Midweek League AGM - Highlights and Lowlights

The AGM was held in the mess bar at Nunholm last night.

The main things to emerge were:

League Format

There will still be two six-team Leagues playing on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. Teams and fixtures in each will be exactly the same as in 2014. From this season one-up, one-down promotion and relegation will apply unless both teams involved do not wish to change.

Fixtures will commence from 6th and 7th May (hopefully no Shipwrecks are on Polling Station duty for the Election).

The Cup

Will be played according to last season's format, which was felt to be successful.  We were drawn with Lockerbie and Dumfries Juniors for the mini-League stage.

The Rules

It was agreed to stick with the ruling that the first three batsmen in a side may not bowl.  The only exception to this is where only seven players are present, in which case No. 3 may bowl.

However there were some notable rule changes in other areas:-

• On a vote, it was decided to return to a maximum of four overs per bowler, although the batting captain can agree in exceptional circumstances to relax this requirement.
  
• Teams who have not paid their League fees by 1st June will be deducted five points.  Non-payment by 1st July brings a further 5 point deduction.  Trophies will not be awarded to teams who have not paid their entry fees. (Memo to Ship's purser needed)
  
• It was agreed that players can only represent one team (including Cup competitions) unless they are Under 15s. A side transgressing this rule will forfeit the fixture in question. Presumably MCC Laws on age criteria will apply. (Memo to Skipper: this could affect us, better have a word with a couple of folk.)

It was also emphasised that the toss is scheduled for 6.10 p.m. and if no representative of a team is available at that time, they will be deemed to have lost the toss. This is not a change but an enforcement of an existing rule in the hope of getting games started earlier.