The following are the rules for the M.V.C.L. The MVCL was created by a group of cricketers who wanted to maintain only the finest of cricket traditions. Crickets Laws and Codes demand good sportsmanship. The MVCL will require all involved to constantly display the greatest respect and courtesy to their competitors, teammates, officials and spectators. Only by acting in this manner throughout every aspect of the game of cricket can we hope to perpetuate the game's traditional values and grow the sport by attracting new players both young and old to our great game.
Cricket is a game that owes much of its unique appeal to the fact that it should be played not only within its Laws but also within the Spirit of the Game. Any action which is seen to abuse this spirit causes injury to the game itself. The major responsibility for ensuring the spirit of fair play rests with the captains.
It is expected that all Captains observing violations of this code by their own players will bring such unacceptable behavior to the attention of their club's executive for action. The subsequent action taken by the club is to be reported to the League Secretary within 7 days of the incident occurring.
If violations of this code occur and are seen by Captains of opposing teams; such violations are to be reported to the Umpires and the opposing Captain immediately. The offending player's club executives have 7 days to report to the League Secretary the nature of the infraction and disciplinary action taken by the club. The League's Managing Board or its delegate(s) may at their sole discretion either accept that the club has dealt with the matter appropriately or instruct the League's Discipline and Protest Committee to assume jurisdiction and render appropriate discipline within 14 days of the occurrence.
Measures shall be taken by the offending player or spectators club or in the alternative the League's Protest and Disciplinary Committee shall deal with the behaviour in question. In dealing with infractions against the Code, clubs or the Committee will take into consideration the written reports, circumstances, intent and degree of provocation, etc.
Discipline will be progressive with increased penalties for repeated offences. Past infractions will be taken into consideration. At all times clubs and the Committee shall do their best to recognize the efforts of its umpires and to honour the authority that officials in League matches and events command.
A suspension is deemed to have been served once the team on which the infraction/complaint occurred has played the number of games of the suspension. Suspensions may be deferred at the discretion of the Protest and Discipline Committee.
-
If a club fails to pay, in full, their League dues, each registered member of that club will be jointly and severally responsible and will have to pay their share of that debt before he/she is allowed to re-register for the next season.
DIVISION OF LEAGUE
-
As a general policy the composition of each division shall be altered at the end of each season by promoting to the next higher division the two teams placing first and second in each division, excepting the highest division, and by relegation to the next lower division, the two teams placing last and second to last in each division, excepting the last division.
PLAYER REGISTRATION/ELIGIBILITY
-
Individual player registration/waiver/release forms supplied by the League must be completed and submitted EVERY SEASON BY ALL PLAYERS, including those in the Saturday Morning League. Players who are new to the League (not new to the club) and therefore do not have ID numbers must be entered into the online registration system at www.mvcl.org which will allocate an ID number. Player information must be up to date and correct in both the online registration database and on the registration/waiver/release form.
-
Individual player registration/waiver/release forms supplied by the League to clubs have to be completed by each player and received by the League Secretary, Fax No. 1-888-640-7773 [Toll-Free], no later than the Wednesday PRIOR to each player playing their first game. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a one game suspension for the team captain and a forfeit of the game by the offending team. Captains are encouraged to check the League website on Friday mornings to ensure that their registrants for that week have been on-lined and activated.
-
To ensure that the correct full name is registered, each player must provide his/her club with official identification, e.g., passport, driver license, social insurance number, birth certificate. Only ONE form of identification is required.
-
In the case of JUNIOR players the signature of a parent/guardian is essential. Registrations for junior players will not be accepted unless this requirement is met.
-
In the event of a player transferring from one club to another during the playing season such a player must obtain a written release from the first club President or Secretary with which he was registered and submit it with a new written registration for the second club before he/she can be registered. Transfers of players and registration of players is always at the discretion of the Managing Board. The release and new registration must be faxed or mailed to be received by the League Secretary by the Wednesday PRIOR to such player playing in any M.V.C.L. match. It is the responsibility of the player's new club to ensure that these requirements have been met. Captains are encouraged to check that their new registrants appear on the League's website on the Friday morning prior to a match. Failure to comply with these conditions will result in the forfeiture of the matches in which the improperly registered players have participated and the Captain of the offending team will be suspended for the following match for each offense.
-
No releases will be permitted after 6.00 pm on June 15 of the season. For clarity, releases must actually be received by the League Secretary by this deadline and it is the responsibility of the player and his new club to ensure that this happens. Each player may transfer only once during a season.
JUNIOR PLAYERS
-
A junior player is a person whose 19th birthday falls following the commencement of league play for the current cricket season.
-
A junior team will use 8 junior players on a regular basis. These junior teams will be allowed to exchange players with 'senior teams' subject to rules governing unfair use of players and provided that prior permission for that player to play for the requesting club has been obtained from the junior club President or Secretary with which he/she is registered.
-
All junior players will be allowed to play for any other team or club only when and if prior permission has been obtained by the requesting club, from the President or Secretary of the club with whom the junior is registered. Any such arrangement is subject to rules governing unfair use of players. For statistical record keeping purposes Juniors playing for another club must be in the league's database with a unique identity in the online registration database (for example: add the club name after the player's first name; John [Club Name] Smith). If the junior player is properly registered with his original club and the registration/waiver/release form has been accepted by the League then a new registration/waiver/release form is not necessary when or if the junior plays for a club or team other than that with which they are registered.
-
For any such match as in # 11 above; the requesting team is permitted to play a maximum of three (3) junior players from another club/team.
-
The senior players must be registered members of the junior team's club. If a club fields only a junior team, that club can have named senior players who may have dual registration. Up to three senior players can play in any given game with their junior side.
-
A junior player can register with only ONE club.
-
Every Junior player MUST wear a proper cricket helmet with an attached facemask, all properly fastened with the chinstrap, while batting, fielding in a close catching position or wicket-keeping in a close up position.
-
A junior player can play with any number of clubs during the season. However, the unfair use of player rule shall prevail at all times.
-
Junior players shall play for only one club in the play-offs and/or divisional playoffs and must have played at least five games for that club during that season.
FAIR USE OF PLAYERS
-
Teams are expected to use players (including juniors) fairly in the division which best suits their talents and abilities and in which they have established themselves previously. Any club which considers that another club has unfairly used higher division players in any match, may make a written protest to the league.
-
For greater understanding of the above rule the Managing Board will not tolerate clubs or teams who attempt to influence match results by the unfair use of players.
-
If a club has two teams in the same division, each team must register with the League Secretary a minimum of eight (8) regular playing members who cannot be moved between the teams without prior written permission of the Managing Board. Such permission must be sought at least five (5) days prior to the next match. Any player from the list of 8 players registered as above, who moves to his club's other team within the same division, shall stay with that team for a minimum of three (3) games. A player from the list of eight (8) must play a minimum of six (6) games with the team with which he is registered. Clubs that infringe this rule shall be fined $50.00 per player per infraction.
-
The Managing Board may review player use from time to time and take appropriate action regarding the use of unfair players.
UMPIRING
-
Clubs are required to provide umpires to ensure that games are adjudicated by neutral umpires. Clubs can expect up to ten umpiring assignments for each registered team per season. Clubs are expected to ensure that individuals performing umpiring assignments have a reasonably good knowledge of the Laws of Cricket.
-
Clubs will be fined $50.00 for each failure to provide qualified umpires for any assigned umpiring duty for their club. The no show fine will be increased to $100.00 for the last four weeks of the season.
-
Failure to maintain a 75% attendance for umpiring assignments, starting the first four weeks of the season, will result in deduction of points from existing standings of ALL teams of the offending club, plus a fine of $50.00 until the required 75% is attained. The deduction of points can be negative, for example minus 4. Clubs/teams shall have 14 days from the date of the missed assignment to appeal any fine and/or loss of points.
-
A club which has fallen below the 75% threshold may apply to the League for additional umpiring assignments in order to more quickly attain the 75% target. At its sole discretion, the League will use its best efforts to allocate additional umpiring assignments in order to assist the club to attain the 75% completion level. These assignments will be known as Make Up assignments. Each Make Up assignment fulfilled will be credited to the club's total of completed assignments, but NOT to their total allocation of assignments. However, should a club fail to complete a Make Up assignment, the club's total allocation of assignments shall be increased by one for each missed assignment. The deduction of points shall remain in effect until the club re-establishes the required 75%. The League does not have an unlimited supply of Make Up assignments available, particularly towards the end of the season, and will not take assignments from one club to give to another.
-
Make Up assignments can only assist a club to return to a 75% completion rate. Any deduction of points which has occurred because a club has dropped below the 75% completion will not be forgiven, erased, or in any other way returned, unless the club has successfully appealed the deduction.
-
The appointment of umpires shall be under the control of the Managing Board. In so far as umpires are supplied by the Vancouver Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association, such umpires shall officiate in all matches.
GENERAL
-
Clubs are reminded that the use of grounds is covered by agreements between various City and Municipal Park Boards and the M.V.C.L. Any club planning unscheduled or friendly matches on these grounds MUST therefore obtain prior approval from the League.
-
In the event that a club finds it necessary to default a match, it must default that match in the lowest division in which it has a team playing. The defaulting club should expect to be fined $50.00 for each match defaulted provided that match default has been advised to the League Secretary or other appropriate League Official and opposing Captain or other club official not later than 48 hours prior to game time of the scheduled match. A fine of $100.00 is levied and payable for all other defaults; including failure of team to show up on game day.
-
Only players who have been properly registered and whose registration/waiver/release form has been processed by the League are allowed to play. A list of properly registered and accepted players for each team is available on the MVCL web site (www.mvcl.org) from the Active Players Tab. Failure to comply with this rule will result in a one game suspension for the Captain and a forfeiture of the game by the offending team.
-
Any club which has fees, dues fines or other debts to the League deemed to be outstanding by the Managing Board shall not be awarded any points to its teams for successful League play unless and until the Managing Board deems the debts satisfied.
-
Individual trophies will be awarded for batting, bowling, wicket-keeping and all-rounder in each division. Only those performances for one team within a given division will qualify for a trophy.
-
The playing season shall commence on or about the first Saturday in April and end not later than the last Sunday of October unless otherwise determined by the Managing Board.
-
The Managing Board shall arrange the schedule of League and Divisional Playoff matches at the commencement of each season. All matches shall be played as scheduled unless the Managing Board decides otherwise except that:
- any club unable to field a team shall automatically default the fixture and points to the opposing team in good standing;
- any fixture that is not commenced on account of weather shall be deemed abandoned.
-
The Managing Board shall from time to time make rules governing the play of all matches. These playing rules shall be published in the yearbook. No playing rule, however, shall be changed except by a majority of votes at a General Meeting.
PROTEST AND DISCIPLINE
-
Clubs are encouraged to deal with discipline problems within their own membership. Any report of discipline or conduct problems received by a club from an umpire or officer of another club shall be dealt with by the offending player(s) club within 7 days of the offence. The incident and the action taken shall be reported in writing to the League Secretary. If no remedial action is taken by the club to resolve such reported misconduct within a 10 day period from the date of the incident; the League's Discipline and Protest Committee will become seized of the matter. Lack of proper remedial action by a club within 10 days of receipt of a written report of misconduct will result in discipline being imposed on the entire team and/or club
-
The Managing Board shall appoint a Protest and Discipline Committee to deal with protests and reports of misconduct. That Committee shall consist of at least four members who shall not be members or non-playing members of those clubs involved in the protest or report of misconduct.
-
Any club shall have the right to protest the result of any match within seven (7) days of same by making a written submission to the League Secretary stating clearly the basis on which the protest is being lodged. Similarly, teams, clubs and/or umpires shall have the right to file reports of misconduct.
-
The League Secretary shall as soon as possible furnish a copy of such protest or report of misconduct to the Chairperson and members of the Protest and Discipline Committee, the League Secretary and to the Secretaries of the club(s) whose member(s) are involved.
If the matter is not dealt with satisfactorily by the club as outlined in # 36 above; the parties shall within seven (7) days provide a written report to the League Secretary.
-
Upon receipt of such written submission, the Protest and Discipline Committee shall convene itself as necessary and within fourteen days report back to the League and the involved parties with the details of the remedial action that it deems to be necessary and advise it in writing to the parties.
-
The notice period of all protests, reports of misconduct, written replies to it and/or requests for hearings refers to the period by which the written submission must be received by the League Secretary.
-
The protest fee shall be fifty dollars Canadian funds ($50.00) and shall accompany the protest. In the event of the protest being sustained, such fee shall be returned. If the protest fails such fee shall be forfeited to the League.
-
Should a club or individual wish to appeal the decision, they must within five (5) days of the receipt of the decision to be appealed, submit a written appeal specifying the grounds upon which the appeal is based, along with the appeal fee. The appeal will be forwarded to the Appeals Committee.
-
The appeal fee shall be fifty dollars Canadian funds ($50.00), which amount may be returned to the appropriate party at the discretion of the Managing Board.
-
The Appeals Committee shall consist of three (3) members of the Managing Board who do not serve on the Protest and Discipline Committee. If the Appeals Committee deems a hearing is necessary, the club/individual will be notified in writing within five (5) days of the receipt of the request with details of the hearing.
-
Only ONE representative of the club or the individual concerned will be required at the meeting.
-
The appealing club/individual will be notified of any action taken.
-
A suspension is deemed to have been served once the team on which the infraction/complaint occurred has played the number of games of the suspension. Suspensions may be deferred at the discretion of the Protest and Discipline Committee.
STATISTICS
-
Statistic sheets will be made available to all clubs prior to the beginning of the season. These sheets must be signed by authorized representatives of each club at the ground after the match certifying the result, the registration of players and accuracy of information reported, including the first and last names of ALL players.
-
All clubs must ensure that the League Statistician has a fax number and an e-mail contact for their club. Stat sheets must be sent to Statistician, at Fax Number 1-888-640-7773 [Toll-Free].
-
It is the responsibility of the WINNING TEAM to enter the match results into the statistics database in www.mvcl.org and to fax the completed score sheet BY WEDNESDAY FOLLOWING THE GAME. In the event of a match being abandoned, defaulted or rained out, it is the responsibility of the HOME TEAM TO SUBMIT THE SCORE SHEET.
-
To submit the match results complete the following:
- Enter the match details for the appropriate game.
- Use the validate function to ensure that there are no outstanding errors.
- Once the match validates as error free then change the status of the match from 'Incomplete' to 'Unofficial'.
- Save the entry.
-
The match results will not be considered submitted unless these steps are completed.
-
Failure to submit the match result on-line AND also to fax of the completed statistics form by the Wednesday following the game will result in a $50.00 fine. If the match results and the fax are not submitted to the League Statistician by the following Wednesday, i.e., the second Wednesday following the game, the winning team will forfeit the game and fines will increase to $100.00 per week until the results are properly submitted.
Note: Up to date summaries of incomplete statistics are available on the League web site at www.mvcl.org
-
It is the responsibility of the club to contact the League Statistician via their Club Secretary to resolve any anomalies that they believe have arisen so that the issue can be resolved as soon as possible.
DIVISIONAL PLAY OFFS
-
The two top teams at the end of the year in Divisions I and lower, shall play in the Divisional Playoffs which will start at 11:00 a.m.
-
In the event of two or more teams tying for placement in the Divisional Playoffs, the tie break will be decided upon in the following manner:
- the team with the winning record in head to head competition during the season;
- the team with the higher net run rate over the regular season;
- the toss of a coin.
Note 1: To calculate the run rate, ALL overs faced by each team will be considered.
-
The championship of each division shall be held by the team securing the largest number of points in that division, but in the event of matches scheduled not being played, the championship of the League, or any division thereof, shall be decided by the percentage of net* points gained in matches played.
* Means the net points achieved after deduction of any penalty points, as the total amount available to the team.
-
In the event of any two teams in Divisions I through III tying for the championship at the close of the League season, such teams are required to play-off for the championship on a date specified by the Managing Board. If such match shall end in a tie or a draw, the winner shall be the team which has scored the higher runs per wicket in such match, and, if there shall still be a tie or if such match is not completed on account of weather, then such teams shall hold the championship jointly.
-
No player shall participate in a Divisional Playoff unless he has played in at least 50% of the matches in any division during the current season for the club that he will be representing in the Playoff. This rule does not operate to exclude players from lower Division teams being called by their club to play in a higher Division playoff. This rule is intended to prevent the unfair loading or stacking of teams by unfairly adding new players late in the season. Failure to comply will result in forfeiture of the match.
PREMIER DIVISION PLAY-OFFS AND REGULATIONS
-
Each play-off match will be subject to the Premier Division regulations except that all play-off matches will start at 11:00 a.m.
-
The top three teams will qualify for the play-offs.
-
The play-off system will consist of the following:
- Team 1 automatically wins a berth in the Final.
- Team 2 vs Team 3 - 'Semi-final'.
- Winner of semi-final plays Team 1 - 'Final'.
-
In the event of two or more teams having the same net percentage* at the end of the season, the placing will be determined by the following criteria, applied in the following order:
- the team with the winning record in head to head competition during that season;
- the team with the higher net run rate over that regular season;
- the toss of a coin.
* Means the net points achieved after deduction of any penalty points, as the total amount available to the team.
-
Dates for the games will be selected by the Managing Board. If a match is commenced and then suspended due to weather, the game will be restarted on a make-up date provided in advance by the Managing Board. If the match cannot be started on the initial date, the match will be played on the make-update provided by the Managing Board. If the match cannot be completed on the make-up date or results in a tie, then the team with the higher League standings will automatically proceed to the final.
-
The final will be played on a date specified by the Managing Board. If the match cannot be started on the initial date, the match will be played on a make-up date provided in advance by the Managing Board. If the match is commenced but subsequently abandoned due to weather, a new match will be played on a make-up date provided in advance by the Managing Board. If the match is not played to a conclusion on the make-up date or ends in a tie, the team with the higher League standing will be declared the winner.
-
A play-off match is deemed abandoned in the same manner as a regular League match, and interrupted or terminated games will use the Duckworth-Lewis method of calculation.
-
In the event of a tie in the play-offs, the team with the highest League standing will be declared the winner.
-
No player shall participate in a Divisional Playoff unless he has played in at least 50% of the matches in any division during the current season for the club that he will be representing in the playoff. This rule does not operate to exclude players from lower division teams being called by their club to play in a higher division playoff. This rule is intended to prevent the unfair loading or stacking of teams by unfairly adding new players late in the season. Failure to comply will result in forfeiture of the match.
