The Domestic Cricket Directorate have provided the following clarification on two of the bye-laws:

(t) Bats Only Type A, B or C bats may be used in adult competitions.  The dimensional changes for the bat blade introduced in the 2017 Code shall apply only in the Premier League and Section 1 of the Senior League in the 2019 season. 

The dimensional changes to bats being introduced for Premier League and Section 1 clubs in 2019 apply to all NCU competitions that clubs in these leagues participate in ie they also apply to the Challenge Cup, Twenty20 Cup and T20 Trophy.

(u) Short-pitched Bowling

1. A fast-short-pitched delivery is defined as a ball that passes, or would have passed, above the shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the popping crease.
2. In the Premier League, Section 1 of the Senior League and the Challenge Cup, a bowler shall be limited to two short-pitched deliveries per over.  In the Twenty20 Cup and Trophy a bowler shall be limited to one such delivery per over.
3. The umpire at the bowler's end shall advise the bowler and the batsman on strike when each fast short-pitched delivery has been bowled.
4. In addition, a ball that passes above head height of the batsman that prevents him from being able to hit it with his bat by means of a normal cricket stroke shall be called and signalled 'Wide ball'. Any such delivery shall, in the competitions specified in (2) above, be counted as one of the allowable short-pitched deliveries in that over.
5. In the event of a bowler bowling more than the maximum number of such deliveries per over in the competitions specified in (2) above, or any such delivery in any other competition, the umpire at the bowler's end shall call and signal 'No ball' on each occasion.
6. Any further infringement shall be dealt with by the umpires in accordance with Law 41.6.3 - 5.

There has been no change to bye-law (u).
It is important to note that it applies only to the competitions specified in sub-paragraph (2), namely the Premier League, Senior League Section 1, the Challenge Cup, Twenty20 Cup and T20 Trophy.

All other competitions operate solely on the basis of the Laws of Cricket. Law 21.10 makes a ball over head high a No ball and Law 41.6 covers all other aspects of short pitched bowling. There is therefore no 'one for the over' or 'two for the over' allowance in any other competition.

Club secretaries are asked to bring this note to the attention of their players.

Bryan Milford
General Secretary
Northern Cricket Union