Minimum Age for Open Age Cricket

Q:

What is the minimum age requirement for a young person to play in Open Age Cricket?

A:

The minimum age for Open Age cricket is the U 13 age group. Players must be in Year 8, and 12 years old on the 1st September of the preceding year.
This applies to all club and district players who are not in a county or area squad (or region in Wales) . Written parental consent is required.

Exception:

Exceptionally, players who are selected in a County U12 squad (or Regional squad in Wales) in spring for a summer squad - are also eligible to play Open age cricket.*

Please be aware that at under 12 level the ECB recommends that the focus is on participation rather than Talent I.D, and many counties no longer run under 12 squads. Inclusion of ANY Under 12s in Open Age teams should be an exception and not an expectation.

*providing they are at least 11 years old, are in School Year 7 on 1st September in the year preceding the season, and have written parental consent to play.

The guidance in Safe hands set this out clearly - Click Here