(Image: UGC)
A rules change is being explored to tackle the dangers of flying cricket balls at 'a postage-stamp' cricket ground in Bradford.
Some say one of the disadvantages of playing cricket at The Greyhound at Tong, on Tong Lane, is the size of the pitch.
Often referred to as a “postage-stamp ground”, the dangers are of flying cricket balls to people sitting at the pub tables adjacent to the ground, to cars in the car park or passing by on the road and to the houses on the other side of the road.
Gildersome & Farnley Hill packed in playing at The Greyhound a few years ago due to worries over insurance claims from damaged cars and houses, while it is believed that two cars have been struck by balls in the season just finished.
Bowl from only one end?
The solution, revealed at the Dales Council League’s rules revision meeting at Pudsey Congs, is to bowl from only one end - the field end - as a trial during the 2027 season.
Now that a rules revision sub-committee is in place, any proposed rule changes have already been scrutinised by them prior to the meeting so no vote in favour or against was needed, merely a discussion.
Other rule changes for 2027
Among the rule changes coming into force for 2027 are that it is no longer mandatory for teams to provide teas for visiting teams, although teas must be provided for scorers and umpires.
However, teams must notify the league by the handbook deadline of January 31 as to whether they will be providing teas for visiting players.
If so the visitors must pay £30 as a contribution to cover the cost of teas.
Any team that does not have a scorer must forfeit a player to score while their side is fielding, while teams must score their own innings.
If the opposition do have a non-playing scorer them the defaulting team will not need to forfeit a player, but must pay the scorer a minimum of £20.
There were a total of 10 conceded cup ties this season in either the Pool Paper Mills Cup (first XIs) or Cawthorne Cup (second or third XIs), including a Cawthorne Cup semi-final.
Therefore clubs must register their intention to compete in the Pool Paper Mills Cup by December 31.
If clubs do not do so by this date the league will assume that they want to play in it.
However, clubs that do not enter the Pool Paper Mills Cup cannot enter a team into the Cawthorne Cup.
Other rule changes are the introduction of a league disciplinary officer, bowlers being restricted to 12 overs in 45-over games and a fifth of the overs in 40-over games, and that no teams are allowed to declare after tea to deny the opposition batting or bowling bonus points.
Proposals that were deferred until 2028 are the introduction of DLS and harsher penalties for teams not providing umpires.
Among proposals that were thrown out were points deductions for late notification of results, to increase penalties for incomplete scorecards, to play 40 overs in all divisions, to share overs lost equally between sides and to bring in the deduction of league points on a sliding scale for concession of cup fixtures.