Information on this page: 

• Link to U9 cricHQ pages;
• Rules for Under 9 tournaments;
• Under 9 Match Centre
• Full GMCL Junior Rules

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Rules for under 9 cluster tournaments

• Depending upon Geography and preferences games will normally be played on Monday evening 6 pm start with 4 teams assembling and playing a round robin format with two pitches cut on the outfield to play two matches at the same time.
• Each team plays 2 matches per match day. Its effectively a mini standalone Tournament and most host teams put complimentary food on post-match.
• Pitch 15 yards
• Boundaries maximum 30 yards
• Junior size stumps 
• Youth incrediball unless both sides agree to hard ball or kwik cricket ball 
• 6 a side pairs cricket, 3 overs per pair, bowlers have no compulsion to bowl and have a maximum of 3 overs.
• The wicket keeper may bowl.
• Each match duration 9 overs, maximum of 8 balls per over. Pairs change at end of over 3 and 6.
• Unlimited lives with each life results in the loss of 4 runs from the total. Batsmen change ends except on last ball of over. In the event of a run out the striker shall return to the non-strikers end irrespective of who was actually run out. 
• Each wicket loses 4 runs, matches start on 200, winner is team with most runs after deducting for fall of wickets.
• Treble bounce no balls, above waist no balls and wides count as 1 extra runs.

Coaching

• Managers or coaches whether umpiring or not can only “coach” when the ball is dead.
• Mid match coaching should be brief and not hold the game up particularly when failing light is an issue.
• At under 9 coaching is allowed at any time in the match.

ECB Junior Cricket Directive

• The GMCL is committed to implementing the ECB directive on playing conditions for U9, U11 & U13 competitions for our competitions.
• However, concerns have been raised regarding the safety of players if the directive is fully implemented.
  • Some age-group bowlers are prematurely developed or playing at Elite Performance level, for these, bowling from the reduced distance may increase the chance of injury or fear of injury to the batter.
• With this in mind ALL junior cricketers playing at representative level (District, League, and County) will be mandated to bowl from the traditional bowling mark for each age group.
• For example a District level cricketer playing at U13 will bowl from a mark of 21 yards not the newly directed mark of 19 yards.
• Furthermore if either coach believes that the safety of players in endangered by a bowler not playing representative cricket they may request that he/she also bowl from the extended mark.