Junior Rules
JUNIOR SECTION – GENERAL RULES
Updated April 2022
Meetings:
An Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Section shall be held not later than 31st December each year, when a statement of accounts, duly audited, shall be presented.
A President, Chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Assistant Results Secretary, Assistant Fixtures Secretary, Safeguarding Officer and Deputy, Registration Secretary, Communications Officer and Womens & Girls Officer shall be elected, and any other business transacted as may be appropriate to an AGM. The President, Chairman and Vice Chairman shall serve a maximum term of 3 years, unless re-elected. Any nomination(s) for any position on the Executive Committee to be made known at the meeting prior to the AGM.
Eleven clubs shall form a quorum. Officers may only be elected from the representatives of the member clubs of the competition.
Notices of motion must reach the Secretary not later than the 1st September. Clubs will be given 14 days notice of meetings and will receive an agenda and previous minutes by email. Clubs not represented at Committee Meetings will be fined £10 for missing the meeting. The fine will double for each subsequent meeting missed, eg £20 for the second meeting, £40 for the third and so on. Any club missing 3 consecutive meetings will be sanctioned as felt appropriate by the Executive.
Junior Competitions:
The Junior Section will run competitions at U9, U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15 and U17 each year, depending on there being sufficient entries to run a competition at each age group.
Plate competitions will also be run in age groups were there are sufficient entries and will aim to be regionalised, again if there are sufficient entries.
Clubs who are not members of the Palace Shield Senior Competition will be allowed to enter team(s) into the competition given that the club receives at least 75% of the available votes at the Annual General Meeting. These clubs will require to be re elected at each subsequent AGM, where they will require at least 50% of the available votes, in order to enter team(s) the following year.
Clubs will be allowed to enter more than one team into an age group under special registration procedures.
At least 8 players must be nominated on the registration sheet as being A team players only (applies to U13, U14, U15 and U17 age groups only). For the U12, U11 and U10 age groups, 7 players need to be nominated as A team players. This means that any player that is not one of the nominated players can play in an A team game and still play in the B team. If a club has more than 2 teams in any age group, the same principle applies to all lower teams. In the U9s softball festivals there is no requirement to nominate players.
Online Registration of Players:
Clubs must register players online (using the Palace Shield Website).
Each player must provide evidence of their date of birth to their club. The League Junior Registration Secretary may as part of an audit request a copy of a players birth certificate.
No player shall play for any club unless he has been registered for that club (with his consent) by the Registration Secretary at least 3 days before a match.
No player who has played for one club in the Junior Section in any season may play for any other club. An application for relaxation of this rule may be made in writing to the Secretary whose decision shall be final. No player may be registered after 30th June in each year without the executie approval.
Any team playing an overage, incorrectly registered or non – registered player in any game, will be considered to have lost the game and, in the case of a league match, shall have 4 points deducted from their existing total. This will not apply where the league has given dispensation for 1 or more player to play below their real age group.
Junior Teams and Entry Fees:
Team entries must be notified to the Secretary by the date agreed at the AGM (Normally 14th February).
Clubs will be invoiced for entries as declared.
Competing clubs will pay an annual subscription of £50 for the entry of one team and £25 for each subsequent team.
The end of the financial year will be 31st October.
Should a team withdraw one or more teams after the entry deadline, then the entry fee is still to be paid.
Fees to be paid by the 31st July each year.
Any club that has not paid their entry fees by the deadline date (31 July), will incur a £10 fine and will be fined a further £5 for every week thereafter, until they have been paid.
Cancellation of Fixtures and rearranging fixtures:
At the start of the season - Fixtures must be arranged by 1st April and submitted to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on the template provided.
Fixtures can only be cancelled due to weather or clashes with Inter League games. Should any match not be played, the Secretary must be informed as to the reason for the postponement and any new date for the fixture.
Once the Fixture list has been confirmed on April 1st, Each Club may have 3 rearrangements for other reasons than above). After Three games, clubs may apply to move games but at a penalty of three points per game.
Rained off fixtures: The home side to notify the Fixture / Results Secretary AND the Secretary if the game has been postponed and the reason – by email, within 24 hours of the scheduled fixture. The fixture must be rearranged within 7 days and the revised date must be notified to BOTH the Fixture / Results Secretary and Secretary.
Only 2 fixtures can be rearranged and played in the last week of any age group.
Scorers and Umpires:
Each team must have a competent scorer for all matches, who must not perform the duty of umpire at the same time. Appointed scorers must sit close to each other as well as the scoreboard, whilst performing the task.
Each club will provide an umpire for all games prior to any semi finals.
The league to provide umpires for all semi-finals and finals whenever possible. The league will pay the umpires fees in all semi finals and finals where panel umpires are standing.
In all league and cup games, umpires will not be allowed to captain or coach players during the game, except in the Under 9s, Under 10s and Under 11 competitions.
Umpires in all junior games MUST wear a white umpires coat, or, in warm weather, a white shirt or white cricket jumper.
Use of sightscreens:
For Health and Safety purposes and to prevent insurance problems should any player be injured, in all games played using a hardball, adequate sightscreens must be used.
Any club found guilty of not providing suitable sight screens will be deemed to have forfeited the game. The away side will be awarded the game and maximum points, with the offending home team having an additional 5 point deduction applied.
Team sheets: Team managers to exchange team sheets prior to the game. The team sheet to show each players full name as registered on the play cricket website. This will assist both scorers and the completion of the online scorecards. Must also include the umpires names for in putting onto the system. Any infringements must be reported by email to the executive.
Penalties will be implemented (suspended for the two occasions) and on the third infringement 3 points will be deducted followed by a 2 point deduction for every further infringement.
The game: Evening games shall start no later than 6.30pm. Sunday morning fixtures shall commence no later than 10am.
If one team, having a minimum of seven players, not be ready to start at the designated time, but their opponents be ready, then the team failing to be ready shall forfeit the toss, and their opponents shall have the choice of batting or fielding first.
All league games are 20 overs per side maximum. This can be reduced by agreement of both team managers, especially early season where light can be an issue.
Balls and Clothing
Pink Cricket Balls shall be used for Palace Shield Junior Games. (Old Red Stock may be used with the agreement of both coaches and players should wear suitable clothing.)
Teams shall wear uniforms in the same colour.
Time Outs:
Two time outs per innings (one per team) shall be permitted. Any time outs taken, to last no more than two minutes, to be taken at the fall of a wicket, or when a batsman has retired.
Points and bonus points: (see each individual age group rules for details).
Maximum points in any game is 10 points to the winning team (7 points In Pairs Cricket)
In all competition, the team scoring the most runs in the completed innings, or within the overs, shall be the winners.
Following the completion of the league fixtures, should two or more teams finish on equal points, positions will be decided by the side having the greater number of wins, being placed the higher.
If this is the same, the team winning the head to head game will be placed the higher, if a tie or no result, teams will then be decided by average net run difference (U10s,U11s and U12s plate) and average runs per wicket (U12s main comp, U13s, U14s, U15s and U17s).
DLS will apply (GL200) in any non-pairs Play-Off Matches with a Minimum Game of 10 Overs.
In Knockout/Finals, a Super Over will be used as per Rule 8 of the ECB Generic 20 Over playing Conditions - found here - https://resources.ecb.co.uk/ecb/document/2020/03/16/a674cded-13c4-40d1-8717-4a9af0c3d2f8/2020-Generic-20-Over-Playing-Conditions.pdf
Entering Result and scorecard:
The HOME TEAM is responsible for entering the result of the game on the website and must enter a full scorecard as well. Scorecards are required for ALL age groups. The result to be recorded by 10pm the day after the game was played. A full scorecard must be on the website within 72 hours of the game having been played; any HOME club that fails to do so to be fined £10 for each missing / late result or scorecard.
In the event of a tied game, it is the home teams responsibility to enter the result and scorecard.
When unable to enter a player on a scorecard - Clubs should write players name into the Highlights Box, eg Team #4 - M MyersThis will allow the results team to quickly identify missing players and chase these up.
Artificial Pitches
Artificial pitches will be allowed in league matches played in all age groups. The visiting team must be informed in advance if alternative footwear is required, due to the use of an artificial pitch. Artificial pitches will not be acceptable for semi-finals or finals, in any age group unless both sides agree to play on an artificial wicket.
Boundaries:
For all matches the minimum boundary size of the ground shall be 35 yards from the batsman on strike, the exception being where the natural boundary of the ground is less than this. Should part of the outfield be unfit for play, that part of the ground may be roped off to enable the game to take place. In these circumstances, the minimum boundary size does not apply (for that part of the ground only).
Fielding Circles:
In the Under 15 and Under 17 Competition, a 30 Yard Fielding Circle must be used. At the point of delivery, 5 fielders (in addition to the Bowler and Wicket Keeper) must be inside the circle, else a No Ball is called.
In all games with fielding circles. Innings must be completed in 1 hour 30 minuites. If the innings has not been completed by this point, an extra fielder must be inside the circle for the remaining of the innings.
Player becomes injured during the game:
If a bowler be incapacitated or cease to bowl for any legitimate reason acceptable to the Umpires, then that over in progress shall be completed by a bowler other than he / she who bowled the previous over, other than he / she who is to bowl the next over, or other than one who has completed their allocation.
If a reserve player is eligible and available, he /she may replace the injured player and play a full part in the game (being allowed to bat and bowl).
Fielding regulations:
The NCA regulations regarding the safety of batsmen and fielders applies to all matches.
Fielders under the age of 13 shall not field within 11 yards of the bat, unless behind the wicket on the off side.
Fielders under the age of 15 shall not field within 8 yards of the bat, unless behind the wicket on the off side.
Wearing of helmets:
All players must wear helmets whilst batting or when wicketkeeping and standing up to the wicket.
In addition, any 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, a box when fielding within 6 yards of the bat, except behind the wicket on the off side.
Fast bowling directives:
ECB fast bowling directives will apply in all matches (revised details from 2010)
Upto age 13 max 5 overs spell max 10 overs per day
U14 and U15 max 6 overs spell max 12 overs per day
U16 and U17 max 7 overs spell max 18 overs per day
U18 and U19 max 7 overs spell max 18 overs per day
For the purpose of these Directives a fast bowler should be defined as a bowler whom a wicketkeeper 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 their spell have been bowled from the same end. A bowler can change ends without without ending their current spell provided they bowl the next over that they legally can from the other end. If this does not happen, the spell is deemed to be concluded.
A bowler can exceed the maximum overs per spell, only if bowling spin. The bowler cannot revert to bowling fast, until an equivalent number of overs to the length of his spell have been bowled from the same end. Captains, Team Managers and Umpires are asked to ensure that these Directives are followed at all times.
AGE GROUPS ARE BASED ON THE AGE OF A PLAYER AT MIDNIGHT ON 31st AUGUST, IN THE YEAR PRECEDING THE CURRENT SEASON.
The Competition format and dates will be decided at each AGM depending on the number of entries to the competition.
Trophies will be awarded as follows:
Under 17 Competition Winners Rose Trophy
Under 17 Competition Runners Up Courtaulds Trophy
Under 15 Competition Winners Tom Jenkins Trophy
Under 15 Competition Runners Up Jim Gledhill Trophy
U15 Plate Winners Frank Henry Trophy
U15 Plate Runners Up Trevor Wilde Trophy
U14 Competition Winners Dave Walker Trophy
U14 Competition Runners Up Dorothy Poxon Trophy
Under 13 Competition Winners Dutton Forshaw Trophy
Under 13 Competition Runners Up Fred H.Alty Cup
U13 Plate Winners Tom Haworth Trophy
U13 Plate Runners Up Colin Dawber Trophy
U12 Competition Winners Graham Lawton Trophy
U12 Competition Runners Up Roger Harrison Trophy
U12 Plate Winners Bob Ward Trophy
U12 Plate Runners Up Ken Hicken Trophy
Under 11 Competition Winners Tony Poxon Trophy
Under 11 Competition Runners Up The Highfield Trophy
U11 Plate Winners Terry Wilson Trophy
U11 Plate Runners Up Harry and Rita Williams Trophy
Under 10 Competition Winners (hardball) Brian Gill Trophy
Under 10 Competition Runners Up (hardball) John Sharp Trophy
U10 Competition Winners (softball) Dave Lever Trophy
U10 Competition Runners Up (softball) Bruce Turner Trophy
Under 9s 6 a side Winners Albert Child Trophy
Under 9s 6 a side Runners Up Clive Henderson Trophy
Junior Fair Play Award Warton CC Trophy
Junior Player of the Year David Crabtree Trophy
Clubs to return main trophies won the previous season (winners and runners up) by the 1st April each year. Trophies to be returned engraved. Any club not returning one or more trophies by the 1st April, to be fined £5 per week until returned. Trophies to be returned engraved. If not engraved, the league will arrange for it to be done and the club will be invoiced for the cost of the engraving.
Contact Details
Clubs must keep their Officials section of Play Cricket Upto Date as this will be the means of communication from the league to clubs. The League are unable to update clubs information.
For any administrative matters not covered by the following rules then the Palace Shield Senior Rules will apply. N.B this would cover matters such as voting at the AGM
