Strathmore and Perthshire Cricket Union Handbook 2005

14 Time and Time-Wasting. The Union Management Committee have given consideration to the comments made at the Unions A.G.M. regarding the length of time some games were taking to be played and propose the following code of practice for the forthcoming 2005 season. In drafting this proposal, reference has been made to Law 42: Fair and Unfair Play, (9) Time- Wasting, which relates directly to this subject. The Committee thinks that the following procedures reflect both the spirit and the letter of the Laws, will help to speed games up and enable teams to get home from away matches just that bit sooner. Twenty seconds saved between overs and ten minutes off the tea interval can cut half an hour off a game. The main onus however in setting the pace of a game falls upon the two respective captains who should be constantly alert to the way the game is progressing and work with the umpires in ensuring that it does not lag. Umpires also will have to exercise their discretion and judgement in deciding whether slow play or timewasting is taking place, and whether intervention is necessary. A word with the fielding captain or the batsmen may be all that is required, and the Committee hope that players will make the correct response. Law 42 (10) states that”….In normal circumstances the striker shall be ready to take strike when the bowler is ready to start his run-up….” As this is one of the laws of the game, all batsmen are reminded of it and are expected to comply. Guidance: A batsman patting down the pitch or holding a mid-wicket conference after the fielding side is in position, or calling for dry gloves at the end of , rather than during a drinks break, is time wasting. Requests for drinks in addition to a formal drinks break should be met by a member of the batting side running on at the end of an over and should not add to the interval between overs. Continued on page 17