SUSSEX WOMEN'S PLAYER ELIGIBILITY RULES

NOTE THAT FROM 2024 THE SUSSEX SLAM WOMEN'S COMPETITION WILL BE IN TWO TIERS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ASSESS THE ELIGIBILITY RULES IN FULL TO ENSURE THAT YOU ENTER WHICHEVER VERSION IS APPROPRIATE FOR YOUR PLAYERS, THE CUP (HIGHER LEVEL) OR THE SHIELD (LOWER LEVEL).

• SX-WPE.1a - All rules in relation to Player Eligibility are relevant to ANY club that a player plays for on a weekend, not just the club that they represent in The Slam. ​​     

• SX-WPE.1b - All players in the CUP must be aged 12 and above on 1st September 2024.​​

• SY-WPE.1c - All players in the SHIELD must be aged 12 and above (or aged 11 and above if on a County Pathway scheme) on 1st September 2024.​​

2. MULTIPLE TEAMS

• SX-WPE.2a - No player shall represent more than ONE team in any ONE version (Women's Cup or Women's Shield) of this competition in any single year. ​

• SX-WPE.2b - One exception to SY-WPE.2a is where a club enters a team into BOTH the Women's Cup and the Women's Shield. In such an instance a player IS able to play for more than one team for that club ONLY in any single year so long as they meet the eligibility criteria for the version they are playing in at the given time as per rules SX-WPE.3 and SX-WPE.4.​ ​​

• SX-WPE.2c - The only other exception to SX-WPE.2a is where a player has formally transferred from one to club to another via the official process employed by the weekend league(s) in which that club participates. Upon submitting written evidence of that transfer, and receiving written confirmation of acceptance from The Slam,  that player will be permitted to  participate for the remainder of The Slam season for their new club's team(s) ONLY, they are not permitted to continue playing for the team(s) entered by their old club regardless of whether they participate in a different level of competition or not. The ongoing eligibility of the player will be judged based on their performance in that season AS A WHOLE and not just whilst playing for their new club. The deadline for transfers will be in line with those of the associated weekend league(s).​​

3. INELIGIBLE PLAYERS

• SX-WPE.3 - The following exclusions shall be in effect for the whole of the competition in any given year.

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• SX-WPE.3a - Any player who has played any Senior County Cricket (or equivalent) in the LAST TEN YEARS is INELIGIBLE to play in either The Cup or The Shield.

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• SX-WPE.3b - Any player who participates in the Women's Cricket Southern League in the current season is INELIGIBLE to play in either The Cup or The Shield.  ​

 

• SX-WPE.3c - Any player who has been selected for the main U18 County Cricket SQUAD in the current season is INELIGIBLE to play in The Shield. Note this is linked to selection for the season's squad, whether matches have been played or not by the player in question is irrelevant.

 

• SX-WPE.3d - Any player who participates in ANY division of the Sussex Women's Cricket League in the current season is INELIGIBLE to play in The Shield.

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• SX-WPE.3e - Any player who has been selected for U13, U14, U15, U16/U18 Development County Cricket SQUADS in the current season is INELIGIBLE to play in The Shield. Note this is linked to the selection for the season's squad, whether matches have been played or not by the player in question is irrelevant. 

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• SX-WPE.3f - Teams may submit to the Competition Manager a request for players to be exempt from any rule within SX-WPE.3 whereby a player may have only played a very limited number of matches at the level of competition that would normally exclude them from participating. This should be submitted via the designated online form ONLY and any exemption is only confirmed once it has been confirmed by email or text to the requesting team.

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• SX-WPE.3g - Participation in either The Women's Cup or Women's Shield (save for that covered under SX.WPE.2) does NOT prohibit any participation in any other Slam competition, although their eligibility to do shall be based upon that other competition's own eligibility rules and not those above. ​ ​​​

 

• SX-WPE.3h - Any breach of SX-WPE.3 in ANY fixture, regardless of the impact that player(s) have on the fixture in question, shall see the opposing team awarded a victory regardless of the stage the competition is at.​

4. RESTRICTED PLAYERS

• SX-WPE.4 - The following restrictions shall be in effect for the whole of the competition in any given year.

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• SX-WPE.4a - Any player who has been selected for the main U18 County Cricket SQUAD in the current season may not bat any higher than 5 and may not bowl earlier than the 7th over in The Cup, and is INELIGIBLE to play in The Shield (as per SX-WPE.3c). Note this is linked to selection for the season's squad, whether matches have been played or not by the player in question is irrelevant.

 

• SX-WPE.4b - Any player who participates in the Sussex Women's Cricket League, Premier Division in the current season may not bat higher than 5 and may not bowl earlier than the 7th over in The Cup, and is INELIGIBLE to play in The Shield (as per SX-WPE.3d).

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• SX-WPE.4c - For clarity, any player who participates in the Sussex Women's Cricket League, Division 2 Central, East or West may play without restriction in The Cup but is INELIGIBLE to play in The Shield as per SX-WPE.3d).

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• SX-WPE.4d - For clarity, any player who has been selected for U12-level (or younger) County Cricket in the current season may play without restriction in either The Cup or The Shield.

• SX-WPE.4e - Teams may submit to the Competition Manager a request for players to be exempt from rules SX-WPE.4a or SX-WPE.4b as a whole whereby a player may have only played a very limited number of matches at the level of competition that would normally restrict them from participating. This should be submitted via the designated online form ONLY and any exemption is only confirmed once it has been confirmed by email or text to the requesting team.

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• SX-WPE.4f - Teams may submit to the Competition Manager a request for players to be exempt from either the batting or bowling part of rules SX-WPE.4a or SX-WPE.4b whereby the player may be a bowler of a the restricted standard, but their batting would not be considered as such (or vice versa). This should be submitted via the designated online form ONLY and any exemption is only confirmed once it is has been confirmed by email or text to the requesting team. 

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• SX-WPE.4g - Any breach of SX-WPE.4 in ANY fixture, regardless of the impact that player(s) have on the fixture in question, shall see the opposing team awarded a victory regardless of the stage the competition is at.​

5. MANAGEMENT OF PLAYERS WITH EXEMPTIONS

• SX-WPE.5 - Teams should declare to their opponents (or the Competition Manager at Finals' Day) ALL players with valid exemptions prior to the toss being conducted of any match. ​

6. DISPUTE OF PLAYER'S ELIGIBILITY

• SX-WPE.6 - Any dispute regarding players who have played for a team in this competition is to be referred, in writing, to the Competition Manager only by the designated Competition Contact for that team.​

​The above is implemented in good faith as players might not be well known to the opponent given the possibility that the two sides may regularly compete in different leagues. It is in the best interests of the competition itself that clubs compete in a fair manner given this competition’s intention to promote participation & inclusion within the game of cricket.