Warwick Todd's World Test Cricket Championship

Rules

Based on rules used in Nathan Porter's ITC World Cup and Matthew Clark's Email Cricket Premier League

League Structure

There are ten teams in the League. Each team will play every other nation in a home and away fixture, giving a total of 18 rounds. At the completion of the home and away series, the winner of the league will be the team finishing highest on the ladder.

Points are allocated as follows:

In addition bonus points can be achieved based upon 1st innings batting and bowling performances. These bonus points are allocated in the following way:

Using this system there are always 10 bonus points awarded for every test match.


At the end of each match the 3 best players (based on a player points system) will be given points that will go towards a "Player of the Year" award. The best performed individual will get 3 points, the second 2 points and the third 1 point. Those who are familiar with ITC will know about the points system, and also know that it is biased towards wicket keepers. So I have made a change to limit the ability of keepers to get MVP points. They will now only qualify for MVP points based on a great batting performance or if they take more than 8 dismissals in a match.


Team Design Rules

Each team will consist of a squad of 16 players. The names of the players will be selected by the manager each team. The list will be composed of current test players from each nation.

Each manager has 750 skill points to allocate between his players in the following areas: Batting, Bowling and Fielding.

Each player must have at least 1 batting point.

If a player is allocated a bowling type in your squad you do not have to allocate him any bowling points if you do not want to. Atherton is classed as a Leg Spinner but in most cases will probably be allocated 0 points as he rarely bowls these days.

Fielding points should be a multiple of 3 (If not you are wasting points). This is because they get divided by 3 in the computer program.

Batting points roughly compare to a players batting average.  Thus a player allocated 35 batting points would expect to average around 35.

Bowling points roughly compare to a players bowling average taken away from 70.  Whilst this may seem initially strange it is so that you can directly compare a batsman against a bowler.  A 45 bowler (one with a bowling average of 25) is thus considered to be as good as a 45 batsman.

Fielding points are equated as follows:
        Poor Fielder         6 points
        Normal Fielder       15 points
        Slip Fielder         24 points
        Specialist Fielder   27 points
        Wicket Keeper        30+ points

The table just shows the quality of the fielder and their respective values in the normal international Test Cricket computer game which does not have fielding points externally but did use these values internally.  A fielder with 18 points will in general perform better than one on 15.  Fielders do not have to be one of the above values but can be any multiple of 3 you like.

Fielding points are used to calculate whether a catching chance will be caught.  The difficulty of the chance is compared against the quality of the fielder.  A good fielder stands a better chance of making the catch whereas a poor fielder may not even see the catching chance.

The overall teams fielding points are used for shot stopping skills.  A good fielding side will stop some scoring shots, turn some 2s into 1s, etc. A poor fielding side will concede additional runs, extra singles, 1s turning into 2s, etc.

No player may be allocated less than 30 points.

No player may be allocated more than 50 points in one area of expertise.

Proportion of 750 points used for batting, bowling and fielding is up to the manager as long as no more than 750 points are used in total.

Managers will not be able to see individual points allocation for other teams.


Round Rules

Turn details must be sent to me by each Saturday 9:00 am AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time - +10 GMT). Games will then be played over the weekend and the results E-mailed out on the Monday. Results will also be visible along with records and statistics on this web page.

If a player fails to supply turn details a computer default team with default aggression levels will be used.

Players submitting an article for the newsletter on time will be given 10 bonus skill points. These 10 bonus points may be used only in the next round. (To receive them again you will need to submit an article after each round). In addition, a further 5 points will be given to a manager if one of his players is named "Man Of The Match". Again, these 5 bonus points may be used only in the next round.

Players should warn me if they are not going to be able to submit a team so that alternative arrangements can be made.

If a player misses three consecutive turns without giving a valid reason he will be asked to leave the league.  (They will be sent a warning e-mail to say that this is about to happen). I will then advertise for a new manager.

For each turn the manager must supply the following information:

*aggression ratings are a value from 0 to 10 where 0 is very defensive and 10 is very aggressive.  The default aggression value is 5.
If any of these details are missing a default value or player will be assigned.


Optional information that can be sent with each turn:

Comments for the 'Newsletter'.  Whilst managers can easily e-mail each other it is preferred that any comments be sent to me so everyone can read them.  Please do not use abusive language.  The ‘Newsletter’ can be used by all managers to send comments, boasts, challenges, taunts, newspaper reports, etc.  If enough people send comments it will be a fun part of the league.  10 bonus skill points are awarded for sending in articles.

Skill Point Adjustments

POINTS ADJUSTMENTS FOR EACH ROUND.
Each round you have the opportunity to change the skill levels of some of your uninjured players. There are two ways to do this: Bonus point changes, which only take effect for that round; and permanent changes, which stay in place permanently (as the name suggests).

BONUS POINT CHANGES
Each week, if you submit an article for the newsletter (10 pts), or if you win "Man Of The Match" (5 pts), you will be given bonus points to add to your skill pool. These points can be allocated to any player/s, as long as you don't break any of the original skill level rules (no skill level may rise above 50). Each bonus point addition counts as one adjustment. The skill levels are reset at the end of the round to pre-bonus point levels, so you must submit your bonus points each week (if applicable), even if they are the same from round to round.

PERMANENT CHANGES
You may, if you wish, make permanent changes to your teams skill level allocation balance, as long as you don't break any of the original skill rules for each player. These changes stay in place permanently, and should really only be used if you aren't happy with your original point allocation and wish to adjust the balance of your team. Permanent changes may be made in any round, and are useful for adjusting your team's skills if you're suffering injuries.


GENERAL RULES
1. You may not make bonus and permanent changes to the same skill of a player
2. You are restricted to six point adjustments per week, including bonus and permanent changes. Bonus point changes are always included in the six changes, and count even if they are the same from week to week. If there are more than six changes in your orders you will get notice that you have made more than the allowable point changes. If you do not resubmit your changes by the deadline I will only make six changes. Bonus points will be the first changes to be dropped from your orders, in order of increasing point level.
3. There is no restriction to the point level of the adjustments - you can have +30 if you want.
4. You cannot change the skill of an injured player.
5. None of the normal point rules detailed above may be broken.  If the alteration would break one of these rules it will be ignored.

EXAMPLES OF POINT CHANGES IN ORDERS
Following are several examples of good/bad points changes, in the turn file format, along with my comments.

example 1. Good point adjustment; no permanent changes (3 point changes: acceptable)

BONUS POINTS
Hooper +5 bat
Ambrose +2 bowl
Murray +3 field

 example 2, Good point adjustment; bonus and permanent changes (6 point changes - acceptable)

BONUS POINTS
Hooper +5 bat
Ambrose +2 bowl
Murray +3 field

PERMANENT POINTS
Murray -10 bat
Lara +6 field
Lara +4 bat

 example 3. Bad point adjustment: change to both bonus and permanent skills (6 point changes)

BONUS POINTS
Hooper +5 bat
Ambrose +2 bowl
Murray +3 field

PERMANENT POINTS
Murray -9 field
Lara +6 field
Lara +3 bat

 example 4. Bad Point adjustment: Too many changes (7 changes)

BONUS POINTS
Hooper +10 bat

PERMANENT POINTS
Murray -9 field
Lara +6 field
Lara +3 bat
Ambrose -19 bowl
Samuels +9 bat
Adams +10 bat

 Comments: In this case, if the team were not resubmitted, I would not give Hooper the +10 bat.

example 5. Bad point adjustment: Too many changes

BONUS POINTS
Ambrose +1 bowl
Walsh +3 bowl
Murray +4 bat
Hooper +2 bat

PERMANENT POINTS
Murray -9 field
Lara +6 field
Lara +3 bat

 Comments: In this case I would not give Ambrose the 1 bowling point. If there was another extra permanent change, I would not give Hooper his batting points, if yet another permanent change then Walsh, etc.

When submitting your altered team, the bonus points that you have given must be listed separately to the permanent changes to indicate that they are temporary changes (see sample). You may not make both a temporary and a permanent change to the one player for the same characteristic.

Non-Bonus point adjustments are permanent and remain in effect until altered.

Fielders can only be altered by +- 3.

Total adjustments must add up to 0 unless bonus skill points have been awarded.


Game Code Details

All tests will be played by the computer and there will be no possible interruptions for rain or bad light.  Weather will be a factor but it will not rain.

Players may be injured.  An injury will last 1, 2 or 3 weeks.  An injured player can not be picked or have any point adjustments.

Players have a morale which starts initially at okay.  There are 7 levels of morale and they adjust a players skill for that test by up to +- 3 dependent on his morale.  Okay is 0, Rock Bottom is -3, High is +3.  These skill adjustments will not be shown.  It is up to the manager to gauge what a players current skill levels are.

A players morale can only be altered by playing a Test.  If a player is dropped his morale stays the same and does not alter.

Players morale is altered based upon his own performance in the test.  This is based upon the number of performance points he gets.

If a team wins every player who played has his morale raised one level.

If a team loses every player who played has his morale lowered one level.

These rules may be added to at any time by me.

All decisions made by me are final and can not be altered.

I can not be held responsible for mistakes although I will do by best to rectify any that I make.  Tests cannot be replayed.


Samples

Sample Team File - sent once at beginning of league



Manager of Squad 1

Player Name        Bat     Bowl    Field
Opener 1            39              15  =   54
Opener 2            34              12  =   46
Opener 3            30               9  =   39
Middle 1            40              15  =   55
Middle 2            34              12  =   46
Middle 3            32              12  =   44
Middle 4            29               9  =   38
Keeper 1            17              36  =   53
Keeper 2            10              24  =   34
All Rounder 1       17      29      12  =   58
All Rounder 2       15      19       6  =   40
Bowler 1             6      42       9  =   57
Bowler 2             5      40       9  =   54
Bowler 3             4      37       9  =   50
Bowler 4             3      34       6  =   43
Bowler 5             3      30       6  =   39
Total              318  +  231  +  201  =  750



Sample Turn File - Sent at the beginning of each turn

(When submitting use a mono-spaced font)

Manager of Squad in ITC League 1
                   Aggression
                  Bat     Bowl
Player Name
 1 Opener 1         5         
 2 Opener 2         5
 3 Middle 1         6         
 4 Middle 2         6
 5 Middle 3         7
 6 Keeper 1         7       
 7 All Rounder 1    8       3
 8 Bowler 1         8       4
 9 Bowler 2         9       5
10 Bowler 3         9       6
11 Bowler 4        10       7

Team Aggression     5       5

Opening Bowlers  10 (Bowler 3) & 11 (Bowler 4)
Wicket Keeper    6 (Keeper 1)

Bonus Points
1. Opener 1 +3bat
6. Keeper 1 +2bat
11. Bowler 4 +3bwl
5. Middle 3 +2fld

Other Points
Opener 3 -3fld
Bowler 5 +3bwl
The samples are just samples, you can allocate your points however you like provided you do not break any of the points rules.  You can play any players (not currently injured) and do not have to play a certain number of each player type.

Please stick to the format above and do not alter it.  If you alter it I have to edit your turn first.  Do not use Tabs or use an editor that compresses spaces to tabs when loading/saving.  Doing so means you turn columns arrive misaligned.  If you are using a mail editor that allows you to select fonts only use Courier or a mono-spaced font.


Sample Newsletter article

(this was a real article sent in by a manager).

Zimbabwe Press Release - October 8th

Zimbabwe coach, Andy Malcolm, finally broke his silence on the teams awful showing against the Pakistan side today after days of talks and discussions with the players. Motivation has been the key word after the side showed a distinct lack of interest in the slaughtering at the hands of Pakistan.

"We deserved to lose," said Malcolm, "We showed no spirit, no fight,
no ambition. And that game meant a lot to me."

Malcolm was talking about the fact that Pakistan were managed by Samuel Newman, a bitter rival of Malcolm's from university.

"He out-fought us, out-played us, out-planned us. Just beat us up in every phase of the game." was Malcolm's comments on Newman. "But we'll be back, this team has potential, and I feel by no means are we the worst team in the league, just take a look at the West Indies. My tip for the title is Pakistan or Australia. Pakistan look formidable."

When asked to comment on any individuals, Malcolm said "Brandes showed he can bowl a bit, and we had them in a hole at 88-3 and 168-4 in the first innings, but Inzamam is something else. I've never seen anything quite like that. But, our batting stunk up the place. In fact, they are going to have to close Karachi stadium down for a few years to defumigate the place."

Zimbabwe return home for week 2 to face England, in what promises to be an interesting match up.

End of Press Release.

Hints

Try to go for a balanced squad.  Allow for the chance of injuries.

Do not have too many superb players.  If they get injured for a while you could have a problem.

Do not have too many all rounders as they use a lot of points.

Do not neglect fielding.  It is a vital skill in the game.  A poor fielding team will not only drop catches but will also concede more runs.  A good fielding side will catch more chances and also stop more scoring shots.

Do not have a superb bowling attack but a poor fielding side, better to have a good bowling attack and good fielding side.

If you have a strike bowler bowl him aggressively.  He may concede runs but he will open the bowling every day and take the new ball so stands the best chance of taking wickets.