Enrolment and Team offer
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Congratulations on your selection for the upcoming VECL JT20 Tournament. The selection process involves extensive administrative work to screen registrations and identify suitable talent based on the coach's recommendations. Selected players will be invited to try out for the team, and the decision to accept this offer rests solely with the players and their parents. It is important to note that the VECL incurs costs associated with the selection process. Should players or parents decide to withdraw or be unable to attend the selection process, they must pay the cancellation fee specified by the VECL.
 

The VECL, franchises, and coaches' decisions regarding team selection are final and non-negotiable. We won't be able to accept requests for reviews of these decisions. All players and parents must comply with the terms and conditions associated with the team selection and registration process.
 

The VECL and franchises will extend offers to the selected players, and the players, parents, and guardians must review the terms of the offer thoroughly. They must ensure their availability for matches and their capability to travel and arrive punctually. The VECL will offer spots based on carefully considering team requirements and balance. A player accepting a position precludes another player from receiving that opportunity. This is a common challenge in selection processes, and all involved must recognise that the VECL is committed to selecting and offering spots to the most talented individuals.

T20 TOURNAMENT RULES Updated 1 December 2024
 

1. LAWS OF CRICKET

Play shall be governed by the Laws of Cricket – 2017 Code with certain limited exceptions.

The Victorian Elite Cricket VECL Junior Rule Book references the Laws of Cricket 2017 Code when using the terms “law” and “laws.”

2. CODE OF CONDUCT & SPIRIT OF CRICKET

In addition to the provisions of Laws 41 (Unfair Play) and 42 (Players’ Conduct), all players and officials shall abide by the Victorian Elite Cricket VECLs (VECL) Code of Conduct and the Spirit of Cricket set out here.

Players

• I will always play by the rules and in the Spirit of the Game.

• I will never argue with an Official. If I disagree with a decision, I will inform the captain,

coach or manager during a break or after the competition.

• I will control my temper. I understand that verbal abuse of officials, sledging other players,

and deliberately distracting or provoking an opponent is unacceptable behaviour in any

sport. Abuse of equipment or displays of bad temper are not acceptable or permitted.

• I will work equally hard for myself and my team.

• I will be a good sport and applaud all good plays, whether by my team or the opposition.

• I will treat all players in my sport as I like to be treated. I will not bully or take unfair

advantage of another competitor.

• I will always wear proper and approved cricket attire and required safety equipment on

the field of play. I will cooperate with my coach, team members and opponents.

• I will display modesty in victory and graciousness in defeat.

• I will respect the rights, dignity and worth of everyone involved in the game, regardless of

their gender, ability or cultural background.

• I will thank the opposition and officials at the end of the game.

Parents

• I will remember that players participate for pleasure and that winning is only part of the fun.

I will never ridicule or yell at players for making mistakes or not winning.

• I will be reasonable in my demands on players’ time, energy and enthusiasm.

• I will operate within the rules and Spirit of the Game and teach my players to do the same.

• I will ensure that the time players spend with me is a positive experience. All players are

deserving of equal attention and opportunities.

• I will avoid overplaying the talented players and understand that average players need and deserve playing time.

• I will not use foul language or harass players, officials, spectators or other coaches.

• I will ensure that equipment and facilities meet safety standards and are appropriate to the age and ability of all players.

• I will display control, respect and professionalism to all involved in the sport, including opponents, coaches, officials, administrators, the media, parents and spectators. I will encourage my players to do the same.

• I will show concern and caution towards sick and injured players. I will follow a physician's or their parent's advice when determining whether an injured player is ready to recommence training or competition.

• I will obtain appropriate training or qualifications and keep up to date with the latest coaching practices and the principles of growth and development of young players.

• I will not arrive at the field intoxicated or drink alcohol to excess at junior games.

• I will respect the rights, dignity and worth of all people involved in the game, regardless of their gender, ability or cultural background

Umpires & Coaches

• I will place the safety and welfare of players above all else.

• I will show concern and caution towards sick and injured players.

• I will give all players a ‘fair go’ regardless of gender, ability, cultural background or religion. I will be impartial, consistent, objective and courteous when making decisions.

• I will accept responsibility for my actions and decisions.

• I will condemn unsporting behaviour and promote respect for the individuality of players. I avoid situations that may lead to or be construed as a conflict of interest.

• I will be a positive role model in behaviour and personal appearance and ensure my comments are positive and supportive.

• I will be a good sport as I understand that actions speak louder than words. I will always respect, remain loyal to, and support other officials.

• I will keep up to date with the latest cricket laws and VECL rules, as well as their trends and principles of application.

• I will emphasise the Spirit of the Game rather than the errors.

• I will refrain from any form of personal abuse towards players, parents or other officials.

• I will respect the rights, dignity and worth of all people involved in the game, regardless of gender, ability or cultural background.

VECL reserves the right to amend the code of conduct without notice. Any player, parent, coach, umpire, or team staff found to breach these code of conduct practices may be subject to a warning, suspension, or expulsion from the tournament and VECL or state VECL activities due to their actions. These decisions are at the discretion of the VECL management committee.

2.1 Spirit of Cricket (taken from the laws of Cricket 2017 code

• Cricket owes much of its appeal and enjoyment to the fact that it should be played according to the Laws and within the Spirit of Cricket.

• The primary responsibility for ensuring fair play rests with the captains but extends to all

players match officials and teachers, coaches and parents, especially in junior cricket.

• Respect is central to the Spirit of Cricket.

• Respect your captain, teammates, opponents and the umpires' authority. Play hard

and play fair.

• Accept the umpire’s decision.

• Create a positive atmosphere through your conduct and encourage others to do likewise.

Show self-discipline, even when things go against you.

• Congratulations to the opposition for their successes, and enjoy your team's. Thank you. Whatever the result, the officials and your opposition at the end of the match.

• Cricket is an exciting game that encourages leadership, friendship, and teamwork. It brings together people from different nationalities, cultures, and religions, especially in the Spirit of Cricket.

• According to Law 1.4 (Responsibility of Captains), the captains are always responsible for ensuring that play is conducted within the Spirit of Cricket and the Laws.

a) Fair and Unfair Play

According to law 2.6 (Fair and unfair play), the umpires are the sole judges of fair and unfair play. They can intervene at any time if they feel it is required, and it's also the captain's job to take any necessary action from the umpires on their team.

b) The umpires are authorised to intervene if:

Time wasting occurs

Players are damaging the pitch. There has been dangerous bowling. Anyone has tampered with the ball. Any other action they consider unfair

c) Violence

There is no room for violence on or off the field between supporters or players/team staff. If violence were to occur, the committee could impose any necessary sanctions to enforce that it is not part of the game and will not be tolerated.

2.2 Smoking

Smoking is banned in all spectator areas and sports grounds during organised sporting events. Anyone attending junior cricket matches will not smoke in any spectator area at any junior cricket match or during training sessions.

3. AFFILIATION

All players who enter into the draft need to be affiliated and play registered and structured club or school cricket. Players cannot choose to represent any team in the competition, and they can choose to play this and not commit to the current structure of cricket tournaments within the Cricket Pathway.

4. CONDUCT OF COMPETITIONS

The Committee shall, subject to Rule 30 (Protests and Disputes), have the authority to decide on all aspects of the competitions, particularly regarding the ability to adjust the age groups, team sizes, and addition/ removal of divisions while maintaining the tournament's integrity.

5. OFFICIALS AND UMPIRES

The umpires aim to fairly and impartially uphold the laws of cricket - 2017 and those within

the VECL Junior Tournament Rules. All umpires within the VECL will be registered, and accredited umpires will be registered through Cricket Australia's umpire accreditation scheme. The committee can appoint any umpires and make adjustments where necessary. If, for some reason, an umpire is unavailable, a VECL staff member who is neutral to both sides will be appointed as a square leg umpire, and the accredited umpire will control the match.

Official Umpires and Scorers will be appointed to adjudicate the game's rules with absolute impartiality. Teams will have no choice in the appointment of the umpires and scorers.

The umpires and scorers may only be changed at the Tournament Organisers' discretion.

6. FORMATS OF MATCHES

• A game is played between two teams, each consisting of 13 active players, all able to

field and bowl.

• Only 11 players can bat.

• Bowlers can bowl a maximum of 4 overs each.

• The game consists of 1 batting and one bowling inning per team. Each innings consist of 20

overs

• five overs per side constitutes a game

• Any time delays due to rain will result in lost game time and reduced overs, and Duckworth Lewis comes into play

• Teams are to arrive no later than 45 minutes before the game.

• Teams must submit their list of squads to scorers before the coin toss.

Powerplay

• The Power Play is played in the first four overs of play, where fielding restrictions will apply. (A maximum of two fielders are allowed outside the inner circle).

• After the powerplay, a maximum of five fielders are allowed outside the inner circle.

Power Surge

• The "Power Surge" is played in each innings for the batting team, where they can choose 2 overs from the 11th over onwards to implement fielding restrictions of 2 fielders outside the inner circle

• After the power surge, a maximum of five fielders are allowed outside the inner circle.

• If the batting team does not take the Power Surge by the 18th over, then the Umpires will

automatically implement the Power Surge for the 19th and 20th Over

Timings

• All games will start and end promptly at the allocated times. See the official fixture list for

detailed times.

• A total playing time of 1 hour 20 minutes will be allocated to each innings.

• A total of ten minutes will be allocated for the change of innings.

• Change of ends occurs every five overs

• Batters change ends when the bowlers finish their overs, however not when the fielding team changes end after five over-allotments

• Full team sheets to be delivered to scorers no less than 20 minutes before the start of the first

match

• Only the player squad submitted to the scorers will be allowed to participate in the

tournament. Unless authorized by the competition manager

7. GROUND CLOSURES, FITNESS OF GROUNDS AND WET

WEATHER PROCEDURES.

Playing games during wet or inclement weather depends on the game's status at the time, the umpires' interpretation, and the key steps below when inclement or wet weather close by.

The decision to continue or abandon the game/event will be made by the accredited umpire. If they need clarification, the processes below will be outlined depending on the situation.

7.1 Rain starts or lightning threatens the game.

The Umpires confer and decide whether it is safe for play to commence if the match has not yet started or resume if the game has already begun:

If both Umpires agree that the safety of the players is not threatened and damage to the playing area is not likely, play will continue.

If the Umpires do not agree, and in the opinion of one Umpire, that continuing play would threaten the safety of players and/or damage the playing area, play will be suspended. If play is underway, the players will leave the field. If the players are off the field for any reason, play shall not resume. In this event, no advantage (such as a forfeit) shall accrue to either team unless a team can prove to VECL that the suspension of the game was unwarranted and intended to create an advantage for the other team deliberately.

7.2 Grounds are closed by council

If the council has closed the grounds, the tournament will take the advice of the local council in that area. If grounds remain open over the weekend but have been closed on the weekdays, players will report to the location, and an assessment will be made on the days leading up. If the fields are not

fit for play, the event will be cancelled.

The VECL Wet Weather Policy is as follows:

The safety of both players and grounds is most important. Protection from possible damage to the grounds is also to be considered when there is doubt about the ground's readiness to cope with the day's play. If there is doubt over the ground's fitness and readiness, some questions should be asked.

• Are there pools of water or slippery surfaces in the bowlers run up?

• Does surface water appear when walking along the grounds?

• If play occurs, what is the likelihood of considerable damage to the facilities?

The tournament managers may provide updated information on whether games/ days of play must be abandoned due to these Wet Weather policies. The management committee may also delegate this information to relevant coaches and team managers so players and parents can be notified.

8. LIGHTNING

VECL has adopted the following policy on lightning:

If thunder follows a lightning flash by thirty (30) seconds or less, then people in the open are at risk of being struck by lightning. In this circumstance, play must cease immediately, and all people (players, officials, and spectators) must take cover. You should not take shelter under trees and avoid contact with plumbing.

Play must not resume until thirty (30) minutes after the last lightning flash, followed by thunder within 30 seconds. This means the 30-minute wait restarts after each new lighting strike, followed by thunder inside the 30-second limit.

Officials are reminded that Adjustments for Lost Time apply (See Appendix for details).

When subsequent adjustment results or would result in the required minimum number of overs not being able to be achieved per the specific competition rules, then the umpires may immediately call the game abandoned.

Where lightning is experienced in a local area and games have been stopped due to this rule, ALL games at grounds in the area that have not already been completed may be deemed a draw by the committee even if the teams choose to play on, thus contravening the above lightning rule.

16. PROTESTS AND DISPUTES

To put the rightful onus back on to the officials present on the day to control the match,

the following procedure should be followed in the event of a dispute or protest:

i) Every effort should be made to resolve all disputes and/or complaints on the ground on

the day of the match, firstly with both umpires and secondly (if necessary) with the

management of the team or teams present at the venue.

ii) If this is unsuccessful, the dispute should be referred to and resolved by the

management of the Clubs concerned.

iii) If this is still unsuccessful, then the Clubs concerned may make an application to the

Committee for adjudication.

iv) iv) The VECL will appoint a disciplinary committee made up of management staff of the

BPL and representatives from 3 other franchises were not involved in the incident.

v) The Disputes Committee shall investigate the complaint and may adjust any or all of the

competition points awarded for the match and/or reprimand or suspend any player or

players involved for such a period as it shall determine.

vi) Any protest must be submitted to the VECL in writing within 24 hours following the

completion of the match.

vii) vii) The Disputes Committee’s rulings may be appealed to the full Committee by notice

in writing to the Chairman by 12 noon, five days after the verdict.

viii) viii) The Delegates who sat on the Disputes Committee may not vote at the Committee meeting at which the appeal is heard. However, those Delegates may appoint alternate

delegates who may vote.

ix) ix) The Committee may uphold, set aside or amend the ruling of the Disputes

Committee. The decision of the Committee on the appeal shall be final.

Cancellation Policy:
The VECL cannot accommodate cancellations within fourteen days of the tournament's commencement. Players and their parents acknowledge that more time will be needed to identify a replacement player, facilitate their selection, and arrange uniforms. If a player cannot participate in the tournament for any reason, it will be considered a forfeit.
 

Match Participation:
Players will compete in 7 to 8 matches on premium turf wickets in Melbourne, as scheduled by the VECL, contingent upon weather conditions. Players who arrive late or fail to attend matches will not be granted replacement matches or refunds. At the VECL's discretion, an alternative game may be offered on the same or different days.
 

Umpires' and Coaches' Decision: The Umpire's decision is final, and any dissent to it is considered a serious policy violation. Players take full responsibility for their behaviour during the match, before and after the game. The coaches and captains decide the team's batting, bowling order, and fielding setup. The parents and players are to abide by these decisions.

Parent, Guardian and supporters: It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the game to hold the highest standards of sportsmanship. Be decent and responsible to each other and ensure a safe and secure environment for our players, staff, and spectators. Any unruly behaviour will not be tolerated, and the person and the player may be evicted from the ground venue. Any serious offences, violations or property damage will referred to Victoria Police and other law enforcement agencies.
 

Medical Emergencies: Playing sports comes with a risk of injury. While we take all the relevant precautions to avoid any injury, a player may get injured while playing the game. The VECL has organised first aid kits; however, parents, guardians and players are responsible for ensuring they take adequate care while playing the matches.
 

Continued Partnership:
Franchises will retain selected players based on their performance and provide opportunities for team positions in future VECL matches. Players are responsible for any game, tryout, and enrollment fees incurred.
 

Uniforms:
For the inaugural VECL JT20 tournament, participants will receive uniforms, including playing T-shirts, pants, and caps.
 

Professional Oversight:
The tournament will feature four sessions conducted by premier coaches and elite players, comprising three tryouts and one team training session to ensure thorough preparation.
 

Team Support:
Each team will have a dedicated manager to coordinate match-day activities, while professional umpires, scorers, and match-day managers will oversee the events. This initiative underscores our commitment to nurturing talent and providing a solid foundation for the next generation of cricketers. The VECL emphasises cricket and fosters character, confidence, and a lifelong passion for the sport. The Western Falcons and Eastern Panthers franchises aim to offer a comprehensive experience that prioritizes both athletic and personal development.