Why junior fast bowlers have limits
Fast bowling places repeated high loads on a growing body. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) publishes Fast Bowling Match Directives that cap how much young fast bowlers bowl in matches, and asks captains, team managers and umpires to make sure they are followed. This page is a plain-English summary of the ECB directives document published on the ECB website (2020 edition), checked on 15 October 2026. It applies to cricket in England and Wales. Your league, school or county competition may publish its own version or additional rules, so check its current handbook as well. Read the source: ECB Fast Bowling Match Directives (PDF).
Maximum overs per spell and per day
| Age group | Max. overs per spell | Max. overs per day |
|---|---|---|
| Up to Under 13 | 5 | 10 |
| Under 14 and Under 15 | 6 | 12 |
| Under 16, 17, 18 and 19 | 7 | 18 |
Age groups are based on the player's age at midnight on 31 August in the year before the current season. A fast bowler is one to whom a wicketkeeper of the same age group would normally stand back.
Rest between spells
- After a spell: the bowler cannot bowl again from either end until the same number of overs as the spell has been bowled from that end.
- Changing ends: a bowler can change ends without ending the spell only by bowling the next over they legally can from the other end. Otherwise the spell is over.
- Interruptions under 40 minutes: a spell in progress can continue afterwards, up to the spell maximum. If it is not continued, the normal rest rule applies.
- Interruptions of 40 minutes or more: scheduled or not, the bowler can start a new spell straight away.
- Short-format matches: in matches of 20 overs or fewer per team where competition rules already limit each bowler to no more than the spell maximum (for example 4 overs each), those overs can be bowled at any time in the innings.
Switching to spin
Once a bowler covered by the directives has bowled in a match, the daily maximum for their age group still applies even if they later bowl spin. A bowler can exceed the spell maximum while bowling spin, but cannot go back to fast bowling until the equivalent rest overs have been bowled from the same end. If they bowl spin without exceeding the spell maximum, the limit applies again as soon as they return to fast bowling.
Weekly guidance
The ECB recommends, as guidance rather than a match rule, that in any 7-day period a fast bowler should not bowl on more than 4 days, and on no more than 2 days in a row. Parents can help by keeping a simple record of club, school, county and net bowling, because a young bowler may play for several teams in the same week.
How this fits with coaching
The directives limit how much a young fast bowler bowls; they do not describe how to bowl. Private sessions can work on a repeatable run-up and action at sensible intensity, and should take account of the bowler's recent match and school workload. Pain or recurring discomfort should be assessed by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional, not bowled through. See fast bowling coaching in London, how to bowl faster in cricket and junior cricket coaching. For protective equipment rules, read junior helmet and kit rules.
Sources
- England and Wales Cricket Board, ECB Fast Bowling Match Directives (2020 document on the ECB website), checked 15 October 2026.