The Action Grade is intended for teams of young or novice players and is restricted to teams consisting of any players (girls or boys) up to Standard 2. It is especially aimed at players moving up from Midget Cricket.

A School or Club can only enter a team into Action Grade if they also have a Junior Grade team in the competition.

The Season commences in February (normally the second weekend after schools open), and concludes in December on the weekend before schools close.

Matches are one (1) innings each. Innings are limited by overs. Each match is of two hours fifteen minutes duration. Each innings is twenty (20) overs.

There is no compulsory declaration in this grade. Note however that the match must end by 11.15 am.

There shall be six (6) balls per over.

Each team shall have 10 players.

Recommended length of pitches for Action and Juniors is eighteen (18) metres. On full size (20.12m) pitches, it is recommended that some tape be placed as a bowling crease about two (2) metres in front of the batting crease.

Each player shall bowl two (2) overs (making a 20 over innings).

Only two (2) wides in each over will be counted as runs to the batting side. No extra balls are to be bowled when wide balls have been called.

If the bowler bowls the ball so high over or so wide of the wicket that, in the opinion of the umpire it passes out of reach of the striker, standing in a normal guard position, the umpire shall call and signal ‘wide ball’ as soon as it has passed the line of the striker’s wicket.

The umpire shall not adjudge a ball as being wide if:

a) the striker, by moving from his guard position, causes the

ball to pass out of his reach.

b) the striker moves and thus brings the ball within his reach.

NOTE: This is the Law in ordinary cricket. The TV one day cricket rule for leg side or height does NOT apply.

No Balls shall NOT be called.

Action Grade bowlers are to be encouraged to concentrate on their bowling action, rather than the position of their feet in relation to the crease. If a bowler has trouble reaching the batter, the umpire is to allow the bowler to bowl from a closer distance.

The LBW law is NOT applied.

The ONLY players allowed within ten (10) metres of the batsman are the wicket keeper and slips fielders. (This is a New Zealand Cricket Council recommendation for Under 16 Grades and below.)

The rule IS TO BE STRICTLY OBSERVED in the interests of safety for the children.

Players bat in pairs, each pair batting for four (4) overs.

Full protective gear must be worn, including pads and gloves. A box is recommended.

Players must wear a minimum of one facing pad (R/H players shall pad the left leg, L/H players pad Right Leg.) Players must wear full batting gloves – 2 gloves each.

The score starts with 100 runs.

Runs are added as in ordinary cricket.

Five (5) runs are deducted for each wicket.

The team with the highest score is the winner.

If the score is exactly tied at the end of the match, the result is a tie.

Points are not awarded as this is not a Championship grade.

However, teams are encouraged to send in results sheets, so that the Committee can watch your progress.

With each team expected to bowl twenty overs per hour a drinks interval should be take at the changeover of innings.