Clock is ticking for offenders

Saddleworth and District Cricket League by KEVIN RICHARDSON

IT took Glodwick three hours, 10 minutes to bowl their 45 overs against Saddleworth last Saturday.

The time allowed, as stated in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League handbook, is two hours, 45 minutes.

However, because it was not deemed as “deliberate time-wasting” — I’m informed they were told on five separate occasions to get a move on by the two umpires — Glodwick were not reported to the league.

Do not think I’m picking on Glodwick and, having been at the game, I am in no way suggesting their tardy behaviour was done on purpose.

Other sides in the league are also guilty of meandering through their overs and until the correct punishment is put in place, it will continue to happen.

Rule-change proposals for next season must be submitted to the league’s executive committee by August 31. So far, nothing has dropped into secretary Trevor Harrison’s email account or letter box. I suspect something will before the deadline.

One suggestion I’ve heard around the grounds is that for every over bowled above the time limit, the offending team should lose five points.

Good idea. A £25 fine is not a deterrent, but if a team loses the league title or misses out on an LCB Cup qualifying place because of points deducted for not getting a hurry-up in the field, then they have only got themselves to blame.

Teams will probably argue that minutes are taken up by looking for lost balls, waiting for the new batsman to arrive at the crease and if the captain has a bit too much say during a drinks break. But there is time enough to complete the overs.

An injury stoppage is a different matter altogether and common sense would hopefully prevail.

There was a lot at stake at Well-i-Hole last weekend. It was first versus second.

With so much time taken up by leaders Glodwick in the field, Saddleworth only had one hour 55 minutes to bowl 35 overs, before the last half-hour or the last 10-overs rule kicked in.

Saddleworth did well. Aided by the fact there were an abundance of dot balls‚ they got through all 45 overs in a rapid two hours, 20 minutes.

For Saddleworth that is often the rule rather than the exception.

They did not have to revert to the ridiculous sight of bowlers ‘running in’ off two paces to avoid what could have been a drawn game — a game which they had dominated.

This may appear petty, when this season a player has been banned for life by the league for allegedly knocking a spectator to the floor and another served with a 10-game suspension after claims of spitting at an opponent.

But this does matter — it makes for mind-numbingly boring cricket — and until offenders are brought to book, they will carry on getting away with needless and unnecessary over-time.