Index






Fielding regulations


As part of a campaign to make cricket as safe as possible for all players, the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) set limits on how close to the bat junior players under the age of 19 are permitted to field

Before a match starts, umpires in recreational cricket in England and Wales will require captains to indicate on their team sheet the age group to which their young players belong (determined, for those under 19 at the time, by their age on 31st August of the previous season) and who were aged under 18 on the day of the match itself. Fielding regulations apply to those aged under 18 on the day of the match and to those in the under 15 age group or younger

Once the match is in progress the umpires will warn the captain if he is about to break the relevant limit set in the ECB's regulations and not allow play to continue until the situation is rectified. There are also ECB Directives for young players in respect of fast bowling and helmets to be worn by batters and wicket-keepers.