SDL Rules for 2023 – This Guidance by Alan Pickering Secretary The Surrey Downs League
A copy of the rules for 2023 has been sent to all club reps and to the SDL divisional WhatsApp groups.
SDL Rule Changes
Five rule changes were approved at the AGM which apply in the 2023 season.
Rule 4e – adds the requirement for all clubs to have a safeguarding officer listed on Play Cricket
Rule 10e – allows juniors (u16) to play for two sides from two different SDL clubs in the same season: one side must be from Division 4 and the other side must play in Divisions 2, 3 or 4.
Rule 10i – clarifies the weather conditions which may be considered when suspending / abandoning a game.
Rule 10m – embeds the ECB conduct policies in our rules. Also adds the rule on no drinking alcohol, smoking or vaping on the field of play during a match by players or umpires.
Rule 11b – requirement for each side to enter the full team on play cricket by the Sunday 10 pm deadline following the match day (no penalties for breaches in 2023).
Cricket Conduct
Clubs should ensure that all their members are familiar with the two main ECB policies which guide conduct of all club members, and which are now incorporated in our league rules:-
- The 2023 Recreational Cricket Regulations. (RCR)
https://resources.ecb.co.uk/ecb/document/2023/03/01/e83cc03a-3671-42e5-a433-c0c1d50b360c/27.-RCR.pdf
b) The 2022 Anti-Discrimination code.
All club members should abide by these two policies. Any incidents of violations of these policies, which clubs want to report to the executive committee, should be made according to the procedures laid out in the RCR.
MCC Law Changes
There have been a number of Law changes in October 2022. These are helpfully summarised here.
https://www.lords.org/lords/news-stories/mcc-announces-new-code-of-laws-from-1-october-2022
Clubs should ensure that their captains and umpires are aware of these changes, and ideally all players too. Most of these law changes relate to rare events; below are the ones most likely to affect us in the SDL.
- It is especially important that everyone is aware of the change to the Law about batters crossing when caught (Law 18); now the new batter faces the next delivery unless the wicket occurred on the final ball of an over).
- The law on a wide has been changed with respect to the stance of the batter who now often move about the crease (Law 22.1). This law can be confusing so it is useful to check the follow MCC training videos
https://apps.lords.org/learn-the-law/laws17-23/story_html5.html?lms=1
You need to click at the top of the video to move to law 22 (which covers wides).
- The no saliva law (41.3) remains in place too.
- There has been a change in where you can find the law on “mankadding” although the wording of the law has not changed (it is now Law 38.3). Clubs should remember that in our rules mankadding is not allowed in the SDL without a prior warning (see SDL rule 10j).
SurreyDowns.Org note
Safeguarding Officer role is for ALL clubs, not just with those with Junior Sections.
Any questions, please contact either Surrey Downs League Secretary or League Safeguarding Lead
Custodians of the LAWS
One of the MCC’s most important roles, which they have carried out since the Club’s formation in 1787, is their custodianship of the Laws of Cricket
https://www.lords.org/mcc/about-the-laws-of-cricket
https://www.lords.org/mcc/the-laws-of-cricket
this page was last reviewed and updated 12 May 2023