When must junior players wear a helmet?

In hard ball cricket, the ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations require every player under 18 to wear a helmet with a faceguard or grille when:

• batting, in matches and in practice (including nets);
• keeping wicket standing up to the stumps (able to reach the stumps with an outstretched arm without moving their feet). A keeper may wear a face protector instead;
• fielding within 8 yards (7.3 m) of the striking batter, if aged 16 or 17.

In each case, a player whose sex is male must also wear a groin protector (box). The ECB strongly advises wearing a neck protector with the helmet.

• Helmets must meet BS 7928:2013 (face protectors BS 7929-2:2009).
• Written parental consent to go without a helmet or box is not accepted. If there are exceptional reasons a child cannot wear one, the parents must write to safetyincricket@ecb.co.uk with evidence, and the child cannot do these activities until the ECB confirms they can.
• The helmet rules do not apply to soft ball cricket.