ECB Fast Bowling Directive
Extract from ECB leaflet 'Fast Bowling Directives' (2000 Edition, released Jan 2000)
To ensure that young fast bowlers do not place undue stress on their bodies, every attempt must be made to keep the amount of bowling within reasonable limits. The following Directives provide sensible playing and training levels. (For the purposes of these guidelines, a 'fast bowler' is a bowler to whom a wicketkeeper - in the same age group - would stand back to take the ball).
Directives for Matches |
| Age | Max per spell | Max per day |
| U13 | 4 overs | 8 overs |
| U14, U15 | 5 overs | 10 overs |
| U16, U17 | 6 overs | 18 overs |
| U19 | 7 overs | 21 overs |
Directives for Practice Sessions |
| Age | Max per session | Sessions per week |
| U13 | 30 delivs | 2 s per week |
| U14, U15 | 36 delivs | 2 s per week |
| U16, U17 | 37 delivs | 3 s per week |
| U19 | 42 delivs | 3 s per week |
Having completed a spell the bowler cannot bowl again, from either end, until the same number of overs to the length of his* spell have been bowled from the same end. A bowler can change ends without ending his current spell provided that he bowls the next over that he legally can from the other end. If this does not happen his spell is deemed to be concluded. If play is interrupted, for less than 40 minutes, any spell in progress can afterwards be continued up to the appropriate maximum. If the spell is not continued after the interruption, the bowler must wait until the same number of overs as his spell have been bowled from one end. If the interruption is of 40 minutes or more, the bowler may commence a new spell immediately.
* any reference to he/his should be interpreted to include she/her