1. Title
The competition shall be called "The SOVEREIGN HEALTH CARE PRIESTLEY CUP COMPETITION".

2 Trophy and Awards
The trophy, The Priestley Cup, shall be awarded to the club winning the competition, and suitable prizes shall be awarded to the players and to the scorer of each side, making a total of thirteen mementoes to each team. Certificates of Merit or suitable plaques shall be awarded to the winners in the Priestley Cup and the Priestley Shield Competitions. The trophy shall be held by the winning club until the first Saturday in July of the following year. The Club Secretary shall be responsible for its safe return.
A Cup and Memento shall be awarded to the player adjudged to be "The Man of the Match" in the final round.
Engraving of the Cup & Man of the Match trophy is the responsibility of the club, and is to be carried out by the League’s nominated company.
(Penalties for late returns apply. as Trophy rules 1 & 2 ).

3. Competition Arrangements
The competition shall be under the control of the JCT 600 Bradford League Management Board. The first round for 2008 shall include 26 clubs playing 10 matches with 6 byes; the second round 16 clubs, the third round 8 clubs and the semi-finals four clubs. The final shall be played on a date, time and place to be decided by the  Management Board.
No club shall play a match on the day of the cup final, or hold or sanction a counter attraction on its ground except any Bradford Junior League play-off or final.
No more than two rounds of the competition shall be played during the months of April and May.

4. Fixtures
Fixtures will be drawn at League meetings, or in an emergency by the Management Board. The fixtures may be reversed by agreement between the clubs, provided seven days' notice, in writing is given to the League Secretary.

5. Times of Matches
All Cup and Shield matches will commence at 1pm weather conditions permitting, except for the finals.
If adverse weather or ground conditions prevent a game (excepting a final round) from commencing or causes an abandonment before a result is reached, then the game shall commence, or re-commence, on the following day at 6.15pm (except as provided in 2007-1st round) and continue on each succeeding evening (Fridays -except in certain circumstances -Saturdays and Sundays excepted).
If the final tie is not concluded on the first day, it shall be resumed at a time and date to be fixed by the available members of the  Management Board.
In the final tie, the captains and the available members of the Management Board shall decide whether weather conditions are favourable for commencing play on the first day.
There will be an interval, not exceeding 25 minutes in all games, except evening games.

6. Match Play
Each side shall bat a maximum of 50 six ball overs, and the side scoring more runs shall be deemed the winners. No bowler may bowl more than ten overs in an innings.

7. .Fielding restrictions –   Will apply in all Cup & Shield matches as follows :-
At the instant of delivery, for the first 15 overs of each innings only 2 fieldsmen are permitted to be outside the area known as “the fielding circle”. For the remainder of each innings a minimum of 4 (four) fieldsmen (plus the bowler & wicket-keeper) must be within the “fielding circle”
In the event of an infringement the Umpire shall call “NO BALL”
The “fielding circle” is – an area bounded by two semi-circles centred on each middle stump (each with a radius of 30 yards) and joined by a parallel line on each side of the pitch. The fielding circle should be marked by painted white ’dots’ at five yard intervals, each ‘dot’ to be covered by a white plastic or rubber (but not metal) disc measuring seven inches in diameter.

8) Covers.
Providing both captains agree before the toss pitches may be fully covered, where suitable covers are available.

9)  Leg Side Deliveries. ( Does not apply in Shield matches.)
Any leg side delivery which does not come into contact with the bat or any part of the batsman’s person shall be called “WIDE”.

10.Tied Matches.
In the event of the scores being level at the end of play, the team losing the least number of wickets shall be declared the winners.
If this does not produce a winner, then the team with the highest run rate over the first 10 overs of their innings shall be the winners.
If this also fails to produce a result then comparisons shall be made every 5 overs thereafter until a winner is determined.

11. Evening Matches
Evening matches shall commence at 6.15pm. and shall continue for as long as possible on the first evening. If the first innings is concluded and the second innings commences on one evening, there shall be an interval of 10 minutes between them. The pitch shall be swept and rolled for not more than 10 minutes at the conclusion of the first evening's play, and shall be cut, and rolled for not more than 10 minutes in the presence of the umpires, before the next evening's play, but the outfield must remain uncut unless the  Management Board decides otherwise. In all evening matches in League and Cup competitions, the umpires shall sign the scorebooks at the termination of each evening's play.
A substitute shall be allowed for any player unable to resume on a re-commencement of play on any day after the first day of the match. A batsman unable to resume his innings, be allowed to do so at the fall of a wicket or through injury, illness or retired, to a batsman at the wicket.

12. Match Ball
In the final the match balls will be provided by the League.
The Umpires shall always notify the batsman of the type of ball being used.

13. Maintenance of the Pitch
In matches unfinished on the first day or evening, the pitch shall be swept and rolled for not more than 10 minutes at the conclusion of play. It shall be cut, and rolled in the presence of the umpires for not more than 10 minutes prior to each succeeding day's play. The batting side to have choice of roller in all instances.

14. Players' Qualifications
Any registered player shall be eligible to play in the 1st Round of the competition. Players must have played at least one league match prior to the 2nd round to be eligible for that and subsequent rounds. In the case of bona-fide juniors. registered by the club prior to the season, or full time students registered the previous season and at the beginning of the current season permission must be obtained from the Management Board in order that they may participate in subsequent rounds. Where no play is possible owing to weather conditions, players selected and present on the ground shall be deemed to have played.
A player who has played in a Priestley Shield Match in any round of the Competition, shall not play in a Priestley Cup Match in the corresponding round or Final, except by permission of the Management Board.
A regular player with a Club outside the League (as defined in League Rule 23) who may have played in two Bradford League matches prior to the third Round shall not be considered eligible for cup ties without the special consent of the Management Board.

15. Admission to Games
For Sunday games, spectators may be invited to purchase Programmes or Tickets of Admission for all Cup-ties (excepting the Final) to the following maximum prices: Adults £3, Children and Senior Citizens £1.50
In all rounds except the Final, Umpires expenses will be shared equally by both competing clubs.
 In the event of any surplus funds from gross gate receipts (i.e. monies received from the Sale of Programmes etc), less Umpires' Fees, printing and advertising, this surplus shall be divided equally between the two competing Clubs.
Representatives from competing Clubs shall not be refused attendance when the gross gate receipts, or proceeds from the sale of programmes are counted. Instances of a Club refusing to allow this privilege must be reported to the Chief Executive.

16. Admission to Cup Final
Charges for admission to the Cup Final shall be determined by the
Management Board at the first opportune time.
The net receipts of the Cup and Shield Finals shall be allocated as follows:
Each finalist .....................................................................50 per cent

17. Umpires' Expenses
Umpires shall receive £30 expenses for all matches with the exception of the final, when they shall receive a memento similar to those awarded to the players of the winning team.
Extra expenses shall be paid if the match continues after the first day or evening. Teas to be provided to Umpires in Sunday games.

18. Match Report Sheets
The Secretary of the home Club shall be responsible for faxing the completed Match Report Sheet to the Chief Executive's home fax number (01274 -608001) to be received NO LATER than 8.45 p.m. on the day of the game if a conclusion has been reached.
Notification of games not started, or scores in incomplete games (Sunday or evening) must be ‘phoned to the Chief Executive each evening as soon as possible after each day's play.
 When the game has concluded, the Match Report Sheet must be faxed to the Chief Executive immediately (Fax number 01274- 6080011.)
Failure to fax reports, or to telephone scores, will render the home club liable to a fine of £5.00 in respect of each omission. and such fines will be imposed by the Chief Executive.

19. Collections During Final
In the event of any collections for batting or bowling performances taking place on grounds or enclosures during the final match, the whole amount collected shall be divided: 50 per cent to the Bradford League Contingencies Fund, and 50 per cent divided equally among the players who have earned the collections.

20. Players' Teas in Final Round
In the final round thirteen teas will be provided to the players, reserve and scorer of each of the competing teams, the cost to be defrayed out of gate receipts, or from the sale of programmes.

21. Accounts
The accounts of the Competition shall be audited and a balance sheet shall be presented at the agm.

22. Application of League Rules
All points not otherwise dealt with in the Cup Rules shall be in accordance with the League Rules.

23. Committee Decision to be Final
All decisions made by the  Management Board in the interpretation of all rules, or on other matters concerning the business of the Priestley Cup Competition shall be final and binding on all parties.