Cricket - Twenty 20 Cup Rules

Sport Dec 12, 2004

There’s been some talk about this new Twenty 20 Cricket being played in the UK. Instead of a 2×50 over one-day format, this is less than half of that; 2×20 overs. Seems to be played between counties and as night matches. Hence it’s probably closer in duration to an AFL or Rugby game. I’ve got no doubt that Cricket Australia are eyeing this format off. Perhaps interstate games as a trial, then the Australian team.
Scores, per 20 over innings, seem to be around the 150 to 170 mark. This would suggest a run rate of well over 1 run per ball. But – as you can see below – with new penalties for things like batsmen not being ready, it may be even greater.
The main thing than interested me were the rules. These below, which come from another UK cricket site, have been edited slightly by me, to chop off stuff that we wouldn’t be in interested in (team names, prize money etc)

1 – All matches are 20 overs per side…
2 – Matches start at 5.30pm (although there might be some changes to fit in with television schedules), with a 15-minute interval before the start of the second innings at 7.00pm.
3 – Each innings should last no longer than 75 minutes.
4 – Teams will incur a six-run penalty if they fail to bowl the full 20 overs within the 75 minutes.
5 – New batsmen must be in position within 90 seconds of a wicket falling.
6 – Only two fielders are allowed outside an inner circle during the first six overs of a team’s innings.
7 – Bowlers are permitted a maximum of a fifth of the total overs in a completed innings (ie four overs if there is no delay or interruption caused by rain).
8 – Umpires can impose a five-run penalty for time-wasting by batsmen. They are expected to be ready as soon as the bowler is ready.
9 – No-balls will be penalised by a free-hit next ball with standard rules on no-ball dismissals applying.
10 – Each side must face a minimum of five overs for a match to be valid. The Duckworth-Lewis method will be used to calculate run targets in rain-affected games.

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