Green light for fielding circles

FIELDING circles are coming to the Saddleworth and District Cricket League next season.

After previous attempts failed to secure enough votes, clubs gave the latest proposal the green light at the annual meeting held at Uppermill CC.

The 25-yard circle will operate in all Tanner and Moore Cup matches, and captains must ensure that four fielders plus the wicketkeeper are inside it when the bowler enters his delivery stride.

Already used in the league's Twenty20 Cup competition, its aim is to prevent teams playing negative cricket by posting fielders on the boundary edge.

Of the submissions put to the vote, only the leg-side wide proposal for Division One matches was knocked back.

From now on, the Tanner Cup final will take place on the first Sunday in August, thus creating a clash with the CLL’s Wood Cup final.

The final of the Moore Cup will follow on the second Sunday, with both matches starting at 1pm.

First and second-round ties in the Tanner and Moore Cup competitions, as well as the semi-final and final, will have reserve days subject to dates being available in the match calendar.

Meanwhile, a registered player can be banned from a ground by any member club as long they inform the league in writing, giving the reason for the ban and when it is lifted.

Umpires can use their discretion to delay the start of a game for up to half-an-hour if there is a genuine reason why players have been delayed.

And clubs will be fined £20 if they do not field a full 11 players in the first team.

This to stop clubs from playing a full side in second XI fixtures when they want a strong team to win a particular match at the expense of Division One standards.

All scoreboards must have a sign indicating ‘target’ as it can alter in a game when the Weathertime System is in operation.

In the Twenty20 Cup, matches which are abandoned because of adverse weather can be replayed on a mutually-agreed date within the next 14 days.

If both teams can’t decide or if the match is fixed again and subsequently abandoned, then a bowl-out will take place.

If a bowl-out is not possible, the outcome will be decided by the toss of a coin.

League subscriptions have gone up by £25 to £100 and insurance renewals must be submitted to the league treasurer no later than the March meeting each year.