A quick update on a Friday evening.
I know that there are other sporting events taking peoples’ attention tonight but just a quick update.
Balls
Morrant have been waiting on the new stamp for our sponsors to arrive, and it has appeared today. They will start to stamp balls this weekend and start sending out this coming week.
If you are running very low on balls please talk to Dilip direct at dilip@morrant.com
Time Games
We had several matches that misunderstood the rules of time games last week.
Please again take the time to look at the rules and regulations - all that can be found at this link https://www.essexcricket.com/pages/page_34628/Rules-and-Regulations.aspx
If your match goes the full distance and is not interrupted by rain then the regulations give the MINIMUM overs per match. That means that the final hour should only be taken when a minimum of 17 overs is left.
For example in a 95 over Time game
1st innings the team batting first are bowled out after 49.3 overs - (this counts as 50 overs)
This means that the team batting 2nd will face a minimum of 45 overs if the match goes the full distance..
At 5.40pm (the earliest the last hour can be called) the batting team has faced 27 overs - this means that they have to face one more over to get to 28 overs before the final hour can be called.
(if 28 overs are bowled and it is 5.30pm the match continues to 5.40pm and the last hour is then called with a minimum of 17 overs still to be bowled in that time)
It is up to all clubs and their XIs to make sure that the over rate is steady and that the last hour can be called as close to 5.40pm as possible.
Teas
We were all disappointed to hear that Government Covid regulation lifting has been put back a month. The exec committee meet on Wednesday to discuss this, and in particular teas.
Cricket clubs have been allowed to provide teas since May 17th, but as a league we have not been asking you to do so due to the Covid protocols that would still need to be in place for these to happen.
If clubs do want to start providing teas for league matches then clubs should start planning to do so.
Of course no clubs will be forced to provide teas or indeed to have teas provided for them if they don’t want to.
We will of course give a full update after the meeting next week.
Covid-19 Match Cancellation
It continues to be vital that all clubs follow Covid protocols.
This week we have a match that has been cancelled due to a positive Covid case within a club leading to several players having to self-isolate.
We wish everyone involved a quick and full recovery.
I hope the weather tomorrow is better than today.
Have a good weekend
Regards
Thomas Clarke
HFEL Chairman
07763607076
tpc1981@hotmail.com