Cheshire Cricket League Handbook 2022

Cheshire County Cricket League Ground Criteria THE following list of Grounds Criteria should be strictly applied by all Cheshire County League clubs for their main grounds during the 2019 season. Panel umpires, 2nd XI and 3rd XI captains will take these criteria into account when making their match reports. 1. SQUARE Should be well-maintained and in good condition. The entire square should be cut prior to each game, the wicket clearly identified from the remainder of the square and fully-prepared for positive cricket. 2. PITCH The objective is that the whole pitch should be firm, dry and true, providing good carry and consistent bounce with no excessive seam movement throughout. In all cases, pitches will be judged on how they play and not whether they are dry and what colour they look. Pitches should be marked out to comply with current regulations (see Handbook diagram). Creases should always be re- marked between innings. 3. OUTFIELD Should be flat, even and well-maintained with good drainage, closely-mown weekly below three-quarters of an inch or 20 millimetres, with no grass cuttings left about. The ball should be able to run truly. 4. PLAYING AREA Should be ideally be a minimum width of 120 yards and a length of 120 yards. 5. BOUNDARY Should be clearly marked with a rope or white lines, plus boundary flag- markers every 20 yards. The boundary should be a minimum distance of 50 yards from the playing area for all 1st XI matches and a minimum of 40 yards for 2nd and 3rd XI games. 6. SIGHT-SCREENS The structure of all sight-screens, painted with non-gloss paint, should be in good condition and of adequate size for each individual ground. Boarding must be available to delineate the boundary if placed within the playing area. Two sight- screens are required at each end. 7. BELL A fixed bell should be provided for use by the umpires to signal the imminence of the start of each session of play. 101