46. a. No play to take place in continuous rain in any circumstances.
b. If the start of the match is delayed by weather, or play is interrupted by weather, or any factors beyond the control of both sides, then two overs will be deducted for every complete eight minutes lost and part thereof. In the first innings it shall be one over from each innings. In the second innings two overs to be deducted for each eight minutes lost and part thereof. For all League matches 16 overs is the minimum to constitute a completed innings, and the failure to complete 16 overs in both innings, the match shall be abandoned, unless the team batting second has a total of runs in excess of that scored in the first innings, meaning the team batting second has won. The numbers of overs scheduled to be bowled in the first innings (between 16 and 40 shall be the number of overs to be bowled in the second innings. A result will be reached by calculating the scoring rate for the first innings (to the last completed over), the scoring rate to be calculated by dividing the runs scored by the number of overs completed in the first innings, to two decimal places without any rounding up or down. If however the team batting first were all out, then their score will be divided by the number of overs scheduled to be bowled in the first innings. The amended number of scheduled overs in the second innings will then be multiplied by the first innings scoring rate and the result rounded down to the nearest run, and this will represent (plus one) the number of runs required in the second innings to win the match. If that number of runs has already been scored, and sixteen overs have been completed or there are 16 or more scheduled overs to be played, then the team batting second will have won the match.
c. In a match unaffected by stoppages, if the team bowling first fail to complete their allocated overs by 2 hours and 40 minutes then the first innings shall continue until the allocated overs have been bowled. In the second innings the batting side shall only receive the number of overs they had actually completed at 2 hours and 40 minutes in the first innings. In these circumstances the umpire(s) shall have the power to adjust the duration of the tea interval.
47. Players may be added to the team sheet, and play in the match, up to one hour after the scheduled start time. The umpire(s) and opposing captain must be informed if a player is added to a team after the match is declared on the team sheet. The umpire(s) shall retain the team sheet if less than 12 players are declared by either team immediately after one hour after the scheduled start time and shall strike out any empty lines where a player has not been entered.
48. Only the authorised scorer(s) shall make entries into the scorebook during the progress of the match. Scorers must record the score by both runs and wickets at the end of every completed over. The batting side are responsible for keeping the scoreboard up to date at the end of each over. The scoreboard must be updated per delivery, once within ten runs of a result.
49. The tea interval shall not exceed 40 minutes or be less than 15 minutes. The umpire(s) must record the time of the finish of the first innings and the time of the start of the second innings on the scoresheet. The home side to provide drinks for all players and umpires both mid-innings and at the tea interval.
50. a. The welfare of all players under the age of 18, is the prime responsibility of the team captains and the club safeguarding officers.
b. If an umpire considers a player under the age of 18 is being intimidated in any way, the umpire(s) shall stop play immediately, and inform the captains. The umpire(s) must report any such incidents to the League General Secretary within five days of the match (even if play is subsequently resumed).
c. All such reports must be referred to the League Disciplinary Committee.
d. If in the opinion of a team captain an under-18 player in his side is incapable of facing medium/fast bowling, then such batsmen shall be placed at the end of the batting order. When it is their turn to bat, the team captain shall accompany the inexperienced young batsman onto the field of play and inform the opposing captain and the umpire(s), and only slow deliveries may be bowled to a young batsman identified in this way.