Junior Fast Bowling Limits (ECB Overs per Spell and Day)
Also known as: how many overs can an under 13 bowl, junior fast bowling directives, fast bowling regulations juniors, ecb fast bowling limits, overs per spell for juniors, junior bowling restrictions
In England and Wales, a fast bowler aged 12 or 13 may bowl at most 5 overs per spell and 10 overs per day in hard-ball cricket. Bowlers aged 11 and under may bowl 4 overs per spell and 8 per day. The limits go by the bowler's age, not the age group of the match.
These limits come from the ECB's Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations. They apply to fast bowlers aged 19 and under in hard-ball cricket, outside academy and pathway programmes. The full table is 4 and 8 overs for 11 and under, and 5 and 10 for ages 12 and 13. It is 5 and 12 for 14 and 15, 6 and 15 for 16 and 17, and 7 and 18 for 18 and 19.
After a spell, the bowler must rest until the same number of overs have been bowled from that end. Once a player bowls one ball at high intensity, they count as a fast bowler. A 13-year-old in an under-15 match still follows the 13-year-old limits.
The ECB's guidelines add weekly targets. For ages 12 and 13 they suggest 16 to 20 overs a week, with rest days after bowling. Other countries set their own rules, so check with your national body or league.
Tips by skill level
Keep a simple log of the overs you bowl in matches and training each week. Share it with your coach.
If a player is in a growth spurt, the ECB guidelines suggest following the age group below for weekly workload.
Example
A 13-year-old opening bowler bowls a 5-over spell. He then rests for 5 overs from that end and bowls one more spell of 5 to finish on 10 for the day.
Why it matters
Young bones are still developing and fast bowling loads the lower back heavily. The limits exist to cut the risk of serious injury.
Common mistakes
- Using the match age group instead of the bowler's own age
- Not counting high-intensity overs bowled in training
- Letting a fast bowler switch to spin to bowl past the daily limit
- Assuming the ECB limits apply outside England and Wales
Frequently asked questions
How many overs can an under 13 bowl?
Under ECB regulations, a fast bowler aged 12 or 13 may bowl 5 overs per spell and 10 per day. Aged 11 and under, it is 4 per spell and 8 per day.
Do the fast bowling limits apply to spinners?
The limits are for fast bowlers. But once a player bowls one ball at high intensity, they count as a fast bowler and must keep to the limits.
How long must a junior fast bowler rest between spells?
Until the same number of overs as their spell have been bowled from the same end. A 5-over spell means 5 overs of rest from that end.
Sources
- ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Regulations (Dec 2025 update), Regulation 5.1 (Fast Bowling: scope, rest between spells, age not match level, one high-intensity ball), p. 15; Regulation 5.2.1 (Maximum overs per Spell and per day by age), p. 16
- ECB Recreational Cricket Safety Guidelines (Dec 2025 update), Fast Bowling Guidelines: target overs per week by age and growth-spurt adjustment, p. 6; rest days, p. 7
Related terms
- Junior Cricket PathwayIn England and Wales, young children usually start with All Stars Cricket (ages 5 to 8), then Dynamos Cricket (8 to 11). Junior club cricket for 11 to 16 offers soft-ball and hard-ball options. The age a child moves to a hard ball varies by club and region, and by how ready the child is.
- Fast Bowling Workload and Back Stress FracturesFast bowlers get stress fractures because every delivery puts a big load through the lower back while it bends and twists. Bowling too many overs in a short spell of days, or returning after a break too quickly, can crack bone faster than it heals. Young bowlers, especially in a growth spurt, are at the highest risk.
- Over and Maiden OverAn over is a set of six valid balls bowled by one bowler from one end. Wides and no balls do not count toward the six, so an over can contain more than six deliveries. A maiden over is an over in which no runs are charged to the bowler. Byes and leg byes do not spoil a maiden, but a run off the bat, a wide or a no ball does.
- Laws of Cricket vs Playing Conditions (Who Makes the Rules)Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) writes the Laws of Cricket and is recognised as their sole authority. Leagues and governing bodies then add their own playing conditions on top. The ICC's playing conditions run international cricket, so Tests, ODIs and T20Is can differ from the Laws in places.
- Seam BowlingSeam bowling is a style of pace bowling where the ball is gripped so the seam is upright and the ball lands on the seam. This causes it to deviate unpredictably off the pitch.
Cricket analysis is in development
Motion Lab does not analyze this sport yet. Keep exploring the terms in this section.