Senior Premier Grade Conditions 

This is a Website Summary. The Full Conditions (amended 12th November 2009) should be copied from here by each team and a copy of the scoresheet from here

Grade Manager - Barry Hazeldine - Phone: 356 1991 or 021 0440047 email: hazeldines@hotmail.com

Coaches of teams in this grade should email their contact information to the Grade Manager so that he can be in contact with you during the season if needed. View and print score sheet for this grade using the link on the web page.

Grade Objective

This grade is for the most talented year 8 and some exceptional year 7 players who are also interested in extended playing times and looking to continue at a serious level of cricket into high school. Developing the players in the team is more important than the result but some degree of specialisation is expected.

Coaches are to ensure that by the end of each half season, players have had an equal opportunity to display the skills that warranted their selection into the team. Some rotation of the batting order is required, as stipulated in the batting section, and key bowlers should share the opening overs. We do not want players just being given the chance to display one skill, all should bat in the top 5 more than once and all should bowl a reasonable number of overs throughout each half season. Whilst a side may have a ‘specialist’ wicket keeper, we would also want others in the team to be given a chance to keep and the ‘keeper’ to bowl and have a chance to field elsewhere.

As coaches, we simply ask that common sense is applied with a view to developing every player in your team throughout the season. Given the chance, players can and do surprise us on a regular basis. Please give them a chance to do just that.

In order to assist the Grade Manager in Representative team selection and confirm that rotation is being applied as we wish, ALL teams are to email him the top 6 batters names and score and the first 5 bowlers used basic analysis, by the end of the weekend after each match (whether fully completed or not). Please email me before the season starts to confirm who will be sending these details in.

Rules re players who can take part

This grade is for club and school players in Year 8 at the start of the season in October (these players are then expected to move into the CCA Under 14 grade's after Christmas within a club or school team). Exceptional Year 7 players can also take part. It should not be necessary that players younger than Year 7 should play in this grade. If a club needs to use Year 6 or younger players to make up the team, then they must discuss the reasons why that player should be included with the grade manager and obtain dispensation.

A player starting Year 9 after Christmas who is having difficulty finding a school or club U14 team
should contact Paul O’Brien at Canterbury Cricket 03 363 5093, who is more than happy to help find them a suitable team. Dispensations to these rules are available but always subject to written CJCA agreement viewable to the opposition coach prior to play.

Playing Conditions Summary

• Year 8's & some elite year 7's. (No year 9's or above)  
• 10.30am start
• 10-a-side
• 40 overs per innings - one innings per side
• 30 minute break to be taken between innings
• Max 6 overs per bowler
• Max 4 overs per spell (spinner may bowl 6 in a row)
• Compulsory retirement at the end of the over after scoring 50 or facing 50 legitimate deliveries, whichever occurs first
• Wides and no-balls score 1 run with a max of 2 re-bowled, all re-bowled in the final over of each innings
• 142g leather ball from approved manufacturers
• 45m boundary, where possible

Changes for this season

1. With the introduction of shorter pitch lengths from the 2009/2010 season, the Premier grade will continue on Full Length pitches until Christmas and then move to 18m from the re-commencement in 2010. This enables the current Year 8 players to stay on Full Length, as they are used to and will be playing on in 2010 under U14 rules. Those Year 7 players taking part pre Christmas will need to adapt to the shorter length after Christmas. We hope that this will not affect many as only a few Year 7 players are involved in this grade.
2. The rule for wides and no balls is now the same before and after Christmas. Therefore, a maximum of 2 extra balls can be bowled and 1 penalty run awarded for any wide or no ball bowled. The only exception to this is in the last over of each innings, when all wides and no balls must be re-bowled.
3. The acceptable ball for this grade is still a 142g leather ball but may be from the Kookaburra, Platypus, Dukes or Cambridge ranges.
4. The reference to ‘all players bowling a similar number of overs throughout the season’ and the need for full compulsory batting rotation are removed. However, this does not mean that the concept of all players having an equal opportunity to display their skills has been removed. The coach has the responsibility to ensure that grade objectives are achieved for their team and apply the over restriction on bowlers and need to retire batsmen.
5. Batters must retire after they have faced 50 legitimate deliveries or they have scored 50, whichever occurs first. The retirement should take place at the end of the over in which either of these occurs. This replaces the previous rule regarding the first 3 batters in each order and who is still not out at the end of 20 overs. As before, a retired batter may return once all but one of their teammates has been dismissed or been retired. If more than one is retired then they should go back in based on who retired first initially.
6. All teams are strongly encouraged to take the players out with the adult umpire (say 10 overs at a time with one at each end), so they can experience at first hand, the skills required to umpire. They should be encouraged to make as many decisions and signals as possible BUT MUST seek agreement with the adult umpire before awarding any runs (boundaries or extras) or giving a dismissal. The same applies to the art of scoring, with players taking turns to score a book next to an adult scorer. As year 9 players, they will be expected to do both these jobs by themselves, so this experience will be invaluable to them.
7. The exception for a batter NOT to wear a helmet is removed, so all batters must wear a helmet, as must all wicket keepers when standing up to the stumps.

Full playing conditions and a score sheet are available as pdf documents. All teams should print these off and carry them with them. See the link on this page. If any changes or clarification to these pdf conditions are needed, a clear note will appear in the news section of the home page and on this page. I would also like to email all coaches, so please make sure I have your email and the team that you coach.