Rules and Regulations: Cricket (Open)

Last updated: November 13, 2023

Download a PDF here – LYG24_Cricket_Info_Rules.

CKT 1 The London Youth Games Cricket competition will run in line with Street Cricket rules.

CKT 1.1 Should any rules listed below contradict those outlined by Street Cricket, these rules will supersede those.

CKT 1.1.1 The London Youth Games Indoor Cricket competition will follow the Transgender guidance outlined by England and Wales Cricket Board.

CKT 1.2. It will be at the discretion of the event referee and LYG personnel as to the application of these rules, and any subsequent decision made as a result will be final.

CKT 1.3 The Tournament Organisers reserve the rights to alter or amend the playing schedule if necessary and make decisions on any matters arising during the tournament, including any matters not covered by the tournament regulations.

CKT 2 Age Category

CKT 2.1 The following age groups and respective maximum date of births will apply to the London Youth Games Cricket Competition:

Age Category Oldest DOB Youngest DOB*
U13 01/09/2010  
U15 (Girls only) 01/09/2008  

*Boroughs/Team managers should ensure any participant possesses the required skill level to compete in the U13 age group. LYG will not accept responsibility for any participant of a younger age group being injured if playing up.

CKT 2.2 Any boy(s) named in the following representative squads for their respective county in the current academic year is ineligible to compete;

    • Kent Cricket CAG U12, U13, U14 & U15 Squads
    • Surrey County Cricket U12 through U15 Academy Squads
    • Essex Cricket U10 & U13 County Programmes and U14 & U15 County Squads
    • Middlesex County Cricket U12 through U15 County Age Group and Squad players
    • Hertfordshire Cricket U12 Charley Cricket, U13 through U16 County Age Group & U13 through U15 County Development Programmes
    • Berkshire County Cricket U13 through U16 County Age Group & U10 through U12 County Development Programmes

CKT 2.3 No player shall play in both U13 and U15 girls’ competition, each player must choose to participate in either competition.

CKT 2.4 Competitors are not permitted to enter this competition if they are ineligible. No exceptions will be made.

CKT 2.5 It is the responsibility of competitors/parents/team managers/local authority staff to ensure all competitors details are entered correctly at the time of submission, and that they are eligible to compete for their borough under the London Youth Games Games Rules, and in accordance with the age groups and the additional criteria outlined for the competition.

CKT 2.5.1 In the instance a competitor is found to be ineligible, the entire team will be disqualified from the competition entirely, and the borough will receive a points penalty as per the Games Rules.

CKT 3 Squad Size and Scorer Boroughs are permitted to enter a minimum of 6 competitors and a maximum of 9 competitors.

CKT 3.1 Boroughs are permitted to bring all 9 competitors entered to the event on the day however only 6 will be able to play per match.

CKT 3.1.1 Teams are permitted to rotate players in between round robin and/or finals matches, but not during the match or between innings.

CKT 3.2 Boroughs must provide a scorer for the competition. Scorers must collect their scoresheets for each match from the registration table. Scorers should stand together during the match.

CKT 4 Kit & Equipment A junior incrediball will be provided and used for the competition. Pads and gloves are not required, use of them is optional.

CKT 5 Competition Format The qualifier groups will be drawn randomly. The competition will take place over two qualifier days per gender with an AM and PM session per day. Top 8 teams will progress to the finals for the U13 competition with regional winners for the U15 girls competition.

CKT 5.1 The competition is 6-a-side teams with a maximum of 30 balls per innings.

CKT 5.2 Five players on the fielding team must bowl an over each. A different bowler must bowl each over.

CKT 5.3 An over consists of 6 balls.

CKT 5.4 All bowling is from one end – at the end of each over batters must switch ends.

CKT 5.5 The pitch length is 19 yards (U13) and 20 yards (U15).

CKT 6 Scoring Runs

 CKT 6.1 Batters score 1 run for hitting the side walls/netting between courts, the wall behind the wicketkeeper or the ceiling.

CKT 6.2 Batters score 4 runs for hitting the wall behind the bowler if the ball touches the ground before hitting the wall and does not hit the side wall/netting between courts or ceiling first. When a 4 is scored the ball is still live.

CKT 6.3 Batters score 6 runs for hitting the wall behind the bowler if the ball does not touch the floor, side walls/netting between courts or ceiling first. When a 6 is scored the ball is dead – batters cannot be caught out and cannot accumulate additional runs via running between the wickets.

CKT 6.4 Two runs are scored each time the batters physically run between the wickets. Batters can run byes, leg-byes, overthrows and when 1 or 4 runs are scored from hitting the wall/netting between courts.

CKT 6.5 No runs are scored from the ball hitting a wall/netting between courts from a bye, leg-bye or overthrow.

CKT 6.6 Batter(s) must retire after scoring 20 runs.

CKT 7 Extras from bowling

CKT 7.1 If the ball is wider than the wicket width outside the off stump or leg stump, the ball will be called a wide. Wide line markers will be marked on the popping crease.

CKT 7.2 Balls that bounce to over shoulder-height will be called a no-ball at the umpire’s discretion if out of reach for the batter.

CKT 7.3 Full toss above waist-height and front foot over the popping crease will be called a no-ball.

CKT 7.4 The next ball after a front foot no-ball is a free hit.

CKT 7.5 Wides and no-balls score 2 runs, and no additional balls are added to the over except as outlined in CKT 7.5.1.

CKT 7.5.1 In the final over of the innings, when a no-ball or wide is bowled, additional balls will be bowled up to a maximum of 9 in the over.

CKT 8 Method of dismissal

CKT 8.1 Most standard forms of dismissal are valid – bowled, caught out, stumped, run out, handled ball, hit wicket, hitting the ball twice and obstructing the fielder.

CKT 8.2 No LBW unless the body is deliberately used to block the wicket – this will be at the discretion of the umpires.

CKT 8.3 Batters can be caught out off the walls, off the netting between courts or the ceiling – so long as the ball has not yet hit the ground.

CKT 8.4 The batter cannot be caught out off the wall if a 6 is scored.

CKT 8.5 If the batters are caught or run out after hitting a wall/netting between courts, the runs scored for hitting that wall/netting between courts still count towards the batting team’s total.

CKT 8.6 The last batter can bat on their own until they are out, or their running partner is run out.

CKT 9 Overall Scoring Points will be awarded for each game to give a borough’s overall score for the qualifiers and finals;

CKT 9.1 The following points will be awarded:

  • 3 points for a win
  • 1 point for a tie
  • 0 points for a loss

CKT 9.1.1 Group positions will be decided in the following order:

  • Points accrued
  • Net Run Rate
  • Fewest wickets lost

CKT 9.1.1.1 A team’s net run rate is calculated by deducting from the average runs per over scored by that team, the average runs per over scored against that team. In the event of a team being all out in less than its full quota of overs, the calculation of the net run rate of both teams shall be based on the full quota of overs to which the batting team would have been entitled and not on the number of overs in which the team was dismissed. Only those matches where results are achieved will count for the purpose of net run rate calculations.

CKT 9.1.2 In the finals, if the scores are level and the number of wickets taken are equal then each member of both teams shall bowl one ball (overarm), the team hitting the stumps the greater number of times shall be the winner.

CKT 9.2 Final Positions Teams allocated points according to their group position if they do not qualify for the finals.

CKT 10 Medals & Trophies Medals and trophies will be awarded as follows:

CKT 10.1 Overall Borough medals will be awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed teams per gender in the finals ONLY for the U13 competitions.

CKT 10.2 Trophy awarded to the winners of the competition for each gender.

CKT 10.3 Each regional winner for the U15 competition will be awarded a salver.