ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD (ECB)

Overseas Players Resident in England

A cricketer who is not qualified for England under the current ECB Regulations or for Scotland under the current International Cricket Council (ICC) Regulations but who is ordinarily resident in one of these countries can only play in ECB Recreational Competitions and ECB Accredited Premier Leagues (subject to the rules of each Premier League) if:

  • he has been resident in these countries for a period of twenty four consecutive months before the date of his request for registration
  • he has not been out of these countries for longer than 35 days consecutively or 70 days in total during the previous twenty four months
  • any remuneration he receives from playing cricket is not the main source of his income

The definition of ‘ordinarily resident’ shall be in the absolute discretion of the body responsible for registration of the player in the relevant competition.

Competitions Covered

This Regulation applies to ECB Premier Leagues (if adopted by each individual League) and the ECB Club Competitions, currently the National Club Cricket Championship and the Indoor Six-a-Side Club Cricket Championship. It does not apply to County representative cricket or to the England Board XI.

Registration Procedures

In Premier League cricket any player covered by this Regulation should complete an ECB ‘Category 3 - Overseas Player’ registration form. If the League agrees to allow such players the League Registration Secretary will approve the registration as “Exempt” and the registration will not count towards the number of overseas players allowed by the League. Players qualified for England or Scotland should complete a Category 1 form.

For other ECB Recreational Club Competitions the explicit prior approval of the ECB Cricket Department will be required. Players not registered with a Premier League will be asked to complete an ECB ‘Category 3 - Overseas Player’ registration form and send it to the ECB Cricket Department no less than three weeks before the date of the first match that the player wishes to play in. Players granted “Exempt” status by their Premier League should send a copy of the approved form to the ECB Cricket Department no less than three weeks before the date of the first match that the player wishes to play in.

A player, who has a home in these countries and has been granted “Exempt” status, who subsequently accepts a temporary work assignment, not related to cricket, in another country may apply to re-instate his previous “Exempt” status immediately on his return to these countries. Approval is at the discretion of the registration body and is not automatic.

Definitions

For the purposes of this regulation “these countries” means England, Wales, Scotland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

ECB Cricket Department12004 Season and beyond