ECB directives for junior players in open age cricket

The following ECB regulations relating to junior players must be applied in all matches

Helmets (Batting & Wicket Keeping)

• All players under the age of 18 years old MUST wear an approved helmet, fitted with a protective grill, when batting in any game or during practice with a hard ball. A helmet must also be worn when wicket-keeping if standing up to the stumps and also when acting as a 'runner'.
• It is the reponsibility of team captains and managers to ensure these regulation is adhered to.
• Umpires should obtain an assurance from the player and captain if they have any doubts about the age of a player. The helmet requirement ceases upon a player's 18th birthday.
• Parental consent not to wear a helmet will NOT be accepted in any matches.

Fielding

The following fielding restrictions will apply in all games. Captains are required to ensure the restrictions are not infringed and Umpires are required to stop the game until all junior players are suitably positioned.

a. Under 13-years. (as at 31 August)
Players under the age of 13 cannot field closer than 11 yards from the middle stump except behind the wicket on the off side.

b. Under 15 years. (as at 31 August)
Players aged over 13 but under 15 cannot field closer than 8 yards from the middle stump except behind the wicket on the off side.

c. Under 18 years. (as at 31 August)
Players aged over 15 but under 18 should wear a helmet when fielding within 6 yards of the bat, except behind the wicket on the off side.

ECB fast bowling directives (as revised 2010)

Captains are required to ensure that there is no infringement of the current bowling restrictions relating to the number of overs bowled by juniors. The following restrictions relate to fast bowlers who are defined as a bowler to whom a wicket keeper in the same age group would, in normal circumstances, stand back to take the ball. There are no restrictions relating to slow bowlers but captains have a duty to ensure such bowlers are not over bowled.

Notes:

• A 'fast' bowler cannot switch to 'slow' within a game in order to bowl extra overs.
• The umpires are deemed to be the sole judges of whether a player is regarded as a fast bowler. Their decision within the context of the game shall be final.
   

Junior players in adult matches ECB guidelines

Under the new ECB ruling which will operating from 2010, any player in year 7 or below (under 12 at 31st Aug.) cannot play open age cricket with or without explicit written consent. Players in year 8 (under 13 at 31st August) are allowed to play in adult cricket providing an 'Explicit Written Consent' is obtained prior to play. It is the club's responsibilty to obtain this consent.