LEAGUE RULES
L1 TITLE, OBJECT CONSTITUTION
(a) That this combination of clubs shall be titled the Halifax Cricket League (League)
(b) The object of the League shall be to promote the best interests of the game of cricket.
(c) The League shall be open to all irrespective of age, gender, disability, race, ethnic origin, colour, social status and sexual orientation.
(d) Each season the League shall consist of the clubs elected at the Annual General Meeting (AGM)
(e) Each club shall enter a First and Second XI which shall be divided into three divisions as per Rule L6(a)
(f) The Financial Year shall be from 1 October to 30 September.
(g) The income and property of the League shall be used solely towards the promotion of its objectives as set forth in these Rules and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred, directly or indirectly, to members of the League.
(h) If upon the winding up or dissolution of the League there remains, after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever it shall not be paid or distributed amongst the members of the League but given or transferred to (a) charitable organisation(s). Such organisation(s) shall have objectives similar to those of the League which prohibit the distribution of its income and property amongst its members to an extent at least as great as imposed on the League under or by virtue of Rule L1(g) hereof. Nominated organisation(s) shall be determined by the members of the League, at or before the time of dissolution, and in so far effect cannot be given to such provisions then it shall be allocated to other charitable objectives.
L2 COUNCIL, OFFICERS & THE EXECUTIVE
(a) A League Council (Council) shall be formed consisting of one representative from each of the member clubs and the Honorary Vice Presidents. In addition shall be persons elected to the following positions at the AGM: President, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Administration Secretary, Fixtures Secretary, Registrations Secretary, Sunday League Secretary, Development Officer, Disciplinary Officer, PR & Media Officer, Representative Fixtures Officer, Welfare Officer and the Umpires Association (UA). Also elected shall be representatives from the Junior League (JL), the Calderdale Cricket Development Group (CCDG) a Historian and an Independent Voting Examiner.
(b) A League Executive (Executive) shall be formed comprising of the positions listed in the second sentence of L2(a). From time to time any posts may be combined. Any other person may be co-opted to fulfil a designated position or duty.
(c) The Executive shall have the power to deal with any urgent matters delegated by the Council, including any matters not covered by specific Rules, and impose any decision or penalty considered necessary which shall be final and binding on all parties.
(d) The Executive shall have the power to inspect the grounds of all clubs in the League and report upon their fitness or otherwise to the Council. Any recommendation, action or penalty decided upon by the Council as a result of ground report findings shall be final and binding on all parties.
L3 MEETINGS - LEAGUE & CALDERDALE CRICKET DEVELOPMENT GROUP
(a) All meetings shall be held at the Headquarters of the League unless the Executive determine otherwise, except for those of the CCDG (see Rule L3i).
(b) The AGM shall be held in the month of November. Notice of the meeting together with an agenda shall be circulated to all clubs and officers no later than 14 days prior to the meeting.
(c) The Council shall meet in February, April, July October and at other times as the business of the League may require.
(d) To form a quorum for a Council Meeting nine members shall be present, of which at least five must be club representatives.
(e) At all Council meetings clubs shall have one representative who shall be entitled to vote [see Rule L3 (f) below] and at the AGM or any Special General Meeting (SGM) an additional non-voting representative may attend.
(f) At the meetings detailed above all attendees listed shall be entitled to take part in discussions. All references to ‘Chairman’ shall also apply to any appointed deputy. Voting rights at such meetings shall be as follows:
i) AGM, SGM and Council meetings: HCL club representatives and the UA representative shall each have one vote with the Chairman having a casting vote only. Other than the Chairman’s casting vote, the President, Honorary Vice-Presidents and Officers shall have no vote.
ii) Executive Meetings: Officers and elected or co-opted members of the Executive shall each have one vote with the Chairman having an additional casting vote if required.
(g) At all meetings votes shall be given personally and not by proxy and, unless a ballot is demanded by any member present or the Executive has deemed a vote to be electronic, shall be indicated by a show of hands. Except, as otherwise provided in these Rules, the result of the voting shall be determined by a simple majority of the votes cast.
(h) During any calendar year, commencing 1 January, any club not represented at a Council Meeting shall be fined £6.00. A club not represented at a subsequent second or third Meeting shall be fined £12.00 £24.00 respectively. Should a club not be represented at a third Meeting it shall also have 10 points deducted from both its First & Second XI’s. Should the latter occur after the season is completed then both that club’s First & Second XI’s shall commence the following season with minus 10 points. All fines must be paid to the Treasurer prior to the commencement of the following Meeting. Any fines not paid by that date shall be doubled.
(i) During the twelve month period from 1 December to 30 November three CCDG meetings shall be held, with dates and venues circulated no later than 14 days prior to each meeting, and all clubs must attend at least two meetings during the above calendar year. Failure to attend at least two meetings shall result in a fine of £6.00 or, in the case of absence from all three meetings, £12.00. Fines shall be payable to the CCDG, notice of which will be issued following the October meeting of the CCDG and must be paid by 31 December. Any fine unpaid by this date shall be doubled and must be paid by the first meeting of the CCDG in the subsequent calendar year. Any fine remaining unpaid after this date shall be dealt with by the Executive under Rule L2(c)
L4 MEMBERSHIP & SUBCRIPTIONS
(a) All clubs shall abide by the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Code of Conduct, which incorporates the Spirit of Cricket. The League and all clubs shall adopt and implement the current ECB Safe Hands Policy for Safeguarding Children.
(b) Subscriptions shall be established or varied at the AGM, or an SGM, with each club currently paying one of the following annual fees:
i) £200.00 (Saturday & Sunday Leagues)
ii) £150.00 (Saturday League only)
iii) £ 57.50 (Sunday League only).
The fees shall include Yorkshire Cricket Board (YCB) affiliation fees, Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) subscription and the purchase of ten League yearbooks for i) and ii) and five yearbooks for iii) above. Subscriptions must be paid at or before the February Council Meeting and defaulting clubs shall be fined £5.00 for the first week and £1.00 per day thereafter. Any club requiring more than ten handbooks must order the additional number required at the February Council Meeting with an invoice issued, at cost, at the April Council Meeting.
(c) Each club shall contribute equally any additional sums as may be required by the Treasurer to money manage the running of the League. Any such sum shall be agreed at an SGM.
(d) All clubs shall take out public liability insurance with a minimum indemnity cover as required by the ECB. Each season a copy of the relevant cover note, or appropriate policy documentation, shall be sent to the Treasurer to be received by no later than the second Saturday in April. For clubs with a policy renewal date during the season the relevant documentation shall be received at least one week before the expiry date of the current policy. Failure to comply with this Rule shall result in a fine of £5.00 for each day beyond which the appropriate information is outstanding, culminating in the suspension of the club concerned if the copy is not received. Should any club fail to meet the requirements of this Rule no liability shall be incurred by the League, the Executive or any Officer of the League.
(e) Each club shall be required to purchase a minimum of two tickets for any event organized by the Executive, e.g. the Annual Dinner.
(f) Any club wishing to join the League must contact the Secretary for an application pack, who will also provide any further information required plus all relative forms to complete. A potential new club must have, and maintain, an active junior section of at least two teams competing in a recognized junior league. The most senior of these teams must be competing at Under 15 age level or above. Continued membership of the League is dependent on meeting the above junior section criteria.
(g) Any written applications to join the League must be accompanied by a completed form of Information and League Ground Report (ILGR). Applying clubs will be required to reach an adequate category in all areas, with a least two categories classified as good by the nominated members of the Executive, who shall undertake an onsite inspection and complete the LGR before the February Council Meeting. A copy of the club’s constitution and its three most recent sets of annual accounts must also accompany the application. At the above meeting, in the year before the season it intends to join the League, up to three officials of the club shall make a verbal presentation. All relevant information and documentation shall be made available at this meeting and any League club, if it wishes, shall be given the opportunity to ask questions of the club’s representatives. The final decision on admission shall be by a vote at the April Council Meeting and ratified at the following November AGM. Any club not required to provide one year’s notice to its current league may apply for admission, enclosing all documentation, before 30 June. Their application shall be considered, in the manner outlined above, at the AGM for admission for the next season.
(h) Any new club accepted to play in the League shall pay an entrance fee, currently £50, to be determined at each AGM. Payment of the entrance fee shall be made at the February Council Meeting in a club’s inaugural season.
(i) A club applying to join the HCL, including any club voluntarily resigning from the YCB Pyramid System – West (PSW), as per Rules L4(f) and L4(g) shall join the lowest divisions of both the First and Second XI’s existing at that time. The only exception shall be in the case of a former HCL club relegated from the PSW, and in such circumstances both its First and Second XI’s shall be restored to the Division in which they were playing in the year of leaving.
(j) When considering accepting any PSW promotion offer, a club shall ensure it is aware of the promotion and relegation criteria set out both in these Rules and those of the PSW.
(k) A club accepting a promotion offer from the PSW shall be aware that it if returns to the HCL through voluntary application, or relegation, then that return must be at the amateur status described in Rules L5(a) and L5(b).
(l) Any club resigning from the League shall inform the Secretary, in writing, by no later than 30 September of the calendar year to enable it to leave the League prior to the commencement of the following season. No club shall negotiate with another league with the intention of considering joining that league without first obtaining permission, in writing, from the Secretary and permission shall be refused if the club has failed to fulfil its financial obligations or has failed to observe the Rules of the League in respect of withdrawal of membership. If the League does not provide the necessary written permission within 14 days the club shall have the right of appeal to the YCB Council. Permission to negotiate shall not be interpreted as resignation or dismissal but should the date of 30 September, that by which resignations are due to be received, pass without further written notification of action from the club then the above written permission is deemed spent.
L5 PLAYER REGISTRATION
(a) Each club shall field only bona-fide amateur players registered with the League in accordance with this Rule.
(b) An ‘amateur registered player’ (player) shall be defined as one who does not receive any money or gift as an inducement to play for or perform at a club. Any club found to have paid a player, or provided a gift, to play for or perform shall be expelled from the League. Any player found to have received a payment or gift in return for joining, staying or performing at a club shall be expelled from the League.
(c) Players may receive consolidated expenses for umpiring in any match organized by the League, commensurate with the umpire’s rate(s) shown in Rule L10(d) They may also receive payment commensurate with his/her club’s rates for the following duties as these will not be interpreted as an inducement to play: (i) scorer (ii) ground maintenance worker (iii) bar person, provided it is not funded by their club (iv) honorary member.
(d) Players, who are employed in a related business, may be reimbursed for carrying out work at their clubs. If requested by the Executive an invoice for such work must be provided for verification and any payment of these invoices shall not be regarded as an inducement to play.