In February 2000 the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) issued
safety guidance on the wearing of helmets by young players up to
the age of 18. This original guidance document can be found at
www.play-cricket.com/helmets. In brief, the guidance recommends that:
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).

The original guidance allowed parents or guardians to give their written
consent to allow a young player not to wear a helmet. However most
clubs, schools and leagues have decided not to accept this parental
consent and require all young players to wear a helmet in all junior
matches. If a club or school does agree, in exceptional circumstances*,
that a young player need not wear a helmet they must ensure that an
ECB Team Card is completed and given to the umpires before the start
of play whenever the young player takes part in a junior match.

At the beginning of 2007 the ECB clarified the guidance relating to
young players in adult matches and confirmed that all young players
who have not reached their 18th birthday must wear a helmet with a
faceguard when batting and when standing up to the stumps when
keeping wicket in adult matches. Parental consent not to wear a
helmet should not be accepted in adult cricket.

This guidance applies to all players up to the age of 18, both
in adult 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 that this guidance
is followed at all times.

helmets with a faceguard or grille should be worn when batting
against a hard cricket ball in matches and in practice sessions
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)
young wicket-keepers should wear a helmet with a faceguard
when standing up to the stumps.

* Additional guidance on what constitutes 'exceptional circumstances' can be obtained from the ECB Cricket Department.

2.1

Young fast bowlers are limited in the number of overs they can bowl as set out below:

2.2

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.

2.3

Having completed a spell the bowler cannot bowl again until the equivalent number of overs to the length of his spell have been bowled from the same end.

2.4

Once a bowler covered by this directive has bowled he cannot exceed the maximum number of overs for the day even if he subsequently bowls spin. He can exceed the maximum number of 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.

2.5

For definition of age group see 3.4

3.0

3.1

No player in the under-15 age group or younger shall be allowed to field closer than 8 yards from the middle stump except behind the wicket on the off side until the batsman has played at the ball.

3.2

For players in the under-13 age group and below the distance is 11 yards.

3.3

Any player in the under-16 to under-18 age groups who has not reached the age of 18 must wear a helmet and an abdominal protector (box) when fielding within six yards of the bat except behind the wicket on the off side

4.0