How do I umpire junior cricket (Under 9 to Under 18) in England and Wales under the MCC Laws and ECB safety rules? Junior ball and pitch sizes, fast bowling limits, fielding distances, helmets, dangerous bowling and the 2026 Law changes.
Three layers apply, and you need all of them:
The Laws themselves say the Spirit of Cricket is shared by everyone, and especially in junior cricket by teachers, coaches and parents.
The Laws leave these to the governing body (the ECB in England and Wales) and the competition:
The 2026 Laws define three ball sizes (Law 4.1), new ball weights:
| Size | Weight | Circumference |
|---|---|---|
| Size 1 | 5.5 to 5.75 oz (156 to 163 g) | 8.81 to 9 in (22.4 to 22.9 cm) |
| Size 2 | 5 to 5.25 oz (142 to 149 g) | 8.46 to 8.66 in (21.5 to 22 cm) |
| Size 3 | 4.69 to 4.84 oz (133 to 140 g) | 8.07 to 8.27 in (20.5 to 21 cm) |
The ECB's recommended formats use a 4¾ oz ball (Size 3) for Under 10 to Under 13, then 5 oz for girls from Under 14 and 5½ oz for boys from Under 14 (5 oz in the ECB U14 County Cup). Pitches go from 15 yards at Under 9 to 22 yards at Under 15 (boys) and Under 17 (girls). For example, the ECB's 2026 Under 13 Club T20 used a 19-yard pitch, a 4¾ oz ball and stumps 27 inches high by 8 inches wide.
All balls are under the umpires' control from before the toss (Law 4.2).
The ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations set compulsory limits for fast bowlers aged 19 and under in hard ball cricket (not soft ball):
| Age on the day of the match | Max overs per spell | Max overs per day |
|---|---|---|
| 11 and under | 4 | 8 |
| 12 and 13 | 5 | 10 |
| 14 and 15 | 5 | 12 |
| 16 and 17 | 6 | 15 |
| 18 and 19 | 7 | 18 |
Who counts: anyone who bowls (or attempts) even one ball at high intensity, including seam, swing and medium pace. The limit follows the bowler's own age, not the age group. (The ECB's national competition playing conditions define a fast bowler as one to whom a wicketkeeper of the same age group would normally stand back.)
Rest: after a spell, the bowler can't bowl from either end until as many overs as their spell have been bowled from the same end. They can switch ends without ending the spell only by bowling the next over the Laws allow from the other end.
Interruptions: under 40 minutes, a spell in progress can continue up to the maximum; 40 minutes or more, a new spell can start immediately.
Spin: overs of spin bowled before bowling fast count towards the spell, and a fast bowler who switches to spin still can't exceed the daily maximum.
Short matches: in matches of 20 overs or fewer a side where each bowler is limited to no more than the maximum spell (for example 4 overs), there is no rest period.
Under the ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations, no further play is allowed until it is resolved.
Appointed Umpire
Acting Umpire: stop the game and do not continue until the bowler is replaced. If the acting umpire lets play continue, the batting captain must not allow their batters to carry on. If play doesn't resume within 15 minutes, the fielding team forfeits the match.
To prevent problems, count each fast bowler's spell and daily overs against their age (team sheets in ECB competitions show players' ages).
The ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations set minimum fielding distances, in hard and soft ball cricket, measured from the batter's position on the popping crease on a middle stump line:
| Fielder's age | Minimum distance |
|---|---|
| 13 and under | 11 yards (10 m) |
| 14 and 15 | 8 yards (7.3 m) |
| 16 and 17 | None, but in hard ball cricket they need a helmet (and box if male) within 8 yards |
Fielders behind the wicket on the off side are exempt. The distances apply even if the fielder wears a helmet, and follow the fielder's own age, not the age group.
Appointed Umpire
Acting Umpire: stop the game and don't continue until the fielder moves back. If play doesn't resume within 15 minutes, the fielding team forfeits the match.
Some competition playing conditions (for example ECB national junior competitions) also let a fielder move into the restricted area to field the ball or take a catch, provided they were outside it when the stroke was made.
Under the ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations, every batter under 18 must wear a helmet with a faceguard or grille when batting against a hard ball (and a box if male). Parental consent to bat without one is not accepted.
Appointed Umpire, batter has not started their innings
Appointed Umpire, batter has started their innings and takes the helmet off
Acting Umpire (not appointed): stop the game; the batter must put on a helmet or be replaced by a batter who has not already batted and is wearing one. Do not restart until this happens. If play doesn't resume within 15 minutes, the batting team forfeits the match.
In hard ball cricket, the ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations require a helmet with faceguard or grille (or a face protector for a keeper) for under-18 wicketkeepers standing up to the stumps, and for 16 and 17-year-olds fielding within 8 yards (7.3 m) of the striking batter. Male players must also wear a box.
If you are an Appointed Umpire (appointed by a league, county board or ECB ACO):
If you are an Acting Umpire (for example a player or parent umpiring): stop the game and tell the player to move back, return wearing a helmet, or be replaced by a compliant player. Do not restart until they comply. If play doesn't resume within 15 minutes, the fielding team forfeits the match.
Written parental consent to play without a helmet is not accepted.
Under Law 41.6 (2026 Laws), short-pitched bowling is:
As soon as you decide short-pitched bowling has become dangerous or unfair:
Because the striker's skill is part of the test, a delivery that is acceptable to an experienced adult can be dangerous to a young or inexperienced batter. Competitions can add stricter limits; for example, the ECB's 2026 20-over playing conditions allowed only one delivery per over over shoulder height.
Under Law 41.7 (2026 Laws):
This sequence is separate from the warnings for short-pitched bowling under Law 41.6.
MCC's 2017 Code, 4th Edition (2026) came into effect on 1 October 2026, with 73 changes. (The ECB's 2026 summer competition playing conditions were based on the previous, 2022, edition.) Changes most relevant to junior matches:
Under the ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations:
In ECB competitions, each side must give the umpires a team sheet before the match identifying every player under 18 and showing the age of any player aged 19 or younger, so you can apply the fast bowling and fielding rules.
If a captain suspects an opposing player is too young for open age cricket, the Regulations say the captains should discuss it, and if still not satisfied, the captain reports it to the competition organiser.
The ECB Recreational Cricket Concussion Guidelines apply to players, coaches and umpires: If in doubt, sit them out.
The ECB recommends that umpires complete its concussion e-learning course (concussionlearning.ecb.co.uk).