Updated Jan 2025

T20 Playing Regulations

The T20 Readers Cup shall be played in accordance with the ECB NatWest T20 Competition Rules and Regulations unless they are replaced by the overriders below. 

For these rules, please refer to the Generic 20 overs Playing Conditions at https://resources.ecb.co.uk/ecb/document/2025/03/28/5df40f7a-af8b-4a60-b2a5-65b617ad7d8e/7.-20-Over.pdf

1. Overriders to the Playing Regulations

1. The batting side shall provide the match ball and spares for each innings.

2. In the event of the ball being lost during the initial 6-over power play, a new ball of the same make and specification must be used to replace the lost ball.

3. If a ball is lost outside the power play the batting side will provide a substitute ball which does not necessarily have to be of the same make. 

4. In the group stage of the competition the tie breakers set out in ECB Generic playing conditions shall not be used. In the group stage – and only in the group stage - the result of a tie is available. A tie shall be deemed to occur when both teams finish the game on the same total runs regardless of the number of wickets lost.  

5. Any Offside or Leg Side delivery which in the opinion of the Umpire does not give the batsman a reasonable opportunity to score, shall be called a “wide”. Two lines shall be marked at each end of the pitch running parallel to the return crease, 17 inches from the return crease. (This is to assist umpires when judging wide deliveries on the Offside of the wicket). In the NPCL, for guidance purposes, any ball which passes leg side of the striker and leg side of the wicket, shall be called a wide. If the striker plays a switch hit or reverse sweep or gets into position to play such a shot, he shall be deemed to bring the ball equally within his reach on the leg side as on the off side. Consequently, in these situations the 17 inch line will be used on both sides of the wicket to judge a wide ball.

2. T20 Cup Format

2.1   The T20 Competition format will comprise of an initial regionalised group stage resulting in a Finals Day.

2.2  Teams may withdraw from the T20 competition in any season. To do so they must notify the Hon Secretary by 31 December of the previous year at the latest.

2.3 Arrangements for the group stage will be decided by the NLEC and published in January in the year of the competition. This will include setting a deadline date for the completion of all group fixtures. 

2025 Twenty20 Competition

The Groups are as below.

Group Games must be completed by Friday 20th June.

Group Games may not be rearranged and will be treated as a No Result if weather prevents a result being obtained.

The top two teams in each group will qualify
Quarter Finals will take place between  Friday 27th June and Friday 4th July.
This date must be agreed by 12pm Monday 23th June.
If clubs can not agree on an alternative date then the fixture will default to Friday 27th June.

A Quarter Final may be replayed on Friday 4th July if weather prevents a result earlier.
A Bowl Out or Coin Toss will be used if a result is not possible at this point.

Finals day is scheduled for 13th July 2025 with a reserve date of 27th July 2025.

Quarter Final Draw
Friday 27th June (or alternative agreed date as described above)

Finals Day
Sunday 13th July

2.3   In the group stage fixture dates are to be agreed between the respective teams in the group.  However, the home team shall have the prerogative of nominating a fixture date. Once so nominated, the away team must agree to the date.

2.4    By proposed deadline date (as per 2.2) , agreed fixture dates MUST be sent to both the Fixtures Secretary and the Umpires' Appointments Secretary. By this deadline date group fixtures will be created and locked-in on npcl.play-cricket.com

2.5 Game Points.  Throughout the group stage, game points will be awarded as follows:

2 points for a win

1 point for a tie 

1 point for an uncompleted match

The result of a tie is only available in the group stage of the competition and will not apply on Finals Day. In the group stage, a tie shall be deemed to occur when both teams finish the game on the same total runs regardless of the number of wickets lost.   

2.7   Group standings. The winner of each group shall be the team with the most points when the deadline date for the completion of group fixtures has expired.

Where teams have the same number of points at the end of the group stage, the team with the highest net run rate (see below) over the whole of the group stage will take the higher group placing.

2.8   The top team of each group will go forward to Finals Day.

2.9    The venue for the T20 Finals Day will be announced by the NLEC by February 1st.

2.10   T20 Finals Day will be scheduled for a Sunday as will a reserve date. The exact dates will be announced by the NLEC as soon as it is possible to do so but prior to the start of the season.

2.11   On Finals Day matches shall commence at:

1^st semi-final        10.00am

2^nd semi-final       1.00pm

Final                    4.00pm.

2.12   Finals Day is played on the basis of 'sudden death' elimination.  Fixtures are played on a simple ‘win/lose’ basis so points are not awarded and there can be no result of a tie. Where a game is completed and finishes with two teams having scored an equal number of runs, tie-breakers will be used to determine the winner.  These tie-breakers are set out in ECB Generic 20 overs Playing Conditions (see ECB playing condition 7.1)

2.13   An uncompleted match on the Finals Day shall be played on the reserve Finals Day as a new match.  The result of a completed match on the first Finals Day shall stand.

2.14   If there is an uncompleted match on the reserve Finals Day the result shall be determined by a ‘bowl out’.

2.15   The winner of the Finals Day will go through to represent the NPCL in the ECB Vitality Club T20 competition for that year. 

3.  General T20 Competition Rules

3.1   This competition shall use the Super Sports pink ball.

3.2   Competing teams shall wear coloured clothing.

3.3   Scorecards.

In the group stage the home club is responsible for ensuring that results and completed scorecards are entered on npcl.play-cricket.com by 11pm on the day of the game. On Finals Day it is the winning team in each fixture who is responsible for ensuring that results and completed scorecards are entered on npcl.play-cricket.com by 11pm on the day of the game

3.4   Ground, Weather, Light Interruptions. 

(i)  Where weather intervenes such that overs are lost after play has commenced in either the 1st or 2nd innings Duckworth /Lewis (Standard) on the Play-Cricket.com scorer App will be used to calculate a revised target score. A “G value of 200” will be used.

(ii)  In the event of bad weather preventing play or preventing the completion of a match, the fixture shall be declared ‘uncompleted’. In the Group stage each side shall receive 1 point in an uncompleted match.

(iii)  A match shall be deemed to be uncompleted where there has been no play or the side batting second has received less than 5 overs.

(iv)  Net run rate in an uncompleted match shall NOT count towards the calculation of the net run rate over the whole of the Group stage.

(v)  The home team will be responsible for ensuring that the Play-Cricket.com scorer App is available for the purpose of calculating revised Duckworth/Lewis (Standard) target scores. The home team will also be responsible, at the end of each over, for displaying the par score at the end of the forthcoming over and adjusting this should a wicket fall.

(vi) Where a game ends abruptly in the second innings with at least 5 overs having been completed, Duckworth/Lewis (Standard) par score will be used to determine the result. To win the game the team batting second need to have scored one more than this par score.

(vii)  Calculations of revised scores will be the responsibility of the scorers although the captains and umpires should agree revised target scores before play recommences.

3.5   Failure to fulfil a fixture. In the case of any team failing to fulfil a fixture, the club which that team represents shall be subject to a fine of £200 payable to the NPCL within 14 days and a 15-point deduction of League points. They shall also be responsible for any costs incurred by the host club either by way of travelling expenses, Umpire’s expenses, or catering costs.

4. Eligibility

4.1   All players must be registered with the NPCL and must not have played for another club in any other senior Saturday league in the current season unless they have officially transferred to an NPCL club (See NPCL Rules: Sections 14 & 15).

4.2   The club professional and/or overseas player shall be eligible to play in the competition. A substitute professional can play in place of the registered professional subject to the conditions stated in rule 14 of the NPCL Championship rules.

The Result - knockout phase – identifying winners and losers

• Game abandoned (fewer than 10 overs in 2^nd innings)

Of course, such a game might have been completed – the side batting second might have chased down the target score inside 10 overs; or, the side batting second may have been bowled out in less than 10 overs. But if the game has been abandoned and uncompleted, the winners shall be determined by:

• a bowl out

If a bowl out is not possible…

• the toss of a coin

Rules for a Bowl Out

7.1   In an abandoned game a bowl out will be used to determine the winner (see Rules for Bowl Outs below) except for the Final where there will be a reserve date.

7.2   The captains will agree a suitable pitch on or off the normal playing area.

7.3   The pitch will be 22 yards long and be marked in accordance with the MCC Laws of Cricket. 

7.4   Both teams will bowl from the same end. 

7.5   Five players from each team will be nominated to bowl two overarm deliveries alternatively at the wicket and each Captain shall nominate the order in which his players will bowl.

7.6   The captain winning the toss of a coin will decide which team bowls first.

7.7   The side which bowls down the wicket most times shall be the winner.

7.8   Any no ball infringement will count as one of the 2 deliveries for that bowler but not towards the score of the team. Furthermore, the ball must pitch before the popping crease. Where the ball does not pitch before the popping crease, the umpire at the ‘striker’s end’ shall call and signal a no-ball.

7.9   If the scores are equal after all 5 bowlers have bowled twice the same players in their original order will bowl 1 ball each alternatively to achieve a result on a sudden death basis. 

7.10   The same suitable ball selected by the umpires will be used by both sides. If this ball becomes too wet it may be changed subject to the umpires’ approval.

7.11   If conditions are unfit for a bowl out either on a grass pitch, artificial pitch or net wicket the match will be decided by the toss of a coin.