Passed by M.C.C. Committee, June 16th, 1902.
(A) Umpires are not justified in deciding the ground unfit for play, merely because the grass is wet and the ball would, in consequence, be slippery.
(B) In order to facilitate play at the earliest possible moment in wet weather, the Umpires shall see that the foot-holes made by the bowlers and batsmen are cleaned out, dried, and filled up with sawdust at any time during the match, although the game is not actually in progress.
RULES OF COUNTY CRICKET.
At a meeting of County representatives, held at Lord’s on Monday, December 5th, 1898, the question of amending the rules of County Cricket was left in the hands of the Marylebone Club, who had offered to form a committee to deal with the matter. The committee which, in accordance with a resolution passed by the County representatives included a representative from Kent, Yorkshire, Surrey, Lancashire, and two Minor Counties, was duly formed, and after long deliberation, the following scheme was agreed to. The M.C.C. committee approved of the alterations, and in the spring of 1899 the rules as given below were made public. Practically the only point in dispute had been the residential qualification, it being strongly felt in many quarters that Rule 3 in the old code had been interpreted in a way quite foreign to the intentions of those who framed it in 1873. Hence the far more strict definition of “residence” now put forward. In order, no doubt, to avoid interference with existing qualifications, it was agreed that except as regards Rule 5, the new rules should not come into operation until the 1st of January, 1900.
1. A cricketer born in one county and residing in another may not play for more than one county during the same season.
2. Qualification by Birth.—A cricketer is always eligible to play for the county of his birth.
3. Qualification by Residence.—A cricketer is qualified to play for any county in which he has resided for the previous 24 months and is residing, but—