League Winners

1919

M Aspin

J Seedle

N Asraf

S Nawaz

A Raza

P Sleep

D Law

T Odoyo

D Ganesh

Regulations Regarding Work Permits For Overseas Players

ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD (ECB) 

REGULATIONS GOVERNING THE QUALIFICATION AND REGISTRATION OF CRICKETERS FOR COMPETITIVE COUNTY CRICKET AND THEIR QUALIFICATION FOR ENGLAND 

Subject to the overriding discretion of the ECB and subject as provided below, a Cricketer will only be qualified to play in a Competitive County Cricket match (a Qualified Cricketer) if: 

1.                  he is a European Economic Area (EEA) national. 

1.1              he has not, within the 12 months leading up to April 1^st immediately before the season in question, either played cricket for any Full Member Country outside the EEA at U17 level or above, or played First Class Cricket in any such Full Member Country except as an overseas cricketer under local rules similar to ECB Regulation 3 (Unqualified Cricketers), or in any other circumstances approved by the ECB 

1.2              he makes, whenever requested by the ECB, a declaration in the form set out in Annex A to the ECB Regulations. 

Note: 

A Cricketer qualified for an ICC Associate or Affiliate Country can continue to represent that country without adversely affecting his eligibility unless and until the Cricketer has played for a Full Member Country at Under 19 level or above.  If the player represents an ICC Associate or Affiliate Member Country after having represented any Full Member Country at U19 level or above, he will not be qualified to play in a Competitive County Cricket match where the April 1^st immediately before the season in question is within a period of 12 months after his last appearance for the ICC Associate or Affiliate Member Country. 

The complete Regulations are published annually by the ECB and are available on request. 

QUALIFICATION OF CRICKETERS TO PLAY FOR ENGLAND 

Subject to the overriding discretion of the ECB, acting with the consent of the International Cricket Council, a Cricketer will only be qualified to play for England in a Test Match or in a One Day International Match if: 

1.      he is either a British citizen or an Irish citizen; and 

2.      he was born within England and Wales; or 

3.      he has been resident in England and Wales for the immediately preceding four consecutive years; and 

4.      he has not during the immediately preceding four consecutive years either played cricket for any Full Member Country outside the EEA at U17 level or above, or played First Class Cricket in any such Full Member Country except as an overseas cricketer under local rules similar to Regulation 3, or in any other circumstances approved by the ECB; and 

5.      he makes, whenever requested by the ECB, a declaration in the form set out in Annex A to the ECB Regulations. 

In the case of a Cricketer seeking to become qualified under 3 above he will (until he has become qualified to play for England) only be treated as having been resident within England and Wales for the relevant consecutive period if he has spent a minimum of 210 days in each year within England and Wales (for which purpose “year” shall mean a year ending 1^st April). 

DEFINITIONS 

1.      Competitive County Cricket refers to matches played in the course of:

1.1.                 The County Championship

1.2.                 The C&G Trophy, the Norwich Union League and the Benson and Hedges Cup

1.3.                 The Under 19 and Under 17 County Championships

1.4.                 Any other similar competition authorised by and designated as Competitive County Cricket by the ECB.

2.      Qualification to play for England refers to matches played in the course of:

2.1.                 The 38 County Competition

2.2.                 The Minor Counties Championship.

3.      England and Wales means England, Wales, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

4.      The EEA means the European Economic Area and includes each of its member states as from time to time applicable.  Currently the EEA comprises the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland.

5.      Residing and resident mean the occupation of a bona fide home (i.e. the only or main home of the Cricketer concerned) and the acquisition of temporary accommodation during the season may not fulfil this requirement.

6.      Full Member Country means a country which is a full member of the International Cricket Council.

These criteria were agreed following a meeting Work Permits (UK) held with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the League Cricket Conference (LCC) on 12^th November 2002 at Lord’s Cricket Ground.

The criteria have been further agreed by the Scottish Cricket Union and the Irish Cricket Union.

CRITERIA FOR PLAYERS

Work permits will not be issued to clubs who are not affiliated to the relevant governing body.  Applications from clubs should be forwarded to the relevant governing body at the following address for confirmation of the club’s affiliation.

Applications from clubs in England and Wales:

ECB Cricket Department

Lord’s Cricket Ground

London

NW8 8QZ

Tel: 020 7432 1200

Fax: 020 7289 5619

Email: Cricket@ecb.co.uk

Applications from clubs in Scotland:

Scottish Cricket Union

National Cricket Academy

MES Sports Centre

Ravelston

Edinburgh

EH4 3NT

Tel: 0131 313 7420

Fax: 0131 313 7430

Email: admin.scu@btinternet.com

Applications from clubs in Northern Ireland:

Irish Cricket Union

The Diamond

Malahide

Co. Dublin

Republic of Ireland

Tel: 00 353 1 845 0710

Fax: 00 353 1 845 5545

Email: type.text@eircom.net

GAMES PLAYED

A club wishing to employ an individual as a cricket player will need to ensure that during the 18 months immediately prior to the date of the work permit application the player has played in either

1. a minimum of one test match for his country (consisting of five days); or

2. at least three one day internationals for his country; or

3. a minimum of five first class matches (not one day matches – see below).

For point c) the definition of first class cricket matches will be that set down by the International Cricket Council in their regulations.  However, only those cricketers who have played at this level in matches of three, four or more days duration, will be considered as first class for the purpose of determining whether the five first class matches criterion is satisfied.

Former test match players who do not meet the criteria stated above must have played five test matches in the previous ten years.

Note: Work Permits (UK) will only consider applications for employment in indoor cricket from clubs who play in the British Indoor Cricket Association (BICA) League.

SALARY

The individual should be paid at a rate that is commensurate for a player who is of the highest calibre.  The salary must also meet the National Minimum Wage regulations.

The expected salary for a cricketer for the 2003 season is a minimum of £170 per week plus accommodation (e.g. if the club want to give the player £50 toward accommodation, the player should then receive £220 per week).  Travel costs must be excluded from this.

CONTRACTS

All applications should include a copy of a contract, signed by both parties and on the club’s letterhead, detailing the terms and conditions of employment.

Work permit applications may be applied for up to six months prior to the beginning of the season, and will remain valid for six months from the date we issue the permit.  People requiring a visa are normally expected to produce the work permit for entry clearance within six months of issue.  The application should be submitted requesting permits to be approved until the last date of the season or the date the contract of employment ends, whichever is the longer.

LENGTH OF CONTRACT ISSUE

We will normally give approval for the cricket season (i.e. 1 April until 30 September for outdoor cricket and 1 October until 31 March for indoor cricket) – or the contract period, whichever is the longer.

SUPPLEMENTARY EMPLOYMENT

Counties/clubs should be reminded that work permits are issued for periods of specific employment with one employer.

If a cricketer wants to take additional work of a similar nature with a different employer outside of their normal working hours, (when the club for which they are employed has no arranged matches), the other county/club does not need Work Permits (UK)  permission for this supplementary employment.  The cricketer cannot undertake this supplementary employment via an agent, as this is in breach of the work permit arrangements.

Note: If a cricketer discontinues playing for the county/club that the work permit was issued to, the new county/club will need to apply to Work Permits (UK) for permission to employ him before he can take up the new employment. 

If you or the individual wish to end the employment, neither of you need Work Permits (UK) permission, but you should inform the Sports and Entertainments Team at Work Permits (UK) who dealt with your application so we can update our records.

As an employer you could be guilty of a criminal offence if you employ someone who requires permission to take employment in the UK and does not have the correct permission.  If you want to employ a person who already has a work permit or change their job from Player to Coach for example, you must get approval from us before the person can start work. 

Work Permits (UK) Allegations team deal with allegations of abuse of the work permit arrangements, carry out investigations and, if appropriate, inform the relevant authorities of its findings.  The Allegations team can be contacted at Allegations Team Work Permits (UK), Integrated Casework Directorate, North, Home Office, Foundry House, Riverside Court, 3 Millsands, Sheffield, S3 8NH.  This team can also be contacted by e-mail at allegations.workpermits@wpuk.gov.uk. 

AMATEURS

Work permits are not issued for amateurs.

CRITERIA FOR PLAYER/COACHES

For a player to qualify for a position at a cricket club that includes an element of coaching in the job description, the applicant must, in all cases, provide evidence that the individual has:

• attained a qualification to at least Level ll standard under the structured ECB National Coaching Scheme before undertaking any coaching duties for a club based in the UK.

Note: For the 2003 season it may be necessary for Work Permits (UK) to initially issue some individuals with a work permit to play only, on the understanding that when the player has entered the UK he will complete an ECB Level II course or gain written confirmation that their overseas qualification is of an equivalent or higher standard.  It will still be necessary for overseas coaches to undertake the health and safety and child protection modules of the course. Once he has achieved the Level II standard he will be able to undertake coaching duties and not before.  ECB will keep Work Permits (UK) informed of work permit holders gaining this qualification.

In order to gain the maximum benefit from overseas players/coaches, Work Permits (UK) will allow players/coaches with the appropriate coaching qualifications to undertake coaching duties on a wider scale e.g. under the auspices of the local county board.

This is subject to the inclusion of the following clause in the players/coaches contract:

“to perform such coaching duties for other cricketing bodies within the County board area, on a sub-contracted basis, as the club and the coach may mutually agree to as long as this is incidental to the main work for the employer.”

SALARY

The individual should be paid at a rate that is commensurate for a player or player/coach who is of the highest calibre.  The salary must also meet the National Minimum Wage.

SUPPLEMENTARY EMPLOYMENT

Counties/clubs should be reminded that work permits are issued for periods of specific employment with one employer.

If a player/coach wants to take additional work of a similar nature with a different employer outside of their normal working hours, (when the club for which they are employed has no arranged matches), the other county/club does not need Work Permits (UK)  permission for this supplementary employment.  The player/coach cannot undertake this supplementary employment via an agent, as this is in breach of the work permit arrangements.

Note: If a cricketer discontinues playing/working for the county/club that the work permit was issued to the new county/club will need to apply to Work Permits (UK) for permission to employ him before he can take up the new employment. 

If you or the individual wish to end the employment, neither of you need Work Permits (UK) permission, but you should inform the Sports and Entertainments Team at Work Permits (UK) who dealt with your application so we can update our records.

As an employer you could be guilty of a criminal offence if you employ someone who requires permission to take employment in the UK and does not have the correct permission.  If you want to employ a person who already has a work permit or change their job from Player to Coach for example, you must get approval from us before the person can start work. 

Work Permits (UK) Allegations team deal with allegations of abuse of the work permit arrangements, carry out investigations and, if appropriate, inform the relevant authorities of its findings.  The Allegations team can be contacted at Allegations Team, Work Permits (UK), Integrated Casework Directorate, North, Home Office, Foundry House, Riverside Court, 3 Millsands, Sheffield, S3 8NH. This team can also be contacted by e-mail at allegations.workpermits@wpuk.gov.uk. 

CRITERIA FOR FULL TIME COACHES

If a cricket club wish to employ a non European Economic Area national as a full time coach they will have to satisfy the following criteria:

• provide proof of a resident labour search.  We will need to see evidence that the job has been advertised in the most appropriate medium that provides the best way of reaching suitably qualified resident workers. 

• provide proof that the individual is suitably qualified to coach at the highest level of the sport in the UK.   We will need a letter from the coach’s International Board of Control stating that the individual has coached at the highest level.

Outdoor Cricket: it is expected that full time coaches will be employed by the first class cricket counties who are unlikely to appoint someone with no or limited coaching experience.  Under these circumstances we will issue to coaches for the length of the contract period.  If however a club side is granted a work permit we will normally only issue for the forthcoming season.

Note:  If the individual meets the above criteria Work Permits (UK) will issue a work permit, in good faith, to the coach on the understanding that once he has entered the UK he will, no matter how highly qualified, undertake to achieve ECB Level II standard coaching qualification or gain written confirmation that their overseas qualification is of an equivalent or higher standard.  It will still be necessary for overseas coaches to undertake the health and safety and child protection modules of the course.

In order to gain the maximum benefit from overseas players/coaches, Work Permits (UK) will allow players/coaches with the appropriate coaching qualifications to undertake coaching duties on a wider scale e.g. under the auspices of the local county board.

This is subject to the inclusion of the following clause in the players/coaches contract:

“to perform such coaching duties for other cricketing bodies within the County board area, on a sub-contracted basis, as the club and the coach may mutually agree to as long as this is incidental to the main work for the employer.”

SALARY

The individual should be paid at a rate that is commensurate for a coach who is of the highest calibre.  The salary must also meet the National Minimum Wage regulations.

SUPPLEMENTARY EMPLOYMENT

Counties/clubs should be reminded that work permits are issued for periods of specific employment with one employer.

If a coach wants to take additional work of a similar nature with a different employer outside of their normal working hours the other county/club does not need Work Permits (UK) permission for this supplementary employment.  The coach cannot undertake this supplementary employment via an agent, as this is in breach of the work permit arrangements.

Note: If a coach discontinues working for the county/club that the work permit was issued to the new county/club will need to apply to Work Permits (UK) for permission to employ him before he can take up the new employment.  If you or the individual wish to end the employment, neither of you need Work Permits (UK) permission, but you should inform the Sports and Entertainments Team at Work Permits (UK) who dealt with your application so we can update our records.

As an employer you could be guilty of a criminal offence if you employ someone who requires permission to take employment in the UK and does not have the correct permission.  If you want to employ a person who already has a work permit or change their job from Player to Coach for example, you must get approval from us before the person can start work. 

Work Permits (UK) Allegations team deal with allegations of abuse of the work permit arrangements, carry out investigations and, if appropriate, inform the relevant authorities of its findings.  The Allegations team can be contacted at Allegations Team, Home Office, Level 5, Moorfoot, Sheffield, S1 4PQ. The team can also be contacted on 0114 259 5880 or by e-mail at  Allegations Team Work Permits (UK), Integrated Casework Directorate, North, Home Office, Foundry House, Riverside Court, 3 Millsands, Sheffield, S3 8NH. This team can also be contacted by e-mail at allegations.workpermits@wpuk.gov.uk. 

FURTHER INFORMATION

If you require further information regarding work permits please contact Work Permits (UK) at:

Work Permits (UK)

Integrated Casework Directorate, North

Home Office

W5 Moorfoot

Sheffield

S1 4PQ

Tel: 0114 259 3710

Fax: 0114 259 4987

Email: ents.workpermits@wpuck.gov.uk