Hong Kong Cricket Association

a) In the absence of ACU&S appointed umpires, the captain of the batting side is to nominate the umpires during his side’s innings. It is the responsibility of the captain to ensure that his nominees are familiar with the Laws of Cricket and the HKCA Rules. Both captain and player-umpire will be held responsible in any case of unfair conduct or negligence.

b) No person under the age of 18 shall umpire in a Saturday League match unless agreed by both captains before the toss.

c) When only one umpire is appointed to stand by the ACU&S in a Saturday match, the umpire at his/her absolute discretion may stand at both ends during the match, following consultation with both captains.

d) Before the match, in the absence of umpires, captains shall agree on the clock or watch to be followed during the match.

2. Hours of Play

All matches (except those at HKU Sandy Bay) will commence at 1300 hrs and be played according to the schedule below. There will be a ten-minute interval between innings. Matches at HKU Sandy Bay will commence at 1315 hrs and conclude at 1755 hrs with the innings break from 1530-1540 hrs.

First Innings 1300 – 1515 (2 hours 15 mins)
Interval 1515 – 1525 (10 mins)
Second Innings 1525 – 1740 (2 hours 15 mins)

Playing time per innings, excluding drinks break: 130 minutes
Required over rate: 16.15 overs per hour / 3.71 minutes per over

3. The Ball

Platypus red two-piece balls, 156 gms, shall be used.

4. Length of Innings

a) Matches will consist of one innings per side, each innings being limited to a maximum of 35 overs.

b) To constitute a match, a minimum of ten overs must be completed in the second innings.

c) Declarations are not permitted.

d) If, without Good Cause, the bowling side fails to complete 35 overs within the scheduled time, the innings shall be extended until 35 overs are completed and the second innings restricted to the number of overs completed at the scheduled time. An over in progress at the scheduled time shall count as a completed over.

e) During an innings, the umpires shall make allowance for legitimate delays which have prevented a side from bowling its allotted overs within the scheduled time. Examples of such Good Cause include, but shall not be limited to, the following:

i) Injury to players of either side. ii) Inability to locate and/or retrieve a ball. Note: A maximum of two minutes will be allowed for this, after which the bowling side must produce a replacement ball for use. iii) Delays caused by the batting team, e.g. changes of equipment. Note: In instances of inclement weather, Rule 5 shall apply, NOT the provisions of Good Cause.

f) The umpires are to inform the captain of the fielding side and the batsmen when they are making a judgement of Good Cause and advise them of the time they have allowed. All Good Cause minutes will be tallied over the course of an innings. For every three minutes, or part thereof, lost in this manner, the bowling side will be given relief from one of the required number of overs to be bowled.

g) If the team batting first is all out and the last wicket falls at or after the scheduled interval time, the second innings shall be limited to the same number of overs bowled to the team batting first at the scheduled time for the interval, and the over in which the wicket falls shall count as a completed over.

h) If the team batting first is dismissed in less than 35 overs, the team batting second shall be entitled to bat for 35 overs, except as provided for in (g), above.

i) The second innings shall consist of the same number of overs as the first (except as provided for in (h), above, or under Rule 5).

j) The finish time for the second innings is 1740 hours (see Rule 2), which is based on a 35 overs innings. This will be reduced at the rate of three minutes per over, if the number of overs required to be bowled is less than 35.

k) If the team fielding second fails to bowl the required number of overs, without Good Cause, by 1740 hrs, or the rescheduled finish time (the over in progress at the scheduled time shall count as a completed over), the match will conclude and the result decided by Net Run Rate, as per Rule 8b. The facts are to be reported to the MDC.

l) If the team fielding second fails to bowl the required number of overs by the scheduled or adjusted finish time on account of Good Cause, subject to light, ground and weather conditions, the finish time will be extended to compensate for the time lost. If an extension is not possible for any reason, the result of the match will be determined by Run Rate as per Rule 8b.

Please see the following examples for clarification:

Scenario 1

In a 35-over-a-side game, the first innings was originally scheduled to finish at 1515 hrs. At exactly 1515 hrs, the team bowling first had completed 32 overs and had bowled two balls of the 33rd over. At the end of that over the score was 160 for 6 wickets. There was no Good Cause for this other than a slow over rate. The batting side were then allowed to complete their full quota of 35 overs and finished at 200 for 8. The side batting second must score a total 201 runs to win the game and will have only 33 overs in which to do so. The first innings eventually closed at 1522 hrs (seven minutes late). With a ten-minute innings break the second innings will now start at 1532 hrs. The rescheduled finish time should have been 1747 hrs (1740 plus 7 minutes). However, the time allowed to bowl the second innings will be reduced by three minutes per over deducted, in this case six minutes (2 overs x 3 minutes). The rescheduled finish time is now 1741 hrs (1747 minus 6 minutes).

Scenario 2

In Scenario 1, during the first innings, if there had been one injury and one lost ball, each of two minutes duration (total four minutes), this would provide Good Cause for a total of two overs (1 x 3 minutes, plus 1 x part 3 minutes). Consequently, the bowling side would be required to deliver only 33 overs inside the scheduled finish time of 1515 hrs. As they had done so, the innings would close at the end of the 33rd over and the score at that point (160 for 6) is the total to beat. The team batting second has 33 overs to reach 161 for a win, i.e. neither side is penalised. However, the finish time of the second innings should be rescheduled following the same principle as Scenario 1.

5. Delayed or Interrupted Matches

In order to achieve a result in a match delayed or interrupted by adverse conditions of weather, ground, light or other Good Cause beyond the teams’ control, the following procedures apply:

a) If the first innings is delayed or interrupted on one or more occasions, two overs shall be deducted from the original 70 for every six minutes (or part thereof) lost, i.e. one over deducted from each innings.

b) A similar adjustment to the number of overs should be made, in the event of a delayed start to the first innings for reasons not attributable specifically to the side fielding first. However if the reasons are attributable to the side batting first, the facts are to be reported to the MDC.

c) The second innings shall consist of the same number of overs as the first. If the second innings is not completed for any reason other than that of a result already being achieved, the game will be decided on Run Rate (as per Rule 8b) provided that the minimum ten overs have been completed.

Please see the following example for clarification:

Scenario 3

Due to ground, light, or weather conditions, the start of a match is delayed by 40 minutes and will now commence at 1340 hrs. The game will be reduced by a total of 14 overs (40 minutes divided by 6 or part thereof = 7 x 2 overs), seven overs deducted from each innings. Each side will now bowl 28 overs. The 40 minutes lost is divided across both innings, i.e. 20 minutes deducted from each innings (original playing time of 2 hours 15 minutes, minus 20 minutes = new playing time of 1 hour 55 minutes). Therefore the revised hours of play will be 1340 to 1535 and 1545 to 1740.

6. Number of Overs per Bowler

No bowler shall bowl more than ten overs in an innings.

7. Drinks Intervals

a) No specific provision is made for drinks break during the innings. However as a matter of convention, a drinks break of five minutes is normally taken at the halfway mark of an innings (normally at the end of the 17th over).

b) If for any reason (e.g. severe heat conditions) both captains agree to have additional drink intervals, this should be communicated to the umpires before the toss. The option to take such intervals shall be available to either side (though at any time, both captains may agree to forgo the drinks interval).

c) Each drinks interval shall not exceed five minutes. In the event that more than one drinks break is taken, the duration of the additional drinks break(s) should be treated as Good Cause and the number of overs to be bowled in the innings, reduced in accordance with Rule 5a.

8. Restrictions On The Placement Of Fielders

a) Two semi-circles shall be drawn on the field of play. The semi-circles shall have as their centre the middle stump at either end of the pitch. The radius of each of the semi-circles shall be 30 yards (27.43 metres). The semi-circles shall be linked by two parallel straight lines. The fielding restriction area should be marked with disks at five-yard (4.57-metre) intervals by the home side in each game.

b) At the instant of delivery, there may not be more than five fielders permitted outside this fielding restriction area.

9. The Result

a) A result is achieved after both teams have completed their innings as above. The team scoring the higher number of runs shall win.

b) In the event of bad weather, light or ground conditions, time or any other reason preventing the completion of the second innings and the minimum of 10 overs have been completed, the team with the higher run rate shall be the winner. Bonus points shall be awarded as per Rule 10.

RUN RATE is to be calculated by total runs scored (inc. extras) divided by total balls bowled (inc. Wides & No balls). This is used in innings where there is Good Cause e.g. bad/inclement weather, lost balls.

NET RUN RATE is to be calculated by total runs scored (inc. extras) divided by total legitimate balls bowled (not inc. Wides & No balls). This is used in cases where there is no Good Cause.

Note: In both cases, if the side batting first is all out in less than its full quota of overs, calculations are to be based on the full quota of overs allowed and not on the number in which the side was dismissed.

c) In the event of a Tie, wickets down are not to be taken into account except for bonus points purposes.

10. Points

Points for matches will be awarded as follows:

Win = 12 points (no bonus points)
Tie = 4 points each (plus bonus points)
Loss = 0 points (plus bonus points)
No Result = 6 points each (no bonus points)
Walkover = 12 points to opposition

Note: Matches not started because the ground is unavailable will be rescheduled, if at all possible.

11. Bonus Points

Bonus points will be awarded to the losing team, or both teams in a tied match, as follows:

a) one batting point each for 125, 150 and 175 runs (maximum 3 points).

b) one bowling point each for 3 and 6 wickets taken plus one bowling point for All Out (maximum 3 points).

12. League Champions

At the conclusion of the season, the top eight teams will play off for the Championship. The eight finalists are split into two groups for the opening week of the Finals’ Series.

The top four teams play the two Qualifying Finals. The winners receive automatic entry into the Semifinals in Week Three of the tournament, while the losers get a second chance and play home games against the Elimination Final winners in Week Two.
The bottom four teams play in two Elimination Finals, where the winners advance to the Semifinals in Week Two and the losers are eliminated.

Week One
1st Qualifying Final: 1st seed hosts 4th seed
2nd Qualifying Final: 2nd seed hosts 3rd seed
1st Elimination Final: 5th seed hosts 8th seed
2nd Elimination Final: 6th seed hosts 7th seed

Week Two (all matches are now knockout rounds)
1st Semifinal: Loser of 1st QF hosts winner of 1st EF
2nd Semifinal: Loser of 2nd QF hosts winner of 2nd EF

Week Three
1st Preliminary Final: Winner of 1st QF hosts winner of 2nd SF
2nd Preliminary Final: Winner of 2nd QF hosts winner of 1st SF

Week Four
Grand Final: Winners of the two Preliminary Finals meet in the Grand Final