Safety, Fast Bowling Regations & Colts Playing in Adult Matches

Safety during coaching sessions and matches is paramount. We ask all parents to ensure their children have with them the necessary protective equipment. We use soft balls (e.g. tennis balls, incrediballs, etc.) for coaching the younger Colts.  In the older age groups both soft and hard balls will be used and net sessions involve the use of standard cricket balls.  To play in any hard ball match or to take part in training involving hard balls all Colts must have the following:

• Batting Gloves
• Sturdy trainers with a good grip (cricket spikes are useful but not essential)
• Cricket Helmet
• Batting Pads
• Leg guards if keeping wicket (wicket or batting pads)

Coach to Junior ratios


The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issues the following guidance which the Club follows

Group coaching                   1   coach to 24 juniors 

Hard ball coaching               1   coach to 16 juniors

Net coaching                          1   coach to 8 juniors                                                 

(Net coaching can only be undertaken by coaches who hold the appropiate ECB qualification)

Please note that our nets cannot be used by anyone wearing spikes. Those Colts who use cricket spikes should therefore bring trainers within them for all matches and training sessions to avoid being barred from the nets.

For matches using incrediballs all Colts will need:-

• Abdominal protector (“box”) plus briefs or jock-strap;
• Batting Gloves

The club does have a small number of helmets, pads and gloves available to loan should you need them for a short term loan.

Helmets

The ECB provides the following safety guidance on the wearing of cricket helmets by young players

• helmets with a faceguard or grille should be worn when batting against a hard cricket ball in matches and in practice sessions
• young players should regard a helmet with a faceguard as a normal item of protective equipment when batting, together with pads, gloves and, for boys, an abdominal protector (box)
• young wicket-keepers should wear a helmet with a faceguard when standing up to the stumps:

There is a British standard (BS7928:1998) for cricket helmets and it is in the best interests of players to ensure that their helmet conforms to this standard.

Any young player who has not reached their 18th birthday must wear a helmet with a faceguard when batting and when standing up to the stumps when keeping wicket in all matches – youth and senior.  Umpires, coaches and managers can refuse to coach or allow players to play in matches if they do not wear a helmet - parents cannot override this requirement.

Fielding

The ECB has also extended the existing regulations covering the minimum fielding distances for young players in all matches where a hard ball is used.

• No young player in the Under 15 age group or younger shall be allowed to field closer than 8 yards (7.3 metres) from the middle stump, except behind the wicket on the off side, until the batsman has played at the ball; For players in the Under 13 age group and below the distance is 11 yards (10 metres).

These minimum distances apply even if the player is wearing a helmet;

• Any young player in these age groups come within the restricted distance the umpire must stop the game immediately and instruct the fielder to move back;

• Any young player in the Under 16 to Under 18 age groups, who has not reached the age of 18, must wear a helmet and, for boys, an abdominal protector (box) when fielding within 6 yards (5.5 metres) of the bat, except behind the wicket on the off side. Players should wear appropriate protective equipment whenever they are fielding in a position where they feel at risk.

These fielding regulations are applicable to all cricket in England and Wales.

Fast Bowling Regulations

The Fast Bowling Directives are designed to raise awareness of the need to nurture and protect our young fast bowlers through their formative years, and have been welcomed by a significant number of coaches and managers.

Statistics clearly show that fast bowlers regularly win International matches, and if England are to achieve the vision of becoming the most successful and respected cricket nation, every effort must be taken to produce bowlers to reach the goal.

The regulations for the number of overs to be bowled by a pace bowler in a spell and in a day (regardless of how many matches are played) are as follows:-

• Up to Age 13.       Maximum of 5 overs per spell, maximum of 10 overs per day (regardless of how many matches played)

• Ages U14/15.          Maximum of 6 overs per spell, maximum of 12 overs per day (regardless of how many matches played)

• Ages U16 to U19.    Maximum of 7 overs per spell, maximum of 18 overs per day (regardless of how many matches played)

For the purposes of these Directives a fast bowler is defined as a bowler to whom a wicket keeper in the same age group would in normal circumstances stand back to take the ball.

Having completed a spell the bowler cannot bowl again, from either end, until the equivalent number of overs to the length of his spell have been bowled from the same end

A bowler can change ends without ending his current spell provided that he bowls the next over that he legally can from the other end. If this does not happen his spell is deemed to be concluded

If play is interrupted, for any reason, for less than 40 minutes, any spell in progress at the time of the interruption can be continued after the interruption up to the maximum number of over’s per spell for the appropriate age group. If the spell is not continued after the interruption the bowler cannot bowl again, from either end, until the equivalent number of over’s to the length of his spell before the interruption have been bowled from the same end. If the interruption is for more than 40 minutes, whether this is scheduled or otherwise, the bowler can commence with a new spell immediately.

Once a bowler covered by these Directives has bowled in a match he cannot exceed the maximum number of over’s per day for his age group even if he subsequently bowls spin. A bowler can exceed the maximum over’s per spell if bowling spin, but cannot then revert to bowling fast until an equivalent number of over’s to the length of his spell have been bowled from the same end. If he bowls spin without exceeding the maximum number of over’s in a spell the maximum will apply as soon as he reverts to bowling fast.

It is incumbent on players or parents to ensure that the manager, captain and umpire of the match is aware of any overs you/your child have already bowled on that day. Players who exceed these Directives will be exposed to higher risk of injury. 

Colts Playing in Adult Matches

All clubs have a duty of care towards all young players who are representing the club. This duty of care also extends to Leagues that allow the participation of young players in adult teams in their League. The duty of care should be interpreted in two ways:

• Not to place a young player in a position that involves an unreasonable risk to that young player, taking account of the circumstances of the match and the relative skills of the player.

• Not to create a situation that places members of the opposing side in a position whereby they cannot play cricket as they would normally do against adult players.

The umpires and the opposing captain must be notified of the age group of all players participating in an adult match who are 18 or under even if the player is not a fast bowler. This requirement also covers any young player taking the field as a substitute fielder. The ECB Team Sheet cards are freely available to facilitate this.

Children under the age of 11 are not able to play in senior games.  Any player in the Under 12 and 13 age group must have explicit written consent from a parent or guardian before participating in adult matches. The guidance related to changing and showering (see ‘Safe Hands’ – Cricket’s Policy for Safeguarding Children) must be adhered to.

Clubs and Leagues can apply more strict restrictions on the participation of young players in adult matches at their discretion. It is strongly recommended that a parent, guardian or other identified responsible adult is present whenever a player in the Under 13 age group or younger plays in an adult match. This could include the captain or other identified adult player taking responsibility for the young player.

Fives and Heronians Cricket Cricket Club abides by ECB rules regarding Colts playing adult cricket and it is generally unlikely that any Colt under the age of 13 will play adult cricket.