WHAT'S THIS ABOUT
In the year 2026 we should be able to manage Team Lists electronically. If the paper team list which we have used (for decades) can be replaced by the electronic PlayHQ Team Lineup then we should do so.
DISCUSSION
As noted in the Preamble to Reg 7, the Team list is a very important part of a making a competitive cricket match work in a credible way.The Team List controls the makeup of each team so that known, registered players are participating and are not being swapped for randoms at the whim and caprices of teams less committed to the formality of the sport.
It also supports Law 1 of Cricket which is about nomination of players.
The key to figuring out electronic Team Lists is to explain how to use the PlayHQ Team Lineup so that all the rules we have now can be followed in the same or an equivalent way.
There are a number of subtle things that paper team lists do very well that need to be simulated effectively with e-team lists.
The key to figuring out electronic Team Lists is to explain how to use the PlayHQ Team Lineup so that all the rules we have now can be followed in the same or an equivalent way.
There are a number of subtle things that paper team lists do very well that need to be simulated effectively with e-team lists.
These are the issues:
- How do we identify slash replacements? (as in Reg 23.1)
- How to prevent team lineups being changed (by PlayHQ edits) between day 1 and day 2?
- How to identify and manage underage players (as in App E Bowling Injury Prevention and App K Helmets)
- On Sundays, how to identify and manage Supersubs (as in Reg 23.5)
The paper team list would become a thing of the past if we can manage these things electronically.
PlayHQ Team Lineup currently has a tick box feature for selected players that can identify captains and wicketkeepers.
I have heard a rumour that a future modification to add similar tick box features to identify 'slashed' replacements is coming. The speculation is that this feature is months or years away however and is certainly not imminent.
But there is no word about identification of underage players.
At admin user level they can be looked up in the participant database but that's a horrible chore for 22 players x 26 games just before the start of a game. (or during or after the game.)
I have heard a rumour that a future modification to add similar tick box features to identify 'slashed' replacements is coming. The speculation is that this feature is months or years away however and is certainly not imminent.
But there is no word about identification of underage players.
At admin user level they can be looked up in the participant database but that's a horrible chore for 22 players x 26 games just before the start of a game. (or during or after the game.)
When I asked how the underage players might be identified and managed for a match the suggested answer was to write their names and ages on a list (!!) (which obviously undermines the whole 'electronic list' concept.)
Additionally, to implement use of PlayHQ Team Lineups we would need to:
Use of a paper Team List requires no additional IT resources (iPads, laptops, network access) by either team or umpires.
Last season the e-scoring rate amongst QSDCA games was recorded at 240 out of 556 games (43.2%). (There's an admin report you can run in PlayHQ which shows precisely how many games were e-scored and how many had the scores entered post match. Yeah, I went there.)
The paper Team List is exchanged with opposition and the umpire just prior to the coin toss. This neatly fulfils the old version of Law 1.2.2.
To prevent team lineup manipulation when using PlayHQ Team Lineup, Premier Cricket requires teams to enter their players in PlayHQ 1 hour BEFORE the toss.
Late changes due to "Wozza not turning up" would become an PlayHQ admin nightmare as well as a team crisis!!
- Make PlayHQ e-scoring mandatory. (i.e. every team uses it, every game)
- Introduce a pre-game player entry time limit (maybe 1 hour prior to the start of play)
Use of a paper Team List requires no additional IT resources (iPads, laptops, network access) by either team or umpires.
Last season the e-scoring rate amongst QSDCA games was recorded at 240 out of 556 games (43.2%). (There's an admin report you can run in PlayHQ which shows precisely how many games were e-scored and how many had the scores entered post match. Yeah, I went there.)
The paper Team List is exchanged with opposition and the umpire just prior to the coin toss. This neatly fulfils the old version of Law 1.2.2.
1.2.2 No player may be replaced after the nomination without the consent of the opposing captain. If such consent is granted, the captain of the team in which the player is being replaced shall inform the umpires and scorers.
The second sentence (in red) is added in 2026. MCC advice indicates the purpose of the new sentence is to "formalise something that would always have been considered best practice". It remains to be seen exactly what effect this will have on QSDCA play in 2026/27. It is definitely not a licence to "change the team whenever you want" during a match.To prevent team lineup manipulation when using PlayHQ Team Lineup, Premier Cricket requires teams to enter their players in PlayHQ 1 hour BEFORE the toss.
Late changes due to "Wozza not turning up" would become an PlayHQ admin nightmare as well as a team crisis!!
PROPOSAL/CONCLUSION
Sadly, PlayHQ Team lineup is inadequate at present for addressing the functions that are required of a QSDCA Team List. Also teams and clubs are not sufficiently resourced or well trained/educated to permit mandatory e-scoring. Adding motivation by making e-scoring a rule is unlikely to succeed in changing this, in my view.
Until the software actually does have the capability to manage slash replacements and underage players this association will be forced to stick to use of paper Team Lists.
No comments:
Post a Comment