Twenty 20 Rules

The file below is the detailed Twenty20 Cup rules and regulations from the 2005 First Class Regulations and Playing Conditions:

The major change for the third season of the Twenty20 Cup is the increase in group games to eight per County. Each County will play three teams in their group home and away and the remaining two either just at home or away.

All group games will be played between Wednesday, June 22nd and Wednesday, July 6th 2005

The top two teams in each of the three regional groups plus the two best third-placed teams will progress to the quarter-finals, which will be played on Monday, July 18th 2005.

The top team from each group and the best second placed team will receive home draws in the quarter-finals.

The tie-breakers for teams finishing on equal points are:

• Most wins in Group Matches
• If still equal, the team with the higher net run rate in the Group Matches will be placed in the higher position
• If still equal, the team with the higher number of wickets taken per balls bowled in the Group Matches in which results were achieved, will be placed in the higher position
• In the event that teams cannot be separated by the above, this will be done by drawing lots

The winners of the four quarter-finals will progress to Finals Day on Saturday, July 30th 2005 at the Brit Oval. Both semi-finals and the final will be played on that day. Group matches have no reserve days, the finals day has one reserve day.

The scheduled hours of play for the finals day will be as follows:

First Semi-Final
First Session - 11.30am - 12.45pm
Interval - 12.45pm - 1.00pm
Second Session - 1.00pm - 2.15pm

Second Semi-Final
First Session - 3.00pm - 4.15pm
Interval - 4.15pm - 4.30pm
Second Session - 4.30pm - 5.45pm

Final
First Session - 7.15pm - 8.30pm
Interval - 8.30pm - 8.45pm
Second Session - 8.45pm - 10.00pm

The Groups are as follows:

North	Mid/Wales/West	South
Durham	Northamptonshire	Essex
Lancashire	Warwickshire	Middlesex
Yorkshire	Worcestershire	Surrey
Derbyshire	Glamorgan	Kent
Nottinghamshire	Gloucestershire	Hampshire
Leicestershire	Somerset	Sussex

Playing Conditions

Duration
One innings per side, each innings limited to a maximum of 20 overs

Scheduled Hours of Play

Match	First Innings	Interval	Second Innings
Zonal Matches	5.30-6.45pm	6.45-7.00pm	7.00-8.15pm

Interval

The interval will normally be of 15 minutes duration. In reduced overs matches, the interval will be cut to 10 minutes.

Re-arrangement of Overs

Teams have one hour 15 minutes to bowl 20 overs. In the first innings, the calculation of the number of overs to be bowled shall be based on one over for every full 3.75 minutes in the total time available for play up to the scheduled close of play. In the second innings of the match, overs shall be reduced at a rate of one over for every full 3.75 minutes lost, unless the first innings finished early / second innings started early in which case no overs are lost until the time that has been gained is subsequently lost.

Timed Out

The incoming batsman must be in position to take guard or for his partner to be ready to receive the next ball (or for his partner to receive the next ball) within one minute 30 seconds of the fall of the previous wicket.

Ball

White Kookaburra balls are to be used.

The Result

Each side must have faced (or had the opportunity to face) five overs in order to constitute a match. The Duckworth Lewis Method shall be used in interrupted matches.

Restrictions on the Placement of Fieldsmen

Fielding restrictions apply for the first six overs of each innings.

Number of Overs per Bowler

Each bowler may bowl a maximum of four overs. In a delayed or interrupted match, no bowler may bowl more than one fifth of the total overs allowed unless such a number has been exceeded before the interruption.

Free Hit after a Foot Fault No Ball

This will apply.

Short Pitched Bowling
As in other one-day competitions, one short-pitched ball is allowed per over.

Over-Rate Penalties

The six-run penalty for each over not bowled will apply - all sides are expected to be in position to bowl the first ball of the last of their 20 overs within one hour 15 minutes playing time. In reduced over matches, the fielding side has one over's leeway in addition to any time that the Umpires may allow for stoppages.

Umpires are instructed to apply a strict interpretation of time-wasting by the batsman (five-run penalties). Specifically, batsmen are expected to be ready for the start of a new over as soon as the bowler is ready.

Net Run Rate

A team's net run rate is calculated by deducting from the average runs per over scored by that team, the average runs per over scored against that team.

In the event of a team being all out in less than its full quota of overs, the calculation of its net run rate shall be based on the full quota of overs to which it would have been entitled and not on the number of overs in which the team was dismissed.

Only those matches where results are achieved will count for the purpose of net run rate calculations. Where a match is abandoned, but a result is achieved under Duckworth/Lewis, for net run rate purposes Team 1 will be accredited with Team 2's Par Score on abandonment off the same number of overs faced by Team 2. Where a match is concluded but with Duckworth/Lewis having been applied at an earlier point in the match, Team 1 will be accredited with 1 run less than the final Target Score for Team 2 off the total number of overs allocated to Team 2 to reach the target.