• Making the step up from junior to open age group cricket is a significant event in any player’s cricket experience. Ensure the player’s safety, personal development needs and overall cricket experience are considered.

• Clubs, squad coaches and managers must take into account the requirements on age detailed in this guidance.

• Each case is to be determined on an individual basis, depending on the player’s ability and stage of cognitive and emotional maturity to take part at this level – however, the minimum age guidance provided below must be adhered to.

• Juniors should be involved in all aspects of the game wherever possible (i.e. socialising, team talks, practice, decision making and so on), so they feel part of the team.

• Children will often feel more comfortable and able to perform if they have a family member or friend also playing in the side.

• Remember, children’s early experiences will remain with them always and will often determine whether they want to remain playing the game or give up and do something else.

• Provide an opportunity for players to show their talents in an appropriate way. Children who are just used as fielders will not fully experience the game.

• Be supportive, at all times, for all forms of effort even when children are not successful. Try and put them in situations where they will experience some success (however small) and ensure plenty of praise and encouragement.

• The captain should inform the Umpires of under 18s in the side.

Restrictions
ECB Helmets, Fast Bowling Directives and Fielding Regulations should always be adhered to for junior players in Open age group cricket.

Minimum age
Players who are selected in a County U12 squad in spring for a summer squad or in another squad deemed by ECB Performance Managers to be of a standard above ‘district level’ for that season are eligible to play open age cricket.
This is providing they are at least 11 years old, are in School Year 7 on 1st September in the year preceding the season, and have written parental consent to play. In allowing these players to play in open age cricket it is essential clubs and coaches recognise the ‘duty of care’ obligations they have towards these young players.
This means boys and girls who are county squad and area squad players, are able to play open age group cricket if they are in an U12 age group and are a minimum of 11 years old on 1st September of the year preceding the season.
District and club players who are not in a county or area squad must wait until they reach the U13 age group, be in Year 8 and be 12 years old on 1st September of the preceding year before being able to play in any open age group cricket. As before written parental consent is required for these players.

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.

In addition, the guidelines note the need for clubs and leagues to recognise the positive experience young players should have in open age cricket. Clubs should provide an opportunity for players to show their talents in an appropriate way.

ECB FAST BOWLING DIRECTIVES
Injury prevention for fast bowlers

These Directives apply to girls and boys, and any reference to he/his should be interpreted to include she/her.
For the purpose of these Directives, a fast bowler should be defined as a bowler to whom a wicket keeper in the same age group would, in normal circumstances, stand back to take the ball.
All coaches are urged to identify those players with the potential to bowl fast and to ensure they follow the Directives in all cricket throughout the season.

There are four main areas to be aware of when assessing injury risk to fast bowlers:
1. Over bowling
2. Technique
3. Physical Preparation
4. Equipment

1. Over bowling
This is an important consideration especially for young bowlers whose bodies are not fully developed. Recent studies have revealed that overbowling is a common cause of back injuries. Evidence suggests that much of the damage occurs early in the playing career, especially during growth spurts, though the effects do not often show themselves until the late teens. The more talented and more physically mature youngsters are generally most at risk, as they tend to play at more than one age group level.
To ensure that young fast bowlers do not place undue stress on their bodies, every attempt must be made to keep the amount of bowling within reasonable limits. The following Directives provide sensible playing and training levels.

Directives for matches:
Up to 13 - Max 5 overs per spell and 10 overs per day
U14, U15 - Max 6 overs per spell and 12 overs per day
U16, U17 - Max 7 overs per spell and 18 overs per day
U18, U19 - Max 7 overs per spell and 18 overs per day
Directives for practice sessions:
Up to 13 - Max 30 balls per session and 2 sessions per week
U14, U15 - Max 36 balls per session and 2 sessions per week
U16, U17 - Max 36 balls per session and 3 sessions per week
U18, U19 - Max 42 balls per session and 3 sessions per week

For guidance, it is recommended that in any seven day period a fast bowler should not bowl more than four days in that period and for a maximum of two days in a row.
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 he bowls the next over 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 overs 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 overs to the length of his spell before the interruption have been bowled from the same end. If the interruption is of 40 minutes or more, whether scheduled or not, the bowler can commence a new spell immediately.
Once a bowler covered by these Directives has bowled in a match he cannot exceed the maximum number of overs per day for his age group even if he subsequently bowls spin. He can exceed the maximum overs per spell if bowling spin, but cannot then revert to bowling fast until an equivalent number of overs to the length of his spell have been bowled from the same end. If he bowls spin without exceeding the maximum number of overs in a spell the maximum will apply as soon as he reverts to bowling fast.

Nets

Outdoor:
The emphasis on all nets should be quality rather than quantity. These Directives will encourage young fast bowlers to focus their efforts on shorter, more intensive spells. Consequently young fast bowlers should be made aware of the importance of warming up and warming down as part of their preparation.

Indoor:
In the period between the end of the cricket season and Christmas, indoor practice for fast bowlers should be kept to an ABSOLUTE MINIMUM. The following highlights the risk of playing/practising on hard surfaces such as solid concrete and shows how these forces can be reduced by using appropriate mats or indeed by practising on grass. Concrete offers 0% force absorption whereas grass can offer up to 75%. The 34% offered by natural turf was measured at Trent Bridge on a rock hard Test Match pitch. These figures have major implications for limiting indoor work in the winter, particularly for seamers, and for ensuring that length and intensity of sessions are considered when working on the harder surfaces.

Force absorption and surfaces:
Concrete - 0% force reduction
Uniturf on concrete - 7% force reduction
Uniturf + mat - 15% force reduction
Uniturf + 2 mats - 31% force reduction
Natural turf - 34% force reduction
Synthetic + underlay - 49% force reduction

2. Technique
It is crucial that bowlers are encouraged to adopt a safe action early in their development. Bowlers should either have a SIDE-ON, a FRONT-ON or a ‘MIDWAY/NEUTRAL’ action, but SHOULD NEVER MIX THE ACTIONS. The mixed actions (of which there are two main types) are a major cause of back injuries, because they cause an unnecessary spinal twist. Excessive hyperextension of the back during the delivery stride is also a contributing factor.
For further clarification of mixed actions consult the ‘ECB Coaches Manual’ or an appropriately qualified cricket coach.

3. Physical Preparation
A well-structured, cricket specific training programme is essential to develop, and maintain, the strength, endurance and flexibility required for fast bowling. It is one of the most injury-liable non-contact activities in sport and the need for the fast bowlers to be amongst the fittest and best prepared players in the team cannot be over emphasised. Bowlers should WARM UP and STRETCH thoroughly before bowling and training, and should WARM DOWN and STRETCH afterwards. A good warm up helps to encourage a more professional approach, helps team spirit and can actually improve performance. It also helps to reduce the chance of an injury occurring.

4. Equipment
Impact forces of up to eight times body weight can be experienced during the delivery stride. Without the appropriate footwear, these forces must be absorbed by the feet, ankles, knees and lower back of the bowler. It is therefore essential that bowlers minimise these effects by absorbing them with the use of efficient, well-fitting, cushioned boots or shoes and if required, absorbent insoles. The use of running shoes, basketball-type boots or good cross trainers is also essential as they are designed to cope with the types of forces experienced when bowling on hard surfaces.

ECB FIELDING REGULATIONS

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.
Should a 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.
In addition, 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.

ECB GUIDANCE ON THE WEARING OF CRICKET HELMETS BY YOUNG PLAYERS

Since 2000 the ECB has issued safety guidance on the wearing of helmets by young players up to the age of 18.
This guidance applies to all players up to the age of 18, both in open age group cricket and in all junior cricket played with a hard cricket ball. The guidance also applies during all practice sessions. Any individual taking responsibility for players should take all reasonable steps to ensure this guidance is followed at all times.
With the assistance of schools, cricket clubs and leagues, the wearing of helmets by young players is now standard practice in cricket throughout England and Wales. Helmets are widely available and are covered by a British Standard (BS7928:1998). A face protector represents an alternative head protection system for young wicket keepers. Face protectors are, at the time of publication of this guidance, a relatively new innovation. Wicketkeeper face protectors are covered by a new British Standard (BS7929 – 2 :2009).
Helmets with a faceguard or grille should be worn when batting against a hard cricket ball in matches and in practice sessions. Wicket keepers should wear a helmet with a faceguard, or a wicketkeeper face protector, when standing up to the stumps. All 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). All young wicketkeepers should regard a helmet with a faceguard or a face protector as a normal part of their protective equipment together with pads, gloves and, for boys, an abdominal protector (box).
The original guidance allowed parents, or guardians, to give their written consent to allow a young player not to wear a helmet. However now such parental consent should not be accepted in any form of cricket: young players are not allowed to bat or stand up to the stumps when keeping wicket against a hard ball without wearing appropriate protection.