The Club takes player safety very seriously both in matches and during practice. We follow England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and league guidelines. Helmets are made available by the club for all matches in which junior players take part. We have appropriate insurance cover in place.
To protect players and the club, the committee has resolved that the following safety rules will apply to all matches.
1. Umpires are responsible for administering the Laws of Cricket and the regulations of the particular competition in which they are standing. Umpires should not permit any young player to bat or to stand up to the stumps when keeping wicket unless he is wearing a helmet with a faceguard. Umpires should also ensure that young players do not infringe the fielding regulations issued by the ECB as set out in 6 to 8 below.
2. Captains and junior team organisers also have a responsibility, particularly in matches where there are no official umpires, and should intervene in appropriate cases, especially where it is not obvious that the players under 18.
3. The age limit applies as at the date of the match being played.
4. All batsmen under the age of 18 are required to bat in a helmet with a faceguard.
5. All wicketkeepers under the age of 18 are required to wear a helmet with a faceguard when standing up to the stumps.
6. No player under the age of 13 may field within 11 yards of the batsman's middle stump except behind the wicket on the off side.
7. No player under the age of 15 may field within 8 yards of the batsman's middle stump except behind the wicket on the off side.
8. Any player over 15 but under 18 must wear a helmet with a faceguard and a box when fielding within 6 yards of the bat, regardless of the fielding position.
The ECB directive says that these requirements may be waived by prior written consent from the parent or guardian of a player. We do not encourage parents to provide a waiver. The SWCA has issued a revised ruling received by us on 03/05/03 that they have received legal advice that parental waivers should not be treated as valid. Accordingly, captains and umpires are instructed that in all SWCA matches batsmen who fail to comply with para 4 above must not be allowed to bat. The other rules must be strictly applied.
The ECB has also issued a directive to protect young players from injury through excessive bowling. We apply these rules to all matches, whether junior or adult:-
1. U13 fast bowlers may not bowl spells of more than 4 successive overs and cannot bowl more than 8 overs altogether. There must be a break of 8 overs between spells.
2. U15 fast bowlers may not bowl spells of more than 5 successive overs and cannot bowl more than 10 overs altogether. There must be a break of 10 overs between spells.
3. U17 fast bowlers may not bowl spells of more than 6 successive overs and cannot bowl more than 18 overs altogether. There must be a break of 12 overs between spells.
4. U19 fast bowlers may not bowl spells of more than 7 successive overs and cannot bowl more than 21 overs altogether. There must be a break of 14 overs between spells.
More about these rules and directives can be found on the ECB website.