LI Cricket Tournament Rule Book

Leipzig Indians first softball season - 2023

Match Format:

1. Each match consists of a maximum of 10 overs bowled by each side.
2. Semi-final and finals we will play 12overs. We will continue with 10overs, in case of any constraints (such as ground, time, weather, etc.).
3. A maximum of 2 overs per bowler is allowed, with 3 overs designated as the powerplay.
4. The tournament is played with a Hard Red Tennis ball.
5. Each team will play two matches with the same team, for the first match we will use new balls and for the second match, we will use pre-used balls with the same team.
6. Two groups with 3 teams each.
7. The pitch is made of wooden planks and covered with mat.
8. Man of the match for each match will be decided by umpires based on the performance.
9. It is mandatory for all players to wear their team jerseys along with full-length pants during the match. The use of shorts will not be permitted, and any player not adhering to this attire will be ineligible to participate in the game. 

Powerplay Selection:

1. The first 2 overs are designated as powerplay by default
2. The batting team can choose between 3 to 8 overs for their 1-over powerplay out of the designated 3 overs. The batter must inform the umpire before the start of an over.
3. If the batting Team doesn’t choose the 1-over powerplay between 3 to 8 will result in the 8th over being considered as the batting powerplay.

Time Limit and Fielding Restriction:

1. If the fielding teams do not reach the final over of a match within the scheduled 50-minute time limit, they are restricted to positioning a maximum of four players outside the 30-yard circle.
2. A 10-minute innings break is permitted per match. 

Match Conditions:

1. The number of overs in a match may be reduced depending on weather, time, or ground conditions.
2. For games decided by the D/L method, each side must face at least 4 overs for the result to be valid, excluding innings where a team is bowled out or reaches its target early.

Semi-final and Final:

1. If the Semi-final is washed out due to weather conditions, the team that ranked higher considering NRR (Net Run Rate) during the league stage qualifies for the final.
2. A reserve day for the final will be discussed with the qualifying captains. If the reserve day is also washed out, the two finalists will share the trophy.

Player Attendance and Registration:

1. The captains are required to conduct the coin toss a minimum of 10 minutes prior to the designated start time of the match
2. A minimum of 9 players are required to be present and prepared for play at the designated time. A maximum grace period of 15 minutes will be allotted for the team to commence the match. Failure to do so will lead to a forfeit of the match, with the opposing team declared as the winner.
3. Missing players will be permitted to join the play up to 20 minutes after the match starts.
4. Only the 15 players provided by the captains are allowed to play in the tournament. Exceeding a total of 15 players participating in the matches may result in disqualification from the tournament, as determined by the organizers. 

Bowling and Scoring Rules:

1. If a bowler bowls two beamers, they will not be allowed to bowl further in that match.
2. Leg-byes and LBW (Leg Before Wicket) are not permitted.
3. Byes and overthrows are allowed.
4. A wide ball shall be counted as one extra to the batting team, and an extra ball shall be bowled.
5. Overstepping (side & front), above the waist without pitching, two pitches before the popping crease, and a 2nd bouncer are all considered as No-balls. The bowler has to re-bowl the delivery, and it is awarded as a Free hit to the batting team (fielding change is not allowed if the batsman is not changed).
6. If fielders are talking or moving sideways while the ball is being bowled, it is considered a no-ball
7. In the event that a bowler's bowling action does not adhere to the ICC standards, the batting team has the authority to notify the umpire. If the bowler persists with the same action, the umpire will intervene and prevent the bowler from bowling any further in the match. 

Batting and Fielding:

1. A new batter becomes the striking batter after every fall of the wicket, except in the case of a run-out.
2. During the powerplay, only 2 fielders are permitted outside the inner circle. In non-powerplay overs, 5 fielders are allowed outside the inner circle.
3. Only 2 fielders are allowed on the on-side behind the popping crease. Violation of this rule will result in a no-ball.
4. The wicketkeeper is required to notify the leg umpire when standing close to the wicket and when moving away from it else it will be called a no-ball and free hit will be given to the batting team.

Player Eligibility and Profile:

1. All 15 players must have a CricHeroes profile, and captains should select the playing 11 in the app.
2. The use of a runner for a batter is strictly prohibited. However, if a batter sustains an injury, they may continue their innings until they are dismissed or voluntarily retire. If a batter declares as retired out, they are not permitted to bat again during the match. In the event of an injury-related retirement (retired hurt), the batter is allowed to continue playing. In cases of concussion, the team captain is authorized to substitute the injured player with another member of the squad of 15 players.

Mankading
Law 38.3 of ICC, which pertains to the “non-striker leaving his/her ground early,” states: “At any time from the moment the ball comes into play until the instant when the bowler would normally have been expected to release the ball, the non-striker is liable to be Run out if he is out of his ground.” 



Matches Points / Qualification

1. 6 teams are divided into 2 groups (Group-A and Group-B).
2. The winner will get 2 points for the win, 1 point for no match, and 0 for a loss.
3. In the group stage, every team competes in two matches against each other team within their pool, resulting in a total of four league matches for each team. From each pool, two teams will advance to the next round.
4. The qualified teams are ranked based on multiple criteria, including points earned, run rate, wickets taken, number of sixes hit, and number of fours hit. These factors are considered in a specific order to determine the rankings.

Qualified 4 teams will play semi-finals as per the mentioned format. 
  a. S1: A1 Vs B2 (knock-out)
  b. S2: A2 Vs B1 (knock-out) 
Qualified 2 teams from the super semi-finals play finals.
  a. S1 Vs S2


Things provided by Organizers

Water bottles (6)
Hard Tennis ball
Wickets
All the other equipment required by the team must be arranged by each team like bats, gloves, guards, etc.

Wide
If the ball bounces above the head of the batsman but he still manages to make contact with it, the delivery is considered legal. However, it will be counted as one of the allowed bouncers per over. The batsman can be declared out on this delivery. 
If the ball bounces and goes above the head of the batsman, the ball will be given wide. Umpire will warn about 1 bouncer per over.

Dead-ball
If the ball rolls or goes flat on the pitch without bouncing, then it will call it a dead ball.
If the ball bounces on the sides or before the pitch, then it is called a no-ball. The bowler has to re-bowl the delivery, and it is awarded as a Free hit to the batting team (fielding change is not allowed if the batsman is not changed).


We will follow standard ICC rules in case of any conflicts




 The umpire's decision on the field is final, and no arguments are permitted during the match.
 Using offensive language towards organizers and other players is not allowed. Umpires can suspend players right away for such behavior.
 In the event of a serious problem on the field, the organizers have complete authority to cancel the match.



All teams participating must sign a waiver indicating that any damage caused to the ground property or neighboring personal property of anyone while playing is their responsibility and the Leipzig Indians committee will not be held responsible for that. All teams and their players must abide by the rules and regulations of the ground they are playing in, like no alcoholic drinks, and no public indecent exposure.

The tournament committee reserves the right to amend the rules at any time if it considers such action, to be in the best interests of the tournament. Committee holds the right to disqualify a team for misconduct (Money not refundable)