Outdoor Competition Rules

MIDDLESEX JUNIOR CRICKET ASSOCIATION COMPETITIONS

The rules on this page and (linked age group rules pages) are those currently in force.

Set out below is the process that MJCA follow to consider and decide on amendments to the rules and playing conditions and to consult with Clubs as part of their process.

In August/September, Clubs in each Area would meet and consider any suggestions that that may have for any changes to the rules/playing conditions. At the same time, the rules sub-committee, appointed by the MJCA Cricket Committee, would also meet to consider their recommendations for any rules/playing conditions changes.

At their scheduled October meeting, the MJCA Cricket Committee would consider any recommendations from the rules sub-committee and any suggestions received from Areas regarding changes rules/playing conditions and reach a preliminary decision regarding any changes to rules/playing conditions

Subsequent to the October meeting of the MJCA Cricket Committee, Area Chairs should consult with Clubs in their Areas regarding the proposed changes to rules/playing conditions decided by the MJCA Cricket Committee.

Members of the MJCA Executive and MJCA Cricket Committee would then decide at their Joint meeting in December on any changes to the rules/playing conditions for the next season

Boys’ leagues, and, at some age groups, cups, are organised geographically in the five MJCA Areas at Under 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 age groups and nearly all conclude with a County wide Knock-out Championship. The age qualification is Under 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 at midnight on 31st August prior to the season of the competition. New U17 competitions are proposed to be introduced in 2025 and the specific rules for these competitions can be viewed by the link above.

Girls League and Cup competitions are organised as a separate section with County wide Knockout Championships organised once the regular league programme has been concluded.

THE AGE QUALIFICATION RULE FOR WINTER 2024/25 AND SUMMER 2025

On occasions, clubs have contravened this rule. It is hoped that the table below will give added clarification as MJCA do not wish this practise to be repeated.

Players may play above their own age level but not below. This means, for example, that an Under 11 may play at Under 13, but not at Under 10.

UNDER 9 Born between 1st September 2015 and midnight on 31st August 2016. This is usually school Year 4 and younger.

UNDER 10 Born between 1st September 2014 and midnight on 31st August 2015. This is usually school Year 5 and younger.

UNDER 11 Born between 1st September 2013 and midnight on 31st August 2014. This is usually school Year 6 and younger.

UNDER 12 Born between 1st September 2012 and midnight on 31st August 2013. This is usually school Year 7 and younger.

UNDER 13 Born between 1st September 2011 and midnight on 31st August 2012. This is usually school Year 8 and younger.

UNDER 14 Born between 1st September 2010 and midnight on 31st August 2011. This is usually school Year 9 and younger.

UNDER 15 Born between 1st September 2009 and midnight on 31st August 2010. This is usually school year 10 and younger.

UNDER 16 Born between 1st September 2008 and midnight on 31st August 2009. This is usually school year 11 and younger.

UNDER 17 Born between 1st September 2007 and midnight on 31st August 2008. This is usually school year 12 and younger.

Girls, up to 17 years of age, may play in boys matches in a team 1 year below their own chronological age group. This does not apply to the U/13 and U/15 Boy’s cups, where Girls can only play in their own age groups.

Age dispensation (inclusion): when requested by a club on behalf of a parent, MJCA may use its discretion to a) enable children with disabilities to participate in an age group other than the groups dictated by their birth date, including “playing down” a year; or b) enable children to participate in an age group other than the groups dictated by their birth date, including “playing down” a year. In either case, this dispensation is subject to in-season review if competition integrity is compromised and expires on the child in question’s 18th birthday regardless.

Process: Applications for age dispensation (inclusion) must be submitted by the Junior Manager, together with a supporting email/letter from the parent/guardian of the child in question, to the Area Chair. Ideally this should be submitted prior to the season in question, however, applications may also be received up to the end of the Area Competition stage. Under no circumstances may the child ‘play-down’ until the club have received a confirmation email/letter from the Area Chair. MJCA encourage clubs to enable children covered by this ruling to play as much cricket as possible during the season by also promoting friendly and informal matches between clubs where such children can enjoy taking part in a non-competitive environment as well.

Membership

Only Clubs which are members of The Middlesex Junior Cricket Association may enter teams.
All Clubs’ membership application forms must request, as a minimum requirement, for each child:
1. 1. Full name
  2. Gender
  3. Full address
  4. Telephone number
  5. Emergency Contact and Telephone Number
  6. Place and date of birth
  7. If born outside the UK, the date on which the child became a resident of the UK
  8. School and school year
  9. To wear a helmet as directed by current regulations
  10. Details of any current and/or previous memberships of other cricket clubs, whether affiliated to MJCA or not.
  11. Any relevant medical information.

Clubs must include a warning on their membership forms regarding Junior members being only allowed to play for one club in the season. This includes playing in other county’s competitions. This form MUST be signed and dated by the child’s parent or legal guardian. New forms should be taken each year but a shorter form (still to be signed and dated by a parent or legal guardian) may be used for renewals. Clubs may use a web-based system where this information may be input electronically, in which case there will be no requirement for a physical signature by parents or legal guardians. A register containing the above eleven requirements is to be maintained by the Club. Such register shall be available for inspection by the Area, Cricket or Executive Committees of MJCA. It is strongly recommended that the full names of all players are recorded on the MJCA Play-Cricket website at the start of the season.

Competitions and Matches

MJCA matches will be played in accordance with the current Laws of Cricket, except as follows:
Player Safety
1. Please note that, whatever the Laws of Cricket and these MJCA rules provide, the safety of players in any match is paramount in everything that we do. Therefore, while the Laws of Cricket and the MJCA rules should be applied, umpires and match managers should have in the forefront of their minds whether they have any concerns regarding the safety of the players. If they do, the umpires should discuss these concerns, in a constructive and collaborative way, to ensure a solution is found that eliminates those concerns.
2. Clubs should comply with the ECB Recreational Safety Regulations – ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations
Length and timing of matches
1. Subject to clause 5.9 below, all Boys league matches MUST be completed on the dates specified on the MJCA Play-Cricket website . The venue of a League or Cup match may be changed by the Home team, but, unless agreed between the Clubs involved, at least 48 hours’ notice prior to the time of the start of the match must be provided by the Home team to the Away team. In the event that the Home Club wishes to change the venue of a match and has not given 48 hours’ notice of the proposed change, the match should, unless the Away Club agrees otherwise, be played at the original venue and, if that is not possible, the Home Club will be deemed to have conceded the match. Both Clubs may agree to play a friendly match in place of the League match at a different venue.
2. Matches shall be 20 overs per innings unless provided in the specific rules related to U9 Boys and any Girls Softball matches.
3. Except where otherwise agreed by the Clubs when the fixture is arranged, the start time for a weekday match shall, up to the 15th of May and after the 1st of August, be 5 30 pm and, for matches played between 15th of May and the 1st of August, shall be 6 pm. For a weekend game, the default start time shall be 10 am
4. Provided both sides agree before play commences, a non pairs match of fewer than 20 overs per side, but always in multiples of five, may be played. However, matches should not be less than 10 overs per side. Any match, up to 15 May and after 1 August, that starts after 6 pm should be no more than 15 overs per side with bowlers bowling a maximum of 3 overs each.
5. Any team that is not ready to play 15 minutes after the appointed start time shall forfeit their right to toss. If the match starts 30 minutes after the appointed start time, it should be reduced to 15 overs per side with bowlers bowling a maximum of 3 overs each
6. If a team is not ready to start a match 45 minutes after the appointed start time, they shall be liable to forfeit the match.
7. Although sides can agree, as above, to reduce the number of overs per innings prior to the match commencing, there is no provision to reduce the number of overs in either innings of the match once the match has commenced, albeit, as per clause 11.3 below, there may still be a result if the innings of the team batting second cannot be completed.
8. Each team shall provide an umpire and a scorer, who shall not be the same person. Each team shall also have a ‘responsible adult’ who will be responsible for the welfare of the players in their team during the match. The names of the umpire and scorer of each team should be entered into Play Cricket at the time when the details of the result of any match are uploaded.
  Unless an umpire is ill or injured, umpires should not be changed during a match. If an umpire has to be changed during a match due to illness or injury, the replacement umpire shall be allowed to take full responsibility for umpiring at one end as normal.
9. In the event that a match cannot be played due to weather or ground conditions, the match will normally be regarded as abandoned. No notification by the Home team to the Away team that their ground is not fit for play due to weather or ground conditions may be given more then 48 hours prior to the scheduled time for the start of any match. In Boys Areas, where Clubs have agreed, Area Chairmen have the discretion to permit a match that is cancelled because of weather, to be rescheduled if both Clubs agree and as long as it is played before the Play-by date for that division.

Pitches, pitch and boundary lengths, fielding restrictions, balls and wickets

1. The table below summarises that the pitch lengths and ball sizes to be used at different age groups. The wicket heights and widths set out below are for guidance purposes and should be complied with where possible.

Age Group	Pitch Length		Ball Size (hardball only)		Wicket width/height
	Boys	Girls	Boys	Girls
U10	17 Yards	16 Yards	4.75 oz (135 g)	N/A	27” high/8” wide
U11	17 Yards	17 Yards	4.75 oz (135 g)	4.75 oz (135 g)	27” high/8” wide
U12	18 Yards	18 Yards	4.75 oz (135 g)	4.75 oz (135 g)	27” high/8” wide
U13	19 Yards	19 Yards	4.75 oz (135 g)	4.75 oz (135 g)	27” high/8” wide
U14	21 Yards	20 Yards	5.5 oz (156 g)	5.0 oz (142 g)	28” high/9” wide
U15	22 Yards	20 Yards	5.5 oz (156 g)	5.0 oz (142 g)	28” high/9” wide
U17	22 Yards	22 Yards	5.0 oz (156 g)	5.0 oz (142 g)	28” high/9” wide

No player who is 13 years old or younger on the day of a match shall field nearer than 11 yards from the batter, as measured from the batter’s position on the popping crease on a middle stump line, unless they are the wicketkeeper or another fielder fielding behind the wicket on the offside. No player who is 14 years old or 15 years old on the day of a match shall field nearer than 8 yards from the batter, as measured from the batter’s position on the popping crease on a middle stump line, unless they are the wicketkeeper or another fielder fielding behind the wicket on the offside. A player who is 16 years old or 17 years old on the day of a match may field within 8 yards of the batter, as measured from the batter’s position on the popping crease on a middle stump line, but, if they do so, unless they are a wicketkeeper or another fielder fielding behind the wicket on the offside, they must wear a helmet and, if they are male, they must wear a groin protector (box).
Boundary lengths should be as per ECB guidelines for Junior Cricket
Teams may agree prior to a match that they will have fielding restrictions during the match, if the umpires are sufficiently experienced and fielding markers are available for use. There shall be no compulsion on any Team Manager to agree to the use of fielding restrictions, unless specified in these rules.
In any event, it would be undesirable for all the fielders to be on or near to the boundary and this is strongly discouraged.
If fielding restrictions were to be adopted, it is suggested that a fielding circle should be used, as follows:
- U14 and above – 30 yards
- U12/U13 – 25 yards
- U11 and below – 20 yards
In hardball cricket matches, a new pink cricket ball should be used for each match.
In Girls Softball matches, a Junior Readers Supaball or other form of Incrediball should be used.
The surface on which a regular league or cup fixture is to be played should ideally be agreed at the time the fixture is agreed. But, if a Home Club wishes to change the surface on which a regular league or cup match is to be played, they should provide at least 24 hours’ notice to the Away Club prior to the scheduled time for the start of the match. The arrangements for matches in Countywide competitions are different – see Rule 16.3.

Clothing
1. In Boys’ Cricket, Club branded coloured clothing is permitted for clubs wishing to wear it but a pink ball must be used if one or both teams wear coloured clothing. However, pink or red clothing should be avoided. Ideally all players in a team wearing coloured clothing should wear the same kit.
2. In Girls cricket, in matches at U12 and above, players should wear Club branded coloured clothing and, for younger Girls age groups, it is highly recommended.
3. Where club branded coloured clothing is not being worn, players should wear cricket whites
4. Umpires should wear white coats or, if white coats are not available, light coloured tops.
No balls and wides
1. For all Division 1 leagues for Boys U13 age groups and above, including the U17 Championship League and U17 Chairman’s Cup, and for U15 and U17 Girls matches, wides and no balls must be recorded as 1 run plus whatever is run with balls re-bowled throughout the innings.
2. For all U12 and below Boys age groups and Division 2 or 3 leagues in all Boys age groups and for all U13 and below Girls age groups, but not including the U17 Championship League and U17 Chairman’s Cup, wides and no balls will count 2 runs plus whatever is run with no extra balls, except in the final over when the same extras apply but additional balls are bowled. This rule will also apply to any Boys Cup matches between a Division 1 side and a side in Division 2 or below.
3. For all Division 1 leagues for U13 Boys age groups and above, including the U17 Championship League and U17 Chairman’s Cup, and for U13, U15 and U17 Girls Hardball matches, a free hit will be awarded following a front foot no ball. Where there is a free hit, the field should not change from the previous delivery.
4. For all matches in U13 age groups and below (both Boys and Girls), a ball bouncing more than twice or rolling along the ground before it reaches the popping crease should be called a no ball, i.e. the ball can bounce more than once before reaching the popping crease (amendment to Law 21.7).
5. For all U13 age groups and below (both Boys and Girls)
  1. a bowler bowling dangerous short pitched deliveries or non-deliberate dangerous beamers should be warned twice and only removed from the attack after the third such delivery, i.e. they receive an additional warning (amendment to Laws 41.6 and 41.7). A short pitched delivery or a beamer should be regarded as dangerous if, in the opinion of the umpire, there is a genuine risk of injury to the batter, taking into account the speed, height and direction of the delivery and the skill of the batter.
    As noted in clause 4 above, player safety should always be paramount in the management of any match and umpires and team managers should work together constructively and collaboratively to ensure the safety of the players. This may mean that the umpires ask a bowler to slow down their pace or even to stop bowling, despite this not being required by the Laws of Cricket or these MJCA Rules
  2. If a bowler bowls a deliberate beamer, they should be removed from the attack immediately without a warning.
  3. Please note that warnings for bowling beamers only apply in hardball cricket.
  4. In all cases, beamers should be called no ball. A beamer is defined as a ball that passes the batter (or would have passed the batter), without bouncing, at waist height or above standing upright at the popping crease.
Retirement of batters in matches
1. In U13 Boys County or Area Cup matches, but not in Area league, Area playoff or County league knockout matches, when a batter reaches a score of 30 runs, he or she must retire, unless this would cause a premature end to the innings. Batters retired under this rule should be recorded as “retired out”; this retirement shall not be counted as wicket taken in calculating the result – see clause 11.2 below.
2. In U15 Boys County or Area matches, but not in Area league, Area playoff or County league knockout matches, when a batter reaches a score of 50 runs, he or she must retire, unless this would cause a premature end to the innings. Batters retired under this rule should be recorded as “retired out”; this retirement shall not be counted as wicket taken in calculating the result – see clause 11.2 below.
3. In all other Boys or Girls Cup matches and in any Boys or Girls League match, players may only retire not out if ill or injured during the match. Any player who retires who is not ill or injured will be retired out.
Players
1. In all hardball non pairs matches for the U11 to U17 age groups, teams shall comprise 11 players, each of whom shall only be a bona fide member of the Club he or she represents.
2. In all non Pairs hardball matches, no player may bowl more than one fifth of the overs in any innings.
3. Girls playing in MJCA Boys leagues will be allowed to play one year down from their age group.
4. Clubs entering more than one team at the same age level in any Boys League competition shall nominate separate squads of players from which each team shall be selected. Players from their ‘B’ or ‘C’ teams may play for a higher team (i.e. ‘A’ or ‘B’) from the same club, in the same age group. However, under the previous sentence, no player may play for a lower ranked team. Squads for each age group should have a minimum of 8 players, who should be the best players playing in that age group’s matches. Players involved in the Middlesex or other County pathway activities would be expected to be included in an ‘A’ squad. Lists of the nominated squads shall be lodged with the appropriate Area Chairman before the commencement of the season. Players joining a club during a season shall be put into a squad by their club and the Area Chairman notified accordingly.
5. A wicketkeeper may be changed if ill or injured. In other circumstances, wicketkeepers may be changed, but there should be no stoppage in play and any wicketkeeper may not bowl in the match, either before or after acting as wicketkeeper. If a wicketkeeper is to be changed, other than where there is an injury or illness, this needs to be agreed prior to the match and the umpires and scorers must be informed.
Eligibility of players
1. To be eligible to play in any MJCA competition, a player may only play junior Boys cricket for one Middlesex club and may not represent any other club in another county in their junior Boys competitions. In exceptional circumstances, the regulation in the preceding sentence may be waived but only following written clearance from the current Chairman of the MJCA Cricket Committee. Having played for one club in any particular league or cup competition, no male player may play for another club in that or any other league or cup competition during the same season.
2. Girls may play in MJCA Girls competitions for one Middlesex Club and play in MJCA Boys competitions for a different Middlesex Club. but may only play junior Girls cricket for one Middlesex club and may not represent any other club in another county in their junior Girls competitions.
3. Overseas players (i.e. players who are not resident in the British Isles) must complete a 3 month residency before they can play in any MJCA match. Cases where the position is not clear shall be referred well in advance of their first game by the member club to the Chairman of MJCA Cricket Committee for consideration.
4. If any club fields an ineligible player in any match, the Competition organiser may decide that the offending team should forfeit any match in which an ineligible player played and, in the case of a league fixture, the offending team should have any points earned in those games deducted. However, the Competition organiser may decide that there are mitigating factors which justify that some or all of the matches in which an ineligible player played should not be forfeit and, in any league fixture, that any points deduction be reduced, or possibly that there should no points deduction at all.
  In exercising their discretion in relation to a breach of this Rule 11, the Competition organiser may consider a number of mitigating factors, including which Club the player had played for in the previous season, what information had been provided to the Club by the player’s parents, whether the Club had alerted parents to this rule and the potential consequences of playing for more than one Club in the same season and whether the Club had contacted MJCA on a timely basis as soon as they were aware of the issue. A Club’s claimed ignorance of any breach of this Rule 11 will not be regarded as a mitigating factor.
The result
1. The result of Non Pairs League matches shall be determined as follows:
  1. League matches: The result shall be decided on a single innings basis with the team scoring most runs being the winner. If the scores are equal on the completion of each innings the result shall be a tie
  2. Knock-out matches: In the event of the scores being level on the completion of each innings the team having taken the greater number of wickets shall be the winner. Other than in the circumstances set out in clause 8.1 and 8.2, retired out shall count as a wicket taken, but retired not out shall not count as a wicket taken.
    If still equal: The team with the higher score at the end of 19, 18 overs etc. until a winner is established.
  3. In the event that a match is not able to be completed with less than the full number of overs having been bowled in the innings of the team batting second and provided that at least 10 overs have been bowled in the innings of the team batting second, the winner of the match will be the team with the higher average run rate, being the number of runs scored divided by the number of overs, or part overs, bowled, In the event that the team batting first is bowled out in less than its full allocation of overs, the calculation of the average run rate for the team batting first shall be the runs scored divided by the total number of overs allocated to the team batting first at the start of the match. If a match is not completed with at least 10 overs having been bowled in the second innings, the result will be an abandoned match.
2. In Pairs League matches, the team scoring the most runs after deductions for wickets lost shall be the winner. If scores are equal the winner will be:
  1. The side that has taken most wickets.
  2. If still equal: the side with the higher score at the end of 20 overs, 19, 18 etc. until a winner is established.
  3. If still equal, the result will be a tie.
  In the event that the full allocation of overs for both teams cannot be completed due to weather or other disruption, the result of the match will be abandoned.
Points
1. Other than as noted below, in all Non Pairs League matches, points shall be awarded as follows:
  1. 20 for a win
  2. 10 for a tie
  3. 8 for matches abandoned (with or without any play)
  4. Losing teams shall not receive any points for playing the match but may accrue bonus points as follows:
    1. Batting – 1 point for reaching 60 runs, 1 for 80 runs, I for 100 runs and 1 for 120 runs
    2. Bowling – I point for every two wickets taken, up to a maximum of 4 bonus points
2. The maximum number of bonus points awarded to a losing team is therefore 8 points. There will be no adjustment to bonus points awarded in the event that the number of overs in one or both innings is reduced.
3. In Pairs League matches, including league matches in the Boys U10 Age Groups and in Girls Softball matches, the points awarded will be as above, but there will be no losing bonus points and the losing team will be awarded 4 points if the match is played.
Failure to play fixtures

Should a club fail to honour a fixture for any reason at all:
1. League match: 20 points shall be awarded to their opponents with no points for a team who concedes the match. Any team failing to honour one half of its scheduled league fixtures shall have its record erased from the league.
2. Knock-out match: The tie shall be awarded to the team who did not concede.
Results reporting
1. Results must be recorded on the MJCA Play-Cricket website within three days of the match date
2. Clubs are encouraged to input full scorecards on the MJCA Play-Cricket website as soon as possible after the match has been completed. Full scorecards for all Division 1 matches must be input on the MJCA Play-Cricket website within one week of the match date. Players’ full names must be included. The names of the umpires and scorers should also be included.
3. Points forfeit may be applied if results are not reported or if full scorecards are not input, as required by clauses 15.1 and 15.2 above.
4. Results of all Boys County League Knockout matches and Boys County Cup Quarter Finals, Semi Finals and Finals should also be notified to the Boys County wide competitions organiser, currently James Grigg, Chair of MJCA Cricket Committee, (at jamescgrigg@gmail.com or on 07768216350) as soon as possible, and in any event within 24 hours, after the match has been played.
5. Results of all Girls County League Knockout matches and Girls County Cup matches should also be notified to the Girls County wide competitions organiser, currently , Laura De Silva, Chair of MJCA Girls Area, (at lethomlinson@gmail.com or on 07714865911) as soon as possible, and in any event within 24 hours, after the match has been played.
6. Results of all Area Cup and League Play-off matches must also be notified to your Area Chair as soon as possible, and in any event within 24 hours, after the match has been played. Failure to do so may mean elimination from the competition.
Arranging Cup and League Knockout matches
1. All league fixtures and first game Cup ties will be struck at Area fixture meetings.
2. Subsequent MJCA Cup or knock-out matches will be advised to the competing teams as soon as possible.
  1. Within 48 hours of the fixture being advised, the Home team shall offer the Away team 2 midweek dates, which must be in different weeks where time allows. The dates must be within the published timescale but must not include dates where the Away team has an arranged game in that age group shown on the MJCA Play-Cricket website. Dates offered must not be within 36 hours of the offer. A weekend date can be arranged only if BOTH teams agree.
  2. If the Home team fails to offer dates within the above criteria then the venue may switch and, subject to the approval of the competition organiser, the previously Away team may then have the option to offer the location and dates.
  3. The Away team should advise the Home team of the date being accepted within 24 hours of the offer.
  4. The competition organiser should be advised of dates offered, accepted and agreed and the result of the match promptly once it has been played.
  5. The enforcement of these rules is subject to the discretion of the competition organiser, who may decide that the offending club should forfeit the match for non-compliance.
3. For matches in the County Cup or County League Knockout competitions, up to and including the semi-final stage, the MJCA Cricket Committee recommends that a grass pitch is used. However, if a non-turf pitch is to be used, the Home team must stipulate this, ideally when the match is arranged, and, if not then, as soon as possible thereafter and, in any event, at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled time for the match. If adequate notice is not provided, the competition organiser may decide to switch the Home advantage for the match. In all County Cup and League Knockout Finals, a grass wicket shall be used, unless both teams agree otherwise.
4. If a Cup or Knockout fixture is unable to be completed due to bad weather or ground conditions, both teams shall try to arrange a new date, switching venues if necessary. In this event, the Clubs should, within 48 hours, seek to agree a new date for the fixture. If no agreement is reached within 48 hours, the process, as set out in clause 16.2 above, should re-commence. The Competition organiser may, at their discretion and if time allows, agree a short extension of time to the play-by date to facilitate completion of the fixture. If a match cannot be completed then a bowl-out may take place to decide the match.
  Bowl-out: Five players from each team are nominated to bowl alternatively at a set of stumps in two rounds of five —the team scoring most hits is the winner—in the event of a tie the same players shall bowl again in the same order on a sudden death basis until a winner is established.
5. Any Knockout match not completed by either playing or a bowl-out, shall be decided by the toss of a coin.
Boys Area League Play-offs
1. For U10, U11 and U13 the Boys Area league season must produce Area winners by 13th July 2025. In the divisions where there are Play-off matches at each age group in each Area between the winners of Division 2, who will be away to the second placed team in Division 1, the leagues must complete no later than the 6th of July 2025.
2. For U12, U14, and U15 the Boys Area league season must produce Area winners by 20th July 2025. In the divisions where there are Play-off matches at each age group in each Area between the winners of Division 2, who will be away to the second placed team in Division 1, the leagues must complete no later than the 13th of July 2025.
3. If there is a tie for any place in any Division, the higher placed team for that division will be decided by
  1. The winner of most points in head to head matches
  2. The highest average runs per wicket (runs scored / wickets lost) in the head to head matches.
4. The winners of each Boys Area Division One and each Boys Area Play-off, at each age group, qualify for the Boys County League Play-Offs. If there is no Boys Area Play-off, i.e. where there is no Division 2, the top 2 teams in Division One will qualify for the Boys County League Play-offs. The draws for the Boys County League Play-offs are shown on the relevant page on the MJCA Play-Cricket website with the qualifying teams referred to as “East 1” or “West 1” or “South 1” etc., as appropriate. This rule is subject to 3 provisos:
  1. Only ‘A’ teams may qualify for the Boys County League Play-Offs.
  2. If there are 4 or less teams in the Area Division 1 at any Age group, only 1 team from that Area Age group may qualify for the Boys County League Play-Offs
  3. If a B team win Division 2 then the runners up in Division 1 will qualify as Area 2 and no play off will be necessary.

County League Knockout and County Cup Matches

Details of the dates and venues of the Boys County League Knockout Finals in 2025 are as follows:

Age Group	Date	Venue
U10	Sunday 17th August 2025 – 10 30 am	Ealing Cricket Club
U11	Sunday 10th August 2025 – 11 am	Teddington Cricket Club
U12	Sunday 7th September 2025 – 11 am	Sunbury Cricket Club
U13	Sunday 10th August 2025 – 2 pm	Teddington Cricket Club
U14	Monday 25th August 2025 – 11 am	Bushy Park Cricket Club
U15	Sunday 7th September 2025 – 2 pm	Sunbury Cricket Club
U17 Premier League	Monday 25th August 2025 – 2 pm	Bushy Park Cricket Club
U17 Championship League	Sunday 31st August 2025 – 2 pm	Winchmore Hill Cricket Club

Details of the dates and venues of the Boys County Cup Finals are as follows:

Age Group	Date	Venue
U11	Sunday 2nd August 2025 – 11 am	Wembley Cricket Club
U13	by Sunday 29th June 2025	Home side as per draw
U15	by Sunday 29th June 2025	Home side as per draw
U17	Sunday 2nd August 2025 – 2 pm	Wembley Cricket Club

Details of the dates and venues of the Girls County League Knockout Finals are as follows:

Age Group	Date	Venue
U10 Softball	No Final. Each Division has a winner	N/A
U11 Hardball	Sunday 20th July 2025 – 3 30 pm	Highgate Cricket Club
U12 Softball	Sunday 20th July 2025 – 1 pm	Highgate Cricket Club
U13 Hardball	Sunday 20th July 2025 – 9 30 am	Highgate Cricket Club
U15 Hardball	Sunday 27th July 2025 – 9 30 am	Highgate Cricket Club
U17 Hardball	No Final, as there is only one Division	N/A

Details of the dates and venues of the Girls County Cup Finals are as follows:

Age Group	Date	Venue
U11 Hardball	TBC – Play by Sunday 14th September 2025	Home side as per draw
U13 Hardball	TBC – Play by Sunday 14th September 2025	Home side as per draw
U15 Hardball	TBC – Play by Sunday 14th September 2025	Home side as per draw

There are no Cup competitions for the Boys U10, U12 and U14 age groups, nor for the Girls U10, U12 and U17 age groups.
MJCA will provide independent umpires for the County League Play-off and County Cup Finals. MJCA strongly recommends Clubs provide qualified umpires for all County League Knockout and County Cup matches.
For all County League Knockout and County Cup matches where qualified umpires are officiating, fielding restrictions should be in operation. This would involve a maximum of 2 fielders only outside a fielding circle in the first 6 overs and thereafter a maximum of 5 fielders should be outside the fielding circle. In the event that the number of overs in the match is reduced, the umpires should decide whether these limits should be adjusted. The fielding circle would vary depending on different age groups as follows;
1. U14 and above – 30 yards
2. U12/U13 – 25 yards
3. U11 and below – 20 yards
A new hard cricket ball should be used ln each innings of all Boys County Cup and League Playoff Finals and in Girls Hardball County Finals

Coaching during matches
1. In matches involving age groups U13 – U17, umpires, coaches and match managers shall not give advice or instruction to any player who is on the field of play.
2. At younger age groups, any intervention by umpires, coaches and team managers should be limited according to the age group:
  1. U11/U12 age groups – Limited to guidance to the captains, perhaps no more than once per over, and only at the end of the over, avoiding a situation where all or most of the decisions are being made by the umpires, coaches or match managers.
  2. Younger age groups – A greater degree of intervention may be appropriate but with an emphasis on encouraging/assisting players rather than parents making decisions independently of players
3. In all matches, spectators, other than umpires, coaches and/or match managers, should not give advice or instructions to any player who is on the field of play.
Non Striker Run out Leaving his/her crease early

MJCA do not want this act of dismissal becoming prevalent in our cricket matches. Therefore the following rules will be adopted for MJCA matches:
1. Should a bowler attempt to run out a batter in this manner, then a warning to the batter concerned must be given before a run out can take place. Should a run out be requested before a warning, the umpire should call dead ball.
2. It is also suggested that umpires keep an eye on batters who leave their ground early and warn them that they may be liable to be run out should it continue. Such a warning by an umpire would constitute a warning for the purposes of 20.1 above.
Other
1. Where there is only one Division in an Age group, that division will be regarded as Division 1. The U17 Championship League will be regarded as Division 1 for the purposes of these rules.
2. Clubs are encouraged to report any instances of non-compliance with MJCA rules, in particular in relation to a lack of umpires, scorers or responsible adults, or behaviour not consistent with the Laws of Cricket and/or the Spirit of Cricket to their Area Chairman or the Chairman of the MJCA Cricket Committee.
3. The MJCA Cricket Committee reserves the right to impose such sanctions on Clubs as it sees as appropriate for any breaches of the MJCA rules.
4. In the event that a Club wishes to appeal a decision made by an Area Chair and/or a Competition organiser, they may do so by contacting the Chair of the MJCA Cricket Committee by email. Such an appeal should be lodged as soon as possible after the decision which is being appealed has been communicated to a Club and in any event must be received by the Chair of the MJCA Cricket Committee no later than 7 days after the decision which is being appealed has been communicated to a Club.
  The procedure for the conduct of an appeal will be as determined by the Chair of the MJCA Cricket Committee, who shall be responsible for ensuring that the conduct of any appeal is fair and that the MJCA Outdoor Competition rules are applied consistently.
5. No plastic bats should be used in MJCA Boys matches.
6. The Laws of Cricket related to bat sizes (Law 5), deliberately distracting, deceiving or obstructing batters (Law 41.5) and the yellow and red card provisions related to player conduct (Law 42) shall not apply to MJCA competitions.
7. The Victor Ludorum Trophy is awarded annually to the overall most successful club entering MJCA League and Cup competitions. The winner is decided by a points system for progression in each competition. Results will be considered in the U10, U11, U12, U13, U14, U15 and U17 Boys and Girls Cup and League competitions.