These grades are for players from School Years 5-6, split into two grades, Players may progress from younger grades or enter the sport at any stage along this pathway at which stage they should experience a similar format.

Location:

Year 5 & 6 cricket is played at various schools and council grounds, mainly on artificial wickets.

Grading:

Within these divisions, especially after Christmas there may be an opportunity to split again based on the results of teams so “like vs like” matches can be played, and mismatches minimised.

As these are non-competitive grades, no points are awarded, or ladder given but we do still want results entered onto the PlayHQ website. These provide useful information for grading and moving teams around. For this grade you should just enter the net score for your team, don’t worry about the number of wickets taken. This means adding the runs gained by taking wickets to the runs scored by your batters. Each team should enter results.

Eligibility:

Players are encouraged to play in the year group they are currently in at school. Should players wish to play down due to being new to the game or other circumstances, Clubs should apply prior to the start of the season detailing the name of the players which team they wish to play for a brief explanation of why a dispensation is required for the player to play DOWN a grade.

Players may play UP a grade, but parents/caregivers must be aware of the risks involved in playing ahead of their current school year. We recommend no more than one grade higher.

Time:

These grades start at either 9.00am on a Saturday morning or if there is a Friday round, then it will be a 4.30pm start.

Draw:

Draws will be confirmed until Christmas following grading. If there are changes to draws after they are published Junior Club Convenors will be informed.

Team Size:

All grades are pairs-based cricket.

Year 5&6: 8 a side

Teams with less than 8 players should first enquire if the opposition has additional players to balance the teams. Should teams have less than 8 players bowling limits can be extended to 3 overs each.

Coaches should look to ensure all players have an equal opportunity to bat twice or bowl additional overs throughout the season if necessary. Where possible opposition players should be asked to field to ensure there are 6 or 8 players in the fielding team.

Teams with more than 8 players should try to maximise participation. Options can include batting less balls before retiring batters this may mean that players are retired before a 5 over “block” of overs is completed and individual bowling for less overs.

MAXIMUM OF 8 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD AT ANY ONE TIME –

Any additional fielders must be rotated on and off the field

Pitch Length:

16 metres (blue lines on artificial wickets)

Move to 18m after Christmas NOT BEFORE

Match Setup:

For all grades, a 10-metre fielding exclusion zone exists, this excludes the wicket keeper.

Umpires should ensure that players are not encroaching on this zone as 10 metres is not too far for players to hit the ball with force EITHER Off-the-Tee or in live play

Cones MAY be placed around a 10m circle where no fielder is allowed inside until the batter has played their shot The fielders should not enter the zone until AFTER the batter has played their shot.

Note that fielders DO NOT have to stand where the fielding exclusion zone markers are placed IF USED– just level or beyond the markers. Fielders can therefore be encouraged to field on the boundary giving them the ability to stop the ball.

Boundaries:

We want players to get 4 and 6’s so it important that boundaries are achievable for players, should ground conditions i.e. grass length prevent balls travelling at a reasonable pace then managers/coaches should consult and agree to shortened boundary sizes. The boundary should be marked with cones, or a stream, path, another match, anything that is dangerous or stops the forward momentum of the ball that may be closer than these guidelines. If this occurs a four or six is signalled.

Year 6 Hardball: 35 metres or natural boundaries

Equipment:

Year 6 Hardball: Kookaburra 142g Leather ball

From Year 5 upwards only Wooden Bats should be used

Full Protective equipment should be warn by batter including a Helmet inline with the New Zealand Cricket Helmet Policy CLICK HERE

Wicket keepers should ALWAYS wear Helmets

Match Length

All games are one innings each and should be decided who starts with a coin toss, or similar.

Time of Innings

Coaches and managers must keep the game moving to ensure games are completed in a timely manner. All bowling is to be from the same end and the next batting pair must be ready to bat immediately following the previous pair's partnership. Parents / supporters can be tasked with ensuring the players are ready to go.

20 overs per side (8 ball max) estimate 3 hours maximum

Eight batters are placed into pairs numbered 1-4 by coach/captain.

Each pair will bat together for 5 overs. This is a maximum of 40 balls, and we would like each batter to face a minimum of 15 LEGITIMATE balls so batters may need to be told to change ends to achieve this. The scorer can advise the umpire when they feel it is getting near the end of the allocated overs and one batter has some catching up on balls faced to do.

Wides and no-balls score 1 run plus any extra runs scored and are re-bowled up to a maximum of 8 balls per over, except in the final over of each innings, when 6 legitimate balls must be bowled.

The ball after a NO BALL becomes a ‘free hit’ so the only dismissal mode is run out. If the last ball (up to 8) of an over is a wide or no-ball then 2 runs are awarded as no free hit for the no ball can occur.

Switching Ends:

When dismissed, batters do not face the next delivery and always change ends at the completion of each over.

Run outs: If a 'Run Out' occurs the batting side is allocated all the runs being attempted, provided the batters have gone past each other (crossed) on the final run, whilst the fielding team still get their 3 runs for the wicket.

Therefore, if a single was being attempted and a 'Run Out' occurs, they keep the single (provided the batters have crossed) and the run should be allocated to the appropriate batter. If a 'Run Out' occurs on the third run, they keep all 3 runs, provided the batters had crossed on the final run.

This is to encourage batters to take runs.

Dismissals

Players can be bowled, caught, stumped, hit wicket and run out. There are no LBW’s.

Catches should be recorded against the player who took the catch in a column of the new scoresheets.

PLAYERS REMAIN BATTING WHEN THEY ARE OUT – an out is recorded with a X in the scorebook and the bowler credited with a wicket.

The only penalty for being 'Out' is that batters swap ends (this does not apply to 'Run Out') and the bowling team receives 3 bonus runs add to their Batting total as EXTRAS.

Free Hits after No Balls

• If a NO BALL is bowled in the FIRST to SEVENTH ball of an over, the next ball is a 'Free Hit'.
• Where a no ball is bowled on the 8th ball of an over, 2 runs will be scored as no 'Free Hit' is given can be given as the maximum deliveries in an over are 8.
• In the case of a ‘Free Hit’, the fielding team must stay in the positions they were in at the moment the delivery was made. Minor changes to the field placements may be made when Left/Right-handed batters have changed ends.
• The only way a batter can be out from a 'Free Hit' is Run Out. To be run out you must be attempting a run, or started to and changed your mind, simply being out of your crease and being 'stumped' does not apply as a dismissal on a free hit.
• If a batter hits a Free Hit delivery that is a no ball, they score 1 run plus whatever runs are scored from the shot. The next ball remains a FREE HIT BALL. If the batter decides to leave or misses a delivery that is deemed a no ball, they score 1 run for the no ball and the next ball is a 'Free Hit'.
• If a batter hits a delivery that would have been a wide, then it becomes a 'normal' delivery and they only score runs made from that shot and may be out in all the normal ways. If the batter decides to leave or misses a wide delivery, they score 1 run for the wide plus any they may run, and they could score more from the next ball which remains a free hit.

Catches and Stumpings

Catches & Stumpings should be recorded against the player who took the catch or stumping in a column of the new scoresheets or on PlayHQ.

Run Outs

In order to capture those involved in Run Outs – those involved should be noted on the Scoresheet or in PlayHQ

Byes / Overthrows

Byes and overthrows are unlimited.

Fielding restrictions (players on Boundary)

A maximum of 3 players can be on the boundary which means that the 3 remaining Fielders must be closer to the Batter than the Boundary. The Bowler and Wicker Keeper do not count as Fielders

• Minimum Balls per over 6 – Maximum 8
• Max 3 overs per bowler.
• Coaches are to ensure that all team members bowl the same number of overs during the season - on an equivalent availability basis.
• No bowler can bowl successive overs.
• No bowler may bowl a 3^rd over until ALL others have bowled 2
• 5 overs bowled at the same end to speed up the innings.

No Balls and Wides

A “Wide” Ball will be called if

• Any ball that passes outside the offside cone and is not hit by the batter shall be deemed a 'wide'.
• Any ball passing halfway towards the legside and is not hit by the batter should also be called wide. (See graphics below)

A No Ball will be called if ...

• The ball bounces TWO or more times or rolls on the pitch before reaching the batters popping crease. (Bowlers can bowl from a shorter distance if needed
• The delivery would have passed over the waist on the full at normal batting stance.
• If the delivery would have passed over the shoulder after it bounces at normal batting stance.
• If players (not the bowler) encroach into the fielding exclusion zone before the ball is hit.

Bowling Not Throwing

Bowlers MUST be coached to bowl with a straight arm and avoid ‘throwing’ the ball. Those that find this difficult should bowl from a standing, side on position, starting with a straight arm against their back leg and aim to release the ball at the 12 o’clock position. There is no penalty for a thrown delivery at this grade.

We do not want a bowler to achieve ‘an unfair advantage’ by using an obviously incorrect action, so if a wicket is gained or it is felt that a batter is being intimidated then the umpire should take action. i.e. a batter should not be given out from an obvious thrown ball.

Ideally a word with the opposition coach/umpire will be sufficient for them to have a word with the bowler as soon as the action is noticed.

We do not want to discourage bowlers from practicing in a match but also need to protect batters.

In the extreme, a no ball can be called, if an obvious thrown delivery results in a wicket being taken.

Scoring should be done by a parent/supporter from each team, the grades are non-competitive, so scoring is only used for grading and ensuring appropriate competition. Therefore, care should be taken about announcing who has won or has more runs etc

Score sheets are available from the CJCA website

https://www.cjca.org.nz/about-us/resources-2/grade-rules-2/

• Each team’s score starts at Zero.
• 3 runs are added to the bowling side for each dismissal obtained.