it in the stipulated time, apart from facing penalty runs as indicated later in clause 20(d) of this document. e) For a match to be valid it will have to be a minimum of 15 overs a side 5. Rescheduling of Matches a) If there is a loss in playing time on account of a delayed start or an unforeseen interruption in play, the umpires can reschedule the match both in terms of the total number of overs per innings and the time frame b) Calculation for any rescheduling of matches will be based on 15 overs per hour c) While rescheduling a match, the umpires must ensure that maximum number of overs possible in that reduced time must be accommodated d) While rescheduling a match the umpires must specify the revised number of overs and the revised time frame e) While rescheduling the match the umpires must ensure that the rescheduled match does not end earlier than the original closing time as indicated in clause 6 (e) of this document. f) If the start of the match is delayed up to two hours, the umpires can reduce the lunch break by a maximum of 20 minutes. If the start of the match is delayed by more than two hours then the lunch break can be reduced by a maximum of 30 minutes 6. Playing Time a) 0930 hours to 1225 hours morning session b) 1225 hours to 1305 hours lunch break c) 1305 hours to the end of play d) Each innings will have a 7 & ½ minute drinks break at the end of over number 13 and over number 26, respectively; or otherwise as decided by the umpires for rescheduled matches. e) Official time for close of the match is 1600 hours. However, the match will carry on till the fielding side has completed bowling the stipulated / required number of overs. f) The innings of the team batting second shall not commence before the scheduled / rescheduled time for commencement of second session, unless the team batting first has completed their innings at least 40 minutes prior to the lunch time in which case, a 10 minute break will be given and the team batting second shall commence its innings 7. Arrival at the Grounds : The teams must reach the ground by 0815 hours 8. The Playing XI : The playing XI must be submitted to the Match Referee at least 15 minutes before the toss 9. The Toss : The toss will take place at 0900 hours or half an hour before the start of play. 10. Dress Code a) All teams shall wear their respective country's colour uniforms as decided by the WBCC. b) The shirts shall have printed on them = '2nd World Cup Cricket for the Blind', preferably somewhere on its backside. c) If there is a title sponsor to the event, the host shall have the required stickers made and give it to the respective countries on arrival in India; these stickers shall have to be displayed on the front of the shirt. d) If a team would like to display a sponsor's logo, prior consent of the host / organisers must be sought e) Liquor and tobacco advertising are banned in most parts of India 11. Match Officials : The host organising committee shall appoint the umpires, scorers and Match Referees for all the matches of the World Cup from the list of eligible umpires and scorers. [Matches will be officiated by neutral umpires to the extent possible]. 12. Protests : a) Only protests related to medical category are allowed b) To be made to the Match Referee c) Within 15 minutes of the completion of the match d) In the prescribed form along with a protest fee of Indian Rs. 10,000/- (US $ 200) payable at the time of lodging the protest e) Protest fee is non-refundable 13. Jury of Appeal a) All protests shall be attended to and decided by the jury b) Its decision shall be final c) Organisers are not bound to give any reason for the same d) The host organising committee shall decide its composition e) The jury shall be assisted by a panel of doctors to be arranged by the host organisers 14. Points for the League Matches a) 4 points to the team winning a match b) 2 points to each team for a tie or no result match c) No points shall be awarded to the team losing a match d) For an abandoned match also both teams shall get 2 points each Bonus Points If the team batting second chases the target score and scores it in 32 overs or less than 32 overs, then it shall get ONE bonus point (example - team batting first scores 200; then team batting second must score 201 runs before the last ball of the 32nd over to earn the Bonus Point) If the team bowling second restricts the score of the team batting second to 80% or less of its own score, then it shall get ONE bonus point (team batting first scores 200 runs; then the team batting second will have to be dismissed for less than 160 runs for the first team to earn the Bonus Point) 15. A Tied Match : A match shall be declared as tied if the scores of the two teams are level at the end of the match, irrespective of the number of wickets lost or number of overs bowled 16. Points Tied at the end of League Programme a) The team that won when the two teams had played each other during the league phase shall be ranked higher b) If the said match was a tie or abandoned, then overall run rate of the two teams in the tournament shall be calculated. The team with better run rate shall be ranked higher c) If the tie is still unresolved, then the team losing fewer wickets in the league phase shall be ranked higher d) If the tie continues to be unresolved, then the average of the teams highest and the lowest scores made in the league phase shall be compared. The team with the higher average will be ranked higher e) At this stage if the tie is still unresolved, then the toss of the coin shall determine the team ranked higher 17. Tie in the knock out stage a) The team that has lost fewer wickets at the end of the match shall be the winner b) If the tie is not resolved then the scores at the end of 30 overs will be compared. The team with the higher score shall be the winner c) If the tie is still unresolved then the team that has lost fewer wickets at that stage shall be the winner d) If the tie continues to be unresolved then the above sequence shall be repeated at the 20 over stage and the winner shall be decided accordingly e) If the tie is still not resolved, then the toss of the coin shall determine the winner f) In the case of an interrupted match, Rule 19 shall apply. If the scores are level then the team that has lost fewer wickets shall qualify for the finals. If the wickets lost are also the same, then the toss of the coin shall decide the winner g) In the event of the semi-finals being abandoned, the toss of the coin shall determine the team to qualify for the finals 18. Tie in the Finals a) To be declared joint winners b) For interrupted match, Rule 19 shall applied 19. Interruption after Start of the Match a) For a match to be valid it shall have to be a minimum of 15 overs a side b) If the team batting first has completed its innings and the match has to be stopped while the second team is still batting, then the match shall be valid only if the second team has batted for at least 15 overs c) The comparative scores of both the teams till the stage the team batting second has played will be considered. The team with the better score will be the winner. If the scores are level then the match shall be declared as a tie 20. General a) No bowler shall bowl more than 1/5th or 20% of the total number of stipulated overs in the innings b) Where the total number of overs in an innings is not divisible by 5 then the maximum number of overs than can be bowled by a bowler shall be determined by dividing the total number of overs by 5 and adding one over to bowlers quota to make up the remainder overs. For example, if the total number of overs is 37, then two bowlers can bowl a maximum of 8 overs, while the others can bowl a maximum of 7 overs c) In the event of a bowler being unable to complete an over, another bowler will bowl the remaining balls. The incomplete over shall be counted as one over when it comes to counting the number of overs bowled by each of the bowlers who shared that particular over d) If the team bowling first fails to bowl the quota of overs in the stipulated time period then 1. the first innings shall be stopped at the end of the stipulated time, irrespective of the fact that the quota of overs has not been completed 2 . the team batting second shall get to bat only that many number of overs as has been bowled by it in the stipulated time 3 . Further, the team batting second shall be penalized for failing to bowl the quota of overs in its stipulated time at the rate of = 5 runs for every B1 over not bowled and 3 runs for every B2 or B3 overs not bowled. 4 . These penalty runs shall be added to the innings total of team batting first and the total runs thus arrived shall be the target for the team batting second in the reduced quota of overs, as explained above [for eg. Team 'A' bats first against Team B. Assuming that it is normal duration match, Team B manages to bowl only 37 overs ( 2 B1 overs short and 1 B2 over short) in the stipulated time of 175 minutes. Team A scores 250 in these overs. The innings of Team A shall be stopped at 37 overs itself (end of stipulated time; no extension of time). When Team B bats it shall get to bat only 37 overs. However, its target shall be 250 + 2 x 5 runs for 2 B1 overs short + 3 x 1 for 1 B2 over bowled short = 263 runs, to be chased in 37 overs only] e) All other aspects of the World Cup matches not covered in the specific rules above shall be governed by the existing set of International Rules as applicable to the game of Cricket for the Blind f) Decision of the umpire and Match Referee on any cricket related matter of any match during the World Cup shall be final and binding on the teams. Organisers are not bound to give reasons for the same g) A player may be given a drink either on the boundary line or at the fall of a wicket, on the field provided that no time is lost / wasted. No other drink shall be taken onto the field without the permission of the umpire h) The pitch shall be covered every day to protect it against overnight dew i) Pitch shall also be covered during the match interruptions due to bad weather. j) Match Referee during the World Cup shall be from the World Cup Panel of umpires or from the pool of members/office bearers of the World Blind Cricket Council or from the host country.