Announcement · 2026/27
Use of PODS (non-Pairs Cricket) – CJCA Directive
Source: CJCA-Pod-System-Directive-August-2026-v2.pdf, pages 1–3. Text from the PDF's text layer (the extractor dropped parts of pages 1 and 3, so the text was taken line by line from the text layer and checked against a render). The CJCA logo on page 1 is left out. The page 2 image is byte-identical to the POD system poster (POD-system-explained-Grace-Period-Cricket-August-2026.pdf), so the same image file is used.
The CJCA’s directive on using PODs in non-pairs cricket (August 2026, version 2), as published. Page 2 of the directive is the CJCA’s POD system poster; its text is transcribed on the POD system poster page, and the rotation is summarised below.
Applies to lines at the start of each section are added by the editor to show which grades the section affects; everything else is the CJCA text as published.
August 2026
Rules: Christchurch Junior Cricket Association (CJCA). Reformatted as coaching notes; see the source PDF for the official wording.
Purpose
Applies to: Year 6 after Christmas, all Year 7 & 8 mixed grades, Girls Division 3.
To ensure players have a fair opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to each game in a range of cricket disciplines.
Background
Applies to: Year 6 after Christmas, all Year 7 & 8 mixed grades, Girls Division 3.
Over recent seasons there have been instances where individuals have been prioirtised into leading roles within matches meaning some members of teams are less involved in making a meaningful contribution to a teams performance.
In Pairs Cricket grades equality of participation is built into the format of the games but in non-Pairs Cricket we need to mindful to establish fairness in terms of access to Opportunities within each Game.
Many Club and School teams in our CJCA competition and coaches/managers already do a great job to ensure each player gets an equal opportunity.
This directive provides our coaches and managers with a mechanism to ensure that all players will be able to make a meaningful contribution, by either batting or bowling, to a team's performance each week.
The pod system also provides equality for our players over the course of a cricket season, and the opportunity for batters and bowlers to play in different roles for their team.
Key Points
- Roles within Matches: At a junior level it is important that players have a broad understanding of the different roles within a match that they may be required to play during their Cricketing experience
- Specialization- It is not deemed important at Junior level that players specialise at such an early age in terms of a batting position, more in they develop an understanding of the game and how, within a game, that different approaches are required depending on the state of the game
- Parental Confidence – the adoption of the POD system will give confidence that their child is just not making up the numbers within a team and will have an Opportunity to develop over the course of the season.
Directive
Applies to: Year 6 after Christmas, all Year 7 & 8 mixed grades, Girls Division 3.
Cricket clubs and schools are strongly encouraged adopt a POD system in terms of the rotation of players through various batting and bowling positions within each match as per below.
The rotation on the poster, as text (the full poster text is on the POD system poster page):
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bat top – bowl after 50% of overs | POD 1 | POD 3 | POD 2 |
| Bat middle – bowl after the bottom POD | POD 2 (bowl after POD 3) | POD 1 (bowl after POD 2) | POD 3 (bowl after POD 1) |
| Bat bottom – bowl first | POD 3 | POD 2 | POD 1 |
After week 3: reset PODs – mix players up.
Advice for hesitant/less confident cricketers
Its is likely that some junior cricketers may be hesitant to especially open the batting – in this case those batters should be placed below the openers in their POD which will mean because of the Grace Period that they will not bat until at least the 3rd over.
These batters should be continually offered the opportunity to Open throughout the system when they are in the 1st Batting POD as their confidence may strengthen over time
Mixing up of PODS
Managers and Coaches are encouraged to mix the blend of players in each POD after a full rotation has been completed so that Boys get to bat with others rather than stick with a group of 3 or 4 boys or girls for the entire season.
This also allows for flexibility when it comes to players being away or not playing due to illness or injury.
Managers and Coaches who encounter teams and junior players obviously not using a POD system in non-Pairs Cricket that appear to be outside this directive, are asked to contact the CJCA gm@cjca.org.nz with details of the team and date of the match.
Wicket keeping
A variety of players should be encouraged to wicket keep during the course of the season. In games the recommendation is that the wicket keeping duties should be shared between two players i.e 10, 13/14 or 15 overs each depending which grade is being played. Change over of Keepers should done in existing breaks within the game i.e. Drinks or Pair changes.
Should a player wish to keep an entire game this is possible however teams should be mindful that others may also wish to keep in develop their skills and team management should be fair in these opportunities.
What grades does this apply to
- Year 6 After Christmas
- All Year 7 & 8 Mixed grades
- Division 3 Girls
CJCA Executive
August 2026
Possible errors or inconsistencies
- Grades listed differ between documents. The directive lists “Year 6 After Christmas”, “All Year 7 & 8 Mixed grades” and “Division 3 Girls”. Its own page 2 poster also lists “Premier grades”, and the changes document says PODs are recommended in “all NON-PAIRS cricket”. Year 7 & 8 Premier is presumably covered by “All Year 7 & 8 Mixed grades”, but it isn’t named.
- “Directive” or “recommendation”? The directive says clubs and schools are “strongly encouraged” to adopt PODs, and the changes document says the CJCA is “strongly recommending” them; the 2026/27 Year 6 post-Christmas rules say the directive “states teams in all non-pairs grades should operate a ‘POD system’”. The rules also link “MORE DETAIL – CLICK HERE” to the POD poster PDF rather than to this directive.
- “will not bat until at least the 3rd over” assumes a 6-ball grace period for each opener (12 balls). In Year 7 & 8 Premier the grace period is 3 balls, so a number 3 could bat sooner.
- “Drinks or Pair changes”: pair changes happen only in pairs cricket, which this directive doesn’t cover.
- Wicket keeping: “10, 13/14 or 15 overs each” matches 20-, 27- and 30-over games. The changes document adds that keepers who share should each bowl 2 overs when not keeping; the directive doesn’t mention bowling.
- Typos and wording: “prioirtised” (prioritised); “we need to mindful” (to be mindful); “strongly encouraged adopt” (to adopt); “Its is likely” (It is); “should done” (should be done); “wish to keep in develop” (to develop); “a teams performance” (team’s); “more in they develop” (more that they develop); “just not making up the numbers” (not just); “so that Boys get to bat with others … 3 or 4 boys or girls” (players).