2. Reg 15 Play-offs and Premiership Matches

This one has probably been coming for a while.

In the Plain English Rewrite Update of 2016, this regulation went from 2 pages of dense, hard to follow things to a 1 and a bit pages condensed lump of loopy hard to follow stuff.

I remember predicting at the time that now regulations are written in some language that is somewhere near to approaching easily understood, the reaction is gonna be "that's funny... needs fixing"....

Well... this has some issues.

Reg 15.4 lists the ways to rank teams in the competition ladder if they are on equal points at the end of competition rounds. With bonus points in use this is unlikely to actually happen but it's useful for that one time when it does.
But the problem is 15.4 is clumsily cited later in regulation 15.5.3 when it comes to deciding the winner in a drawn final.

As an example I umpired a final in March 2018 where the two teams played a first innings tie. The home team assumed that because they had top rank on the season ladder, they were victorious. After the game I checked the outright wins and the first innings wins (they were the same.) Then I did a Season average countback as in Regulation 15.4.3 and the margin was about 3 hundreths of a point.

This led to Management Committee making a decision under Regulation 15.6.

Why did the players, umpires and administrators blithely assume finals of all kinds are decided by first or second innings win or, in the case of a draw, whoever was higher on the ladder.
I guess that's what they expect and what they want.


So let's make it say that...

Also we should take the opportunity to remove the confusing term "Playoff" and to introduce a clause about "no pay the bills, no play the finals".

OLD REGULATIONS	PROPOSED NEW WORDING
15. PLAY OFFS AND PREMIERSHIP MATCHES	15. SEMI FINAL AND GRAND FINAL MATCHES
15.1 After completion of the competition round of matches teams placed first to fourth in each grade will play in PLAY OFF MATCHES played over two (2) days.	15.1 After completion of the competition round of matches teams placed first to fourth in each Grade will play in SEMI FINAL MATCHES played over two (2) days.
15.2 First PLAY OFF MATCHES will be between teams placed First versus Fourth and Second versus Third.	15.1.1 First SEMI FINAL MATCHES will be between teams placed First versus Fourth and Second versus Third.
15.3 PREMIERSHIP will be decided by a final match played over two (2) days between the two (2) teams who win the first PLAY OFF MATCHES.	15.1.2 The PREMIERSHIP will be decided by a GRAND FINAL MATCH played over two (2) days between the two (2) teams who win the first SEMI FINAL MATCHES.
	15.2 Nil
	15.3 All Clubs playing in SEMI FINAL MATCHES must be in good financial standing with the association.
	15.3.1 Any club not in good financial standing may be excluded by the Management Committee from playing in SEMI FINAL MATCHES
	15.3.2 Any team(s) that are excluded from playing in SEMI FINAL MATCHES will be replaced by the next highest placed team(s) in that Grade as determined in regulation 15.4
DETERMINATION OF PLACINGS AND WINNERS	DETERMINATION OF PLACINGS AND WINNERS
15.4 If any teams finish level on the same points, the order of placings will be determined hierarchically as follows:-	15.4 The order of placings in each Grade will be determined hierarchically as follows.
15.4.1 Most number of outright wins.	15.4.1 Most number of competition points.
15.4.2 Most number of first innings wins.	15.4.2 Most number of wins (outright wins plus first innings wins)
15.4.3 Best average calculated by deducting the team’s bowling average from the team’s batting average.	15.4.3 Most number of outright wins
	15.4.4 Least number of losses (outright losses plus first innings losses)
	15.4.5 Best average calculated by deducting the team’s bowling average from the team’s batting average.
	DETERMINATION OF WINNERS
15.4.4 The team finishing in first place according to regulation 15.4 are the Minor Premiers.	15.5 The team finishing in first place according to regulation 15.4 are the Minor Premiers.
15.5 The team that wins a PLAY OFF MATCH or PREMIERSHIP MATCH will be the team that achieves the most points according to regulations 10.29.	15.6 The team that wins a SEMI FINAL or GRAND FINAL MATCH will be the team that achieves the most match points according to regulation 10.29.
15.5.1 Note that this excludes bonus points.	15.6.1 Note that this excludes bonus points.
15.5.2 For example: should the lower placed team score 160 runs in its completed first innings and the higher placed team score 120 runs in its completed first innings, then the higher placed team must win the match outright to win.	15.6.2 For example: should the lower placed team score 160 runs in its completed first innings and the higher placed team score 120 runs in its completed first innings, then the higher placed team must win the match outright to be declared the winner.
15.5.3 In any PLAY OFF MATCH or PREMIERSHIP MATCH in which both teams achieve the same points such as a draw, tie or an abandoned match, the winner will be decided as in regulation 15.4	15.6.3 In any SEMI FINAL or GRAND FINAL MATCH in which both teams achieve the same match points such as a draw, a tie or an abandoned match, the highest placed team of both finalists at the end of the competition round of matches,  winner will be as determined in regulations 15.4.1 to 15.4.5. , will be declared as the winner.
15.6 The Management Committee will have the sole authority to determine winners in the event of any disputes resulting from PLAY OFF MATCHES or PREMIERSHIP MATCHES..	15.7 The Management Committee will have the sole authority to determine winners in the event of any disputes resulting from SEMI FINAL or GRAND FINAL MATCHES.
15.6.1 Any such decisions made will be final and conclusive.	15.7.1 Any such decisions made will be final and conclusive.
VENUES FOR PLAY OFF MATCHES	VENUES FOR SEMI FINALS AND GRAND FINALS
15.7 The venue for all PLAY OFF MATCHES will be determined by the Management Committee in a manner favouring the team finishing with the highest place according to regulation 15.4.	15.8 The venue for all SEMI FINAL and GRAND FINAL MATCHES will be determined by the Management Committee in a manner favouring the team finishing with the highest place according to regulation 15.4.
15.7.1 In some circumstances the Management Committee will determine the venues for the PLAY OFF MATCHES and PREMIERSHIP MATCHES with respect to ground facilities and equipment	15.8.1 In some circumstances the Management Committee will determine the venues for the SEMI FINAL and GRAND FINAL MATCHES with respect to ground facilities and equipment
HOURS OF PLAY	HOURS OF PLAY
15.8 The hours of play for all PLAY OFF MATCHES will be: Session 1 10am to 12 Noon, Session 2 12.40 pm to 2.40 pm, Session 3 3pm to 5pm	15.9 The hours of play for all SEMI FINAL and GRAND FINAL MATCHES will be: Session 1 10am to 12 Noon, Session 2 12.40 pm to 2.40 pm, Session 3 3pm to 5pm
15.9 Play may continue for a maximum of thirty (30) minutes with a minimum of seven (7) overs to compensate for any time lost during that day.	15.10 Play may continue for a maximum of thirty (30) minutes with a minimum of seven (7) overs to compensate for any time lost during that day.
15.9.1 For example: 20 minutes lost due to rain at 3pm, play extends to 5.20pm	15.10.1 For example: 20 minutes lost due to rain at 3pm, play extends to 5.20pm
15.9.2 For example: 90 minutes lost due to bad light from 10am, play extends to 5.30pm	15.10.2 For example: 90 minutes lost due to bad light from 10am, play extends to 5.30pm
15.9.3 For example: 40 minutes lost at 3.30pm, slow over rate means minimum overs completed at 5.15pm, play extends to 5.45pm	15.10.3 For example: 40 minutes lost at 3.30pm, slow over rate means minimum overs completed at 5.15pm, play extends to 5.45pm
MINIMUM OVERS	MINIMUM OVERS
15.10 Play will not cease on any day unless the minimum number of overs has been bowled.	15.11 Play will not cease on any day unless the minimum number of overs has been bowled.
15.11 On each day the initial minimum of overs will be ninety (90).	15.11.1 On each day the initial minimum of overs will be ninety (90).
15.12 Minimum overs will be calculated as in two day matches in regulation 10.1 to 10.13.	15.11.2 Minimum overs will be calculated as in two day matches in regulation 10.1 to 10.13.
	15.12 Nil
PLAYER ELIGIBILITY FOR PLAYOFF MATCHES	PLAYER ELIGIBILITY FOR SEMI FINAL AND GRAND FINAL MATCHES
15.13 To be eligible for a PLAY OFF MATCH a player must have appeared in at least four (4) matches in the current season in that particular grade or a lower grade.	15.13 To be eligible for a SEMI FINAL or GRAND FINAL MATCH a player must have appeared in at least four (4) matches in the current season in that particular grade or a lower grade.
15.14 Any exceptions to this rule must be submitted to the Management Committee for approval in accordance with regulation 4.	15.14 Any exceptions to this rule must be submitted to the Management Committee for approval in accordance with regulation 4.
UMPIRES IN PLAY OFF MATCHES	UMPIRES IN SEMI FINAL AND GRAND FINAL MATCHES
15.15 Official umpires will stand in all PLAY OFF MATCHES.	15.15 Official umpires will stand in all SEMI FINAL  and GRAND FINAL MATCHES.
15.16 If official umpires are not available, neutral umpires who have passed umpire training examinations approved by the Management Committee will stand.	15.16 If official umpires are not available, neutral umpires who have passed umpire training examinations approved by the Management Committee will stand.
GLOSSARY
Additions	"Match points" means points awarded to each team for the result of a match as in Sat Reg 10.29 10.30 11.20, 11.21or Sunday Reg 26 or Super 20 Reg 20  (Numbering subject to change with proposal in 8. New Numbering...)
	"Competition points" or "ladder points" means accumulated match points for all completed matches in a season.
	"Good financial standing" means a member of the association has no invoices outstanding for greater than 60 days.

Notes:

1. The names "Play-off and Premiership matches" are replaced by the more recognisable terms "semi finals and grand finals". 
2. This will require correction in some other regs to be completed. (Namely Regs 7.11.12, 4.5.2, 4.5.1, Glossary, 24A.5.2, 24.5.2)
3. Reg 15.4 is reorganised to be useable for deciding placings and winners clearly for both competition points and match points in a final.
4. The new 15.6.3 is now briefer.
5. In 15.3 a better term than 'good financial standing' is needed to describe clubs/teams who have not paid their bills.
6. Revise any use of the word "points" in Reg 15 to make it clear which kind of points it is. (i.e. competition points or match points) 
7. Reg 15.8 may be improved if a right of appeal is included.

 Thanks to Adam Brady and Mark Irwin for their suggestions.

This has a few kinks to be ironed out yet... 

ABM, 18-Mar-2019
Revised 9-Jun-2019

---

Comments below please. (Subject to moderation.)

Click on this link for a guide on how to post a comment. https://tinyurl.com/kmkvpub

Link printed so it can be copied off paper printouts.

---

If you can't comment perhaps it would be easier to send me an email.

maurice19cricket at gmail.com

Email address has been 'munged' to prevent spamming.

To use it copy and paste into email app and replace the " at " with a "@"

---

Link to Top of this page CLICK HERE

Back to introduction CLICK HERE