Clubs competing in the Premier Division and First Division this season are being forced to raise their standards or face sanctions, including point deductions.

The Bermuda Cricket Board held a meeting with club representatives and umpires on Wednesday evening when the clubs were advised that penalties will be imposed for tardiness, not preparing wickets for matches and not producing white balls for play in the 50-overs league and Belco Cup.

The Board was forced this week to delay the start of the Belco Cup because many pitches are still not ready for play. Once the season starts, clubs were advised that there will be no rescheduled matches this season. Matches must go on with or without umpires, failing which no points will be awarded to either team.

There will once again be a bonus point system, with additional batting and bowling points awarded. The toss must be made 20 minutes before the scheduled start and for the captain who is not ready for the toss — or a team without the minimum nine players present — the toss will be forfeited.

Each captain must producee a copy of his team at the toss and reserves must be noted on BCB sheets or club letterhead. If a team do not have nine players, they will be given until 15 minutes after the expected start to have their quota.

The overs will be counted from 1 to 50 on the official scoreboard, not in descending order as has been the usual practice. Also, two short-pitched balls passing above shoulder height will be permitted per over.

League games will be played with coloured clothing and white balls, and clubs must have three spare white Kookaburra match balls. A club who do not have a white Kookaburra ball risk forfeiting the match.

Failure to prepare a wicket as a host club — even for a team who groundshare — will be result in a ten-point penalty. Any club who have not paid their BCB registration fee of $1,000 by June 14 will be deducted ten points.

Bowlers will still be able to run out a non-striking batsman in his bowling stride if he is out of his crease, while the umpires will not call wides on either side of the wicket when a batsman attempts to play the reverse sweep or switch hit.

Young fast bowlers under the age of 19 will be limited to a maximum of seven overs per spell and a youngster must be 13 years old by September 1 to play in the senior league.