Girls Grades

Girls can play in mixed, or girls only teams. Generally, younger girls (Yr 1 – 4) play in mixed teams and as they get older they move into a girl’s teams that play in one of the three girls grades that CJCA offers. There are three girls only grades which cater for ages Yr 4 – 8 (primary/intermediate school age group).

Girls JUNIOR Super 8 targets years 4 – 6 and plays with a soft ball on a 16m pitch playing pairs cricket for 20 over per team (5 overs per pair)

Girls INTERMEDIATE Super 8 targets up to Year 8 and with a soft ball on a 18m pitch playing pairs cricket for 20 overs per team (5 overs per pair) BEFORE CHRISTMAS – as a trial in 2022 after Christmas this grade will transition to Age and Stage rules with a 6 ball grace period and a 30 ball retirement level – team sizes will still remain at 8.

Girls INTERMEDIATE Hardball targets up to Year 8 and plays with a leather ball (dispensation of younger or older girls will be considered) games are 20/20 following normal Age and Stage rules (same as the boys)

STAGE vs AGE in Girls Cricket

The broad range of ages for each grade takes into account the experience and range of abilities typical of a club’s girls only team. There are subtle differences between the grades.

The Girls Junior and Intermediate Super 8s grade plays with a softer ball using pads and helmets but in different length wickets and play pairs cricket. Our Girls Yrs 7/8 Hardball grade provides a competitive hardball grade for experienced and/or talented primary and intermediate players.

Confident younger skilled players may play ahead of their age whereas less experienced older players may also benefit from play in grade younger than their current school year.

Dispensations to play down must be registered with the CJCA prior to playing but players (and their guardians) playing up must accept the responsibility for any risk factors that arise from this.

Pathway through youth and women’s cricket

Beyond our junior grades our girl’s progress to the girl’s Youth grades which is administered by Christchurch Metro Cricket Association.

A female programme flowchart outlines the progression for females in Canterbury is currently being reviewed and will be updated here.

Girls Festivals

The CJCA runs a Spring Festival in November/December and a Festival in February/March each season. Nominations will open and be advertised in September.

We strongly encourage all girls to play in this tournament even if this is your first year of cricket. It is great fun, the girls get to meet and play with other girls from different teams and the games are generally very close because we select four even year 5/6 teams and 4 even year 7/8 teams. They are played on two, or three consecutive Sundays.

If you have friends who are good cricketers but play another sport on a Saturday and would like to play in the tournament then encourage them to nominate themselves, it is also a great opportunity for girls that play in our school competitions to play extra cricket.

The main emphasis is on raising the level of cricket and additional playing opportunities, further inter-districts playing opportunities are also organised from this tournament.

Further playing opportunities

We strongly suggest that you play in these festivals in order to prepare to play in additional Festivals; such as South Island Primary Girls Invitational Festival.

Questions? Please free to contact our Grade manager on [email protected]