(Item numbering in the following notes is arbitrary (points of interest as I noted them down at the seminar).
Cheers,
- Nani
Email: quick_blue@yahoo.com

Points of Interest:

1.  Toss
2.  Team list
3.  Changes to team
4.  Penalty time
15.  Bye runner
23.  Run out when bye runner present
24.  Penalty runs
29.  LBW
30.  Boundary
31. Dead ball
      31(d). Trapped ball
      31(f).  Appealing for out
      31(i). Ball bouncing more than twice
32.  Misdemeanor Penalty
33.  Chucking
34.  Deliberate Beamer
35.  Bad Light
36.  New batsman
37.  Lost ball

The Toss:
1. Toss should be done only between 30 min and 15 min prior to start of game (for NCCA purposes, this would be between 10:30am and 10:45am, for 11:00am starts)

Team List:
2. Should be presented in WRITING to the umpires PRIOR to start of match

[CLARIFICATION:
Team List/Toss:
I wasn't able to get clarification from Mr. Oslear on this issue... but since it is possible for the toss to happen without the umpires being present, I suppose it would be sufficient to hand the team list in writing to the umpires when they arrive (hopefully before play starts).]

15. Bye-runner:
Any batsman who is injured during the COURSE OF PLAY can appeal for a bye-runner. In a game played over the course of several days, course of play is defined as the time from the toss till the end of the last day's play, including any non-playing time during that period.]

(i) When S stays within his ground (i.e. does not stray outside the crease): Forget about existence of S, and focus on NS and BR as if they were the only batsmen. The batsman closest to the wicket that is broken is out.

• If NS is closer to bowler's end than BR when wicket at keeper's end is broken, then BR is out (which translates to S is out); if bowler's end wicket is broken, NS is out
  
• If NS is closer to keeper's end when that wicket is broken, NS is out; if bowler's end wicket is broken, BR is out (therefore S is out)
  
(ii) If S is out of his ground, NO RUNS can be scored
(iii) When S is out of his ground:

• (a) if wicket is broken at KEEPER'S end, S is out NO MATTER WHO ELSE IS WHERE!!
  
• (b) S cannot be "out" at BOWLER'S end no matter where he is... but wait, whoever (between NS and BR) is closest to that wicket is out. This means that if BR is closer to the bowler's end wicket when it is broken, R is out (which implies S is out!)
  
• (c) If NS is within his ground (ie. inside the crease at the bowler's end) when the BOWLER'S end wicket is broken, NOBODY IS OUT even if both S and BR are out of THEIR ground! The only way a wicket can fall is if the ball is relayed to the keeper's end where the wicket is then broken.
  Clear as mud, eh? :)

Penalty Runs:
24. (Recommended) Create 2 new columns on the right hand side of your scoresheet, one for B(atting), one for F(ielding), and mark any penalty runs in these columns
25. Penalty runs are ALWAYS 5 runs for each occurrence
26. Penalty runs are NEVER assigned to a batsman or bowler, merely added to the scoresheet
27. Penalty runs are never SUBTRACTED, always added (to your side if you gain; to the other side if you give away)
28. Penalty can be applied under many circumstances:

• misdemeanor (need to look up laws for more detail)
  
• deliberate damage to pitch by BATSMAN wearing spiked boots (mostly not an issue for NCCA, so I won't include all the details... let me know if you're really keen to know, though)
  
• illegal contact with ball by a fielder. Eg: Catching with cap; Fielder who has been off the field entering field of play without informing umpiring and handling ball in any manner. The ball becomes dead immediately and 5 runs are awarded to batting side.
  
  [CORRECTION:
  Illegal fielding penalty:
  The batting side is awarded 5 penalty runs in ADDITION to the number of runs they have physicallycompleted (run) off that delivery.]
  
  
• 5 penalty runs for ball hitting a helmet placed on the ground behind the keeper. Ball becomes dead at that instant, however, everything that happened before that instant counts. Eg: if there is a No Ball which goes sailing over the keeper, and the batsmen run 3 runs before a fielder throwing the ball back hits the helmet by mistake, then the batting side gets 1 run for the nb, 3 for the runs they ran, plus 5 penalty runs for the ball hitting the helmet.

1. Was it a fair delivery?
2. Did the ball pitch in line with the stumps, or outside the off stump (includes full toss)?
3. Did CONTACT with any part of the batsman's person (excluding bat and hands holding bat) occur IN LINE with the stumps?
4. But for the interception, would the ball have HIT the wicket?
5. Was an appeal made by ANY member of the fielding side?

[CLARIFICATION: 29.(3) LBW: Only the FIRST CONTACT of the ball with the striker's person counts.]

• Per new code, ball landing ON OR BEYOND boundary line is a six (before ball had to land BEYOND line).
• If any portion of the fielder's person touches the boundary while touching the ball, it is now declared a boundary (4 or 6 as the case may be).
• Per new code, fielders can now keep the ball within the playing field similar to basketball... eg: if a fielder catching the ball just within the boundary sees that he cannot stop himself from going over the line, he can now throw the ball up in the air, cross over the line, recover, and come back within the playing field (feet inside line) to effect the catch or stop the ball. Note that in the above example, the fielder CANNOT be in the air while catching the ball for the 2nd time, i.e. before coming back inside the field of play... his feet must be grounded within the field of play before he catches the ball.

• Ball is dead when it has FINALLY settled in the hands of the keeper or the bowler, as long as there is no reasonable chance of an out at either wicket.
• Ball becomes dead the instant it leaves the WK's hands as part of returning the ball to the bowler for the next delivery... this includes tossing it to another fieldsman or back to the bowler himself.
• If the ball is already with the bowler, it becomes dead as soon as he turns to return to his bowling mark (as long as there is no reasonable chance of effecting an out).
• Ball is dead when it becomes lodged in the person of either batsman or either umpire. This now includes the ball becoming TRAPPED between the striker's bat and person... the striker cannot be out if a ball thus trapped is then caught by a fielder.
• When the ball becomes dead, no runs can be scored or a wicket taken.
• Ball is dead when OVER or TIME is called. NOTE 1: OVER being called does NOT prevent an appeal for an out being made. Any appeal is valid until the next delivery begins (which happens when the bowler begins to return to his bowling mark). NOTE 2: No appeals can be made once TIME is called. This includes any breaks such as drinks/lunch/rain.
• Ball is dead when illegal fielding occurs. Called Dead Ball:
• Either umpire can call dead ball if they regard both teams as having ceased to regard the ball as being in play.
• Umpire can call ball dead if it bounces more than twice after delivery, or rolls along the ground. A shooter (where the ball darts very low after bouncing, but does not roll) is NOT called dead ball. [Note: This call of Dead Ball seems contradictory to law 24.6 where such a delivery is deemed a No Ball. I was unable to get clarify this point with Mr. Oslear.]
• If the ball stops before it reaches the striker, No Ball, then dead ball.
• Ball is dead if the bowler tries to run out the non-striker before delivering the ball, but does not succeed. NOTE: Bowler can attempt to run out a non-striker only BEFORE his (the bowler's) BACK FOOT LANDS FOR THE LAST TIME BEFORE DELIVERY. See item 32.(f)

• (a) Ball tampering... 5 run penalty. NOTE: The offender can be dismissed if he repeats the offence.
• (b) Obstructing batsmen... 5 run penalty.
• (c) Distracting batsmen while delivery in progress... 1st offence receives a warning; 2nd offence results in 5 run penalty.
• (d) Time wasting... 1st offence receives a warning; 2nd results in 5 run penalty + the bowler being taken off!
• (e) Deliberate damage to pitch... 5 run penalty. Batting side misdemeanors:
• (f) Stealing a run, i.e., attempting a run before bowler's back foot lands for the last time before delivery... 5 run penalty.
• (g) Deliberate short runs... 1st offence results in short run(s) declared + warning; 2nd offence results in short run(s) declared + 5 run penalty.
• (h) Deliberate damage to pitch (eg. running on pitch with spiked boots)... 1st offence receives warning; 2nd offence disallow runs + 2nd warning; 3rd offence results in disallowed runs + 5 run penalty.

• (a) Either umpire can call No Ball for illegal action.
• (b) 1st offence results in No Ball call; 2nd offence results in bowler being taken off attack.

• (a) Umpires can peremptorily call off play if they believe that it is too dangerous to continue in that light. They do not have to consult either captain.
• (b) Fielding side cannot appeal for bad light.
• (c) Opposing captains can agree to stay on or not for inclement weather (eg: rain), but NOT bad light.
• (d) If the batsmen decide to bat on after 1st call for bad light, they can subsequently appeal for bad light whether the light becomes worse or STAYS THE SAME.