Berkshire Summer League Rules
2015 Season
1) Divisions
a) There will be Divisions 1, 2, 3A, 3B, 4A, 4B, 5A, and 5B.
b) Divisions 1, 2, 3A, 3B and 4A will consist of 6 teams. Divisions 4B, 5A and 5B will consist of 5
teams
c) Where a team has gained promotion and there are already two teams from the same club in
the above league, the next team in the division will be promoted.
2) Promotions and Relegations
a) The following relegations will take place at the end of the season:
i)
Two teams will be relegated from Division 1 (to Division 2)
ii) Two teams will be relegated from Division 2 (one to Division 3A and one to Division 3B).
iii) Two teams will be relegated from Division 3A (to Division 4A)
iv) Two teams will be relegated from Division 3B (to Division 4B)
v) Two teams will be relegated from Division 4A (to Division 5A)
vi) Two teams will be relegated from Division 4B (to Division 5B)
vii) No teams will be relegated from Division 5A or Division 5B.
Note: Relegation will be within the same stream, except where this would result in two teams
from the same club playing in the same division, and then relegation may be into either
stream.
b) The following promotions will take place at the end of the season:
i) The first and second place teams in Division 2 will be promoted to Division 1.
ii) The winners of Divisions 3A and 3B will be promoted to Division 2 (the second place
teams in Divisions 3A and 3B will not be promoted).
iii) The winners and second place teams of Divisions 4A, 4B, 5A, 5B will be promoted.
iv) Winners will "cross over" and runners-up will be promoted within the same stream, except
where this would result in two teams from the same club playing in the same division.
c) Any team may ask the League Administrator for relegation or non-promotion because it
cannot maintain the standard required in their existing division or in a higher division; the
application should be made on the club information sheet pertaining to the following season. If
the team is the division winner it can only make the request once; if applicable it must take
promotion the following year.
d) The place left by non-promotion, a relegation request or a withdrawal from the League will be
filled at the discretion of the League Administrator.
e) Ties will be decided by the number of matches won, further ties will be decided by the number
of games won and if still equal games against.
f)
Half of the clubs remaining in a division will “cross over” so as to give a variation of clubs to
play.
3) Scoring
a) All matches will be played in accordance with the rules of England Squash.
i)
Division 1 matches will be played using Point A Rally [PAR] scoring up to 11 points in
each game (games are played to a clear 2 point lead at 10-10).
ii) Where both players agree, a match can be played using Hand In Hand Out [HIHO]
scoring up to 9 points in each game. Where HIHO scoring is used, the scores should be
recorded keeping the point differential the same (e.g. a HIHO result of 9-4 should be
recorded as 11-6).
iii) All other division matches will be played in accordance with Hand In Hand Out [HIHO]
scoring up to 9 points.
b) Each string will be best of five games and one point will be scored for each game won. A
bonus of five points will be awarded to the team winning the match. Winning team is that
which wins the most strings e.g. 5-0, 4-1 or 3-2.
4) Subscriptions and Membership
a) A fee of £35.00 per team will be charged, payable by 30 April 2015.
b) A penalty of 5 points will be applied to any club which has not paid their subscription by the
first match of the season. A further 5 points penalty per match will be applied until the
subscription has been paid.
c) An additional £5.00 per team per club will be added to the entry fee if the club is not
represented at the R B S R A Annual General Meeting.
d) All clubs who play in the Berkshire Summer League who have NOT paid their England
Squash affiliation fee by the end of June 2014 will be penalised 20 points per game per team
played after the end of June 2014, until they have affiliated. Note players also have to be
members of England Squash to play in the Berkshire Summer League (see Rule 7aii).
5) Postponements
a) Matches may only be postponed for bonafide reasons outside the control of the club
concerned and permission must be obtained from the League Administrator, exceptions to this
being very bad weather. The League Administrator must be informed in writing or by
telephone of all matches that have been postponed.
b) The Order of Merit for postponed matches must be that which existed at the time of the
postponement. Players who played in a team on the postponed date are not eligible for the
rearranged match without prior agreement from the League Administrator.
c) Postponed matches must be rearranged within 28 days of the original match date. The
League Administrator should be notified of the revised date when this has been agreed.
6) Match Walkovers
a) In the event of a club being unable to field a team, they must concede a match walkover
and a penalty of 20 points will be applied to the offending team. A Score Card must be
submitted claiming a walkover.
b) In the event of a team conceding three match walkovers during the course of the season it will
be withdrawn from the League, and all scores recorded in the matches it has played will be
cancelled.
c) The offending team must apply for readmission into the bottom division of the League.
d) If a club has more than one team in the League and wishes to concede a walkover in one of
its matches, then it must be conceded by its lowest team.
7) Qualification of Players
a)
i)
Players must be bonafide members of the clubs that they represent. Players not
complying with this rule will subject their team to a 10 point penalty per match.
ii) All players who play in the Berkshire Summer League have to be members of England
Squash. Failure to comply with this rule will result inthe offending strings conceding a
walkover and the match result adjusted accordingly. This will affect lower players in the
team and lower teams from the same club playing on the same evening. A player may
play twice, and only twice, for a club during the season who is not a member of England
Squash. If the club wish him to play more than twice, he must become a member of
England Squash; the League Administrator will verify membership with England Squash.
b) No player may play more than once in the same League match or in more than one League
match on the same day. Players not complying with this rule will forfeit the last match played
and the team will be subjected to a penalty of 20 points.
c) For clubs with 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 teams, lists of at least 8, 16, 24, 32 or 40 players respectively, in
order of merit, must be entered on the website before the first match of the season.
d) A revised Order of Merit may be submitted at any time before a match start time (as long as
there are no results for the club outstanding on the website). Failure to submit an Order of
Merit will result in a 5 points penalty per match until an Order of Merit is entered.
e)
i)
Selection of teams shall conform to the submitted Order of Merit and each team must play
its players in that nominated order. The exception to this being if a team is unable to
replace a player at the last minute with its nominated choice, they may play a weaker
player at number 5 and submit a written explanation (e-mail) to the League Administrator
within 4 days of the match.
In this case penalties will be applied until the League Administrator has decided to remove
any penalties incurred.
ii) For clubs with more than one team the following will apply:
(1) Clubs with 2 teams:
(a) Players 1 to 5 on the Order of Merit are not eligible for the 2nd team.
(2) Clubs with 3 teams:
(a) Players 1 to 5 on the Order of Merit are not eligible for the 2nd team.
(b) Players 1 to 10 are not eligible for the 3rd team.
(3) Clubs with 4 teams:
(a) Players 1 to 5 on the Order of Merit are not eligible for the 2nd team.
(b) Players 1 to 10 are not eligible for the 3rd team.
(c) Players 1 to 15 are not eligible for the 4th team.
(4) Clubs with 5 teams:
(a) Players 1 to 5 on the Order of Merit are not eligible for the 2nd team.
(b) Players 1 to 10 are not eligible for the 3rd team.
(c) Players 1 to 15 are not eligible for the 4th team.
(d) Players 1 to 20 are not eligible for the 5th team.
f)
A new club member may be placed on a club's current Order of Merit at the discretion of the
League Administrator. Application must be made in writing (or by e-mail) to the League
Administrator and a new Order of Merit must be submitted.
g) Strings played out of order will concede a walkover and the match result adjusted accordingly.
This may also affect lower teams from the same club playing on the same evening.
h) The Order of Merit and League Rules no longer have to be displayed at the club.
i)
Clubs that select a player who has represented another club in the Summer League during
the same season, shall be penalised 20 points for each appearance, unless Rule 7j has been
complied with.
j)
A player who wishes to change clubs during the season has to arrange for his new club to
send a letter (or e-mail) to the League Administrator requesting the change; also a copy of the
letter (or e-mail) has to be sent to the player’s old club. The player’s new club should check
with the League Administrator that the letter has been received before the player is allowed to
play. A player may only change clubs once during the course of the season. Attention is
drawn to Rules Nos.: 7c, 7e, 7g, 7k and 7m.
k) There are no longer any restrictions in the players that are eligible for the final games of the
season.
l)
Professionals may play in the League, either for the club by whom they are employed, or for a
club where they are a bonafide member.
8) Notification of Results
a)
i)
The home team captain / club administrator should complete a Score Card by the
end of the Saturday following the match date.
ii) The away team captain / club administrator should complete a Score Card by the
end of the Monday following the match date.
Once one team has completed their Score Card, the other team will have the option of
“copying” the information entered into their Score Card rather than having to enter the
information manually.
b) If the team the captain / club administrator is having problems entering the score they
should contact the League Administrator by e-mail (peccavi66@hotmail.co.uk) or text
(07889 557 769) to confirm that they are having problems and to confirm the overall
score.
c) Failure to complete forms or contact the League Administrator by the above dates will
result in a penalty of 5 points.
9) Fixtures
a) All League matches will be played on dates specified by the League Administrator; exception
being matches covered by Rule 5.
b) Matches should start at 7.30pm. Some clubs may start their matches up to 30 minutes earlier
or later than 7.30pm subject to agreement with the League Administrator before the start of
the season. See also Rule 11a.
c) Dunlop “single” or “double” yellow spot balls will be used in accordance with the
recommendations of Dunlop. Dunlop balls only are to be used in League matches. Note: the
first games on court must be provided with new balls.
10) Availability of Courts
a) All clubs must provide at least two courts of match standard on one site, for home League
matches.
b) Clubs having two home matches on one evening must provide a minimum of three courts of
match standard on one site, for home League matches.
c) Clubs having three home matches on one evening must provide a minimum of five courts of
match standard on one site, for home League matches.
d) All clubs must provide enough court time to complete the match. Failure to do so will result in
the uncompleted matches being conceded by the home team, unless Rule 11 applies where
the home team must appeal in writing to the League Administrator.
11) Late Players
a) All clubs must have a minimum of 4 players present and ready to play by the home team’s
nominated match start time, see Rule 9b. All players are to be present and ready to play 1
hour after match start time. If players are late then the scale of Team Penalty Points, relating
to time of arrival, will be applied (see Rule 11e). It is the away team’s responsibility to check
the match start times with their opponents. Not knowing the match start time is not an excuse
for Rule 11e not being applied.
b) On arrival, or at the appropriate time, the offending team captain or representative is to be told
that an e-mail is going to be sent to the League Administrator, stating what time the late
players arrived, also naming the players and their positions. A copy of the e-mail is to be sent
to the offending team captain or representative.
c) If the 1 hour time limit is reached with no representatives being present an e-mail should be
sent to the League Administrator, stating that no players arrived. A copy of the e-mail is to be
sent to the offending team captain or representative.
d) Team penalty points may be avoided by making arrangements for the late arrival of a
player/players prior to 3 hours before the match start time on the day of the match, but all
players must still be present and ready to play 1 hour after the match start time.
e) Failure to comply with Rule 11a) above will result in the following Team Penalty Points being
applied to the offending team.
15 minutes after start time fewer than 4 players present - 2 penalty points
30 minutes after start time fewer than 4 players present - 4 penalty points
45 minutes after start time fewer than 4 players present - 6 penalty points
1 hour after start time fewer than 4 players present - 10 penalty points and walkovers
awarded to their opponents for absent players; for the absent player rule, see rule 12.
Note: Not finding a club, getting lost, or being held up at gatehouses are not
valid excuses for being late. Captains are requested to be sensible when
applying the rules.
12) Absent Players
a) If a team is known to have an absent player or players before a match starts, the remaining
players shall move up the playing order and walkovers shall be conceded in the lowest
position(s). A written explanation is to be submitted to the League Administrator. The penalties
for the absent player/players are as shown in Rule 12c below.
b) If a team is conceded a walkover by an absent player they must ensure that their player’s
name is registered on the result card. Failure to register the name will result in the walkover
win not being given; also registering the player’s name will let the match count towards his
number of appearances before the last 2 matches of the season (Rule 7k).
c) The following scale of penalties will apply for absent players.
Absent Players
Penalty Points
No: 1
6
No: 2
5
No: 3
4
No: 4
3
No: 5
2
These penalty points will be deducted from the score of the team with the absent
player/players.
13) Markers
a) All matches must be marked by a competent marker.
b) The home team should mark three matches and the away team two unless both captains
agree otherwise.
c) New teams to the League must send at a minimum of five players on a marking and
refereeing course, which will be run by a qualified ES&R Tutor and organised by the Royal
Berkshire SRA.
14) Addition Penalties
a) The League Administrator may apply a penalty if they believe that the Rules have been
broken deliberately, or feel that any action has taken place that jeopardises the integrity of the
Leagues. Such a penalty is completely at the discretion of the League Administrator, and has
no maximum.
b) The League Administrator has the discretion to apply any penalty in accordance with Rule 14a
in the following season if they feel this is more appropriate.
15) Appeals
a) All appeals to the League Administrator for decisions on the rules must be made within 7 days
of the match to which they refer. The appeal must be sent in writing (or by e-mail) to the
League Administrator.