Bassetlaw and District Cricket League Official Handbook 2013

48 Any player under the age of 18 shall be bound by the ECB Directives (the full directives can be found under Appendices 1-4). Age Groups are based on the age of the player at midnight on 31st August in the year preceding the current season. (iii) Umpires (or Captains where no Umpires’ are present) and any individual taking responsibility for players are requested to ensure that Rules 3.1.1, 3.1.2, 3.1.3 and 3.1.4 are strictly adhered to in all circumstances. 3.1.1 ECB FAST BOWLING DIRECTIVES (i) The ECB Fast Bowling Directives are as follows and apply for the full season: Date of Birth School Year 2012/2013 Age Max Overs per Spell Max Overs per Day From: To: 1 Sep 1999 31 Aug 2000 8 U13 5 10 1 Sep 1997 31 Aug 1999 9 or 10 U15 6 12 1 Sep 1993 31 Aug 1997 11, 12, 13 or FE U19 7 18 Having completed a spell the bowler cannot bowl again, from either end, until the equivalent number of overs to the length of their spell having been bowled from the same end. For the purpose 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. (ii) In matches of 20 overs or less per team where the competition regulations only allow bowlers to bowl less than or equal to the number of overs specified as the maximum in a spell in the Directives and provisions requiring an equivalent number of overs from the same end to have elapsed before a subsequent spell can now commence shall not apply (e.g. in any competition where a maximum of 4 overs per bowler is allowed these may be bowled at any time in the innings irrespective of the number of spells bowled). 3.1.2 JUNIOR FIELDING RESTRICTIONS (i) 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. A fielder shall be allowed to move into the restricted area to make a catch or field the ball provided that they were outside the area when the stroke was made. (ii) For players in the Under 13 age group the distance is 11 yards (10 metres). (iii) These minimum distances apply even if the player is wearing a helmet. (iv) Should a young player in these age groups come within the restricted distance the Umpire (or Captains where no Umpires’ are present) must stop the game immediately and instruct the fielder to move back.