Both competitions will be held on the same day. Please indicate in the comments box – your team’s preferred event – Championships or Development – MSSP will group teams according to locality and event capacity as well as considering preference requests.
Booking
- This is both a Borough Championships and Development Competition event day.
- Schools may enter either on the initial booking date of:
- Monday 15th September 2025 at 5pm
- If an event is full, schools will be placed on a waiting list and be notified of this.
- Per event – MSSP will place schools upon locality and request per school.
- MSSP will contact schools should places become available in the build-up to events.
Event Eligibility
- Please consider the most appropriate event for your pupils to attend before registering as you may only be able to take part in one event if entrees exceed capacity.
- Schools cannot select the same pupils for the Development Competition and the Borough Championships. On this occasion, they will be playing at the same time.
Team Eligibility
- Age: Year 5/6
- Girls only
- Squad Size: 8-a–side with a maximum squad of 10
- 2 teams – Champ and Dev – permitted upon request and dependant on capacity.
Kit & Equipment
- All schools MUST provide their own First Aid Kit and first aid qualified member of staff.
- Please provide own warm up bats and balls.
- Plastic Kwik Cricket bats will be the only bats permitted. No wooden bats permitted.
- Match balls are provided.
- Wicket keeping gloves are permitted. Pads are not permitted.
- Players of the same team should wear the same colour tops/bibs.
- No jewellery, baseball caps etc. It is advised that if eyewear is essential, it should be made from plastic rather than glass.
Staffing and Spectators
Staffing and Spectators – IMPORTANT INFORMATION
- Due to a range of safeguarding concerns, spectators will not be permitted entry at any MSSP events as of 8th October 2025.
- Primary schools must inform parents in advance when inviting students to take part.
- All staff attending the event must have enhanced DBS clearance and have been fully vetted by their primary school.
- DBS numbers, full name and school photo ID will be required in advance by the host school for events on school sites.
- Upon arrival, all staff members must sign a Code of Conduct form to confirm their intent to support the safeguarding of children at MSSP events.
- Staff must complete a team-sheet ready for registration.
- Staff may be asked to keep score during the games.
Rules
Batting and Scoring
- One innings per team, each inning to be 8 overs long (4 balls in an over).
- Batting team bat in pairs who each face 2 x 4 ball overs.
- Each time a batter is out, 5 runs are added to the fielding team score and the other batter faces the next ball.
- A batter may be out bowled, caught, run out, stumped and hit wicket.
- There is no LBW unless the batter deliberately prevents the ball from hitting the stumps using their leg or foot.
- Runs will be scored in the normal way.
- 2 runs awarded to the batting team for each no-ball and wide bowled but no extra ball.
- Following a ‘no ball’ or ‘wide’, the batter receives a ‘free hit’ from a batting tee which is positioned to the side of the stumps.
- Any runs scored are added to the total for that delivery e.g. 2 runs from the wide and 1 run from the ‘free hit’ will count for 3 runs.
- Batters will have 3 seconds to take their ‘free hit’ and must hit in front of the square.
- Batters can score as normal from no balls (e.g. 2 runs + whatever is scored).
Bowling and Fielding
- Each player on the fielding side must bowl one over of 4 balls.
- Bowling takes place from one end.
- Bowling should be over-arm where possible. (can bounce twice before the stumps)
- Under-arm deliveries must only bounce once.
- Apart from the wicketkeeper, no fielder is allowed within 10 yards of the batter until the ball is hit.
- ALL no balls or wides are +2.
Competition Format
- Points awarded are: 3 for a win and 0 for a loss.
- The team with the higher run score wins.
- In the event of a tie the team that takes more wickets wins. If still tied, umpires should conduct a no-ball countback.
- If still tied each player bowls 1 ball at the wickets (no batter) and the team scoring the higher number of wickets is the winner.
- Group placing determined by: points accrued, overall runs scored, least runs conceded, most wickets taken, head to head result (if 2 teams), toss of a coin.
- For supporting cricket in your school please visit http://www.surreycricketfoundation.org/page/schools-83/
Draw Format
- Round robin groups. All teams will be randomly drawn and will progress to a second stage of knockout competition according to their placement in the first round.
Awards
- 1st GOLD medals and team trophy
- 2nd SILVER medals and certificates
- 3rd BRONZE medals and certificates
- Participation certificates will be presented to all.
- REFSPECT certificate.
Results
- Results and event report will be available on the news webpage within 24 hours of the event ending.
Winner’s Pathway
- The winners will represent Merton at EITHER the Surrey Finals OR London Youth Games Finals.
- The Runners-up will be awarded the chance to represent at the remaining competition.
- Date details TBC
First Aid
MSSP will have a basic first aid kit and qualified person at all events but will not be available to tend to less urgent first aid, as they will be delivering the event. As part of the school’s risk assessment a qualified first aider should always be with the school team (including travel) to tend to their children during the event.
Team-sheets
To help us support our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion aims, all school teams must complete and submit the attached MSSP Event Entry – EDI Team sheet to register for this event. We do not require the children’s names, just initials or first names are fine. This data is vital to help us improve equity and access for all. We want all Merton students to be able to represent their schools in activities they enjoy and, in an environment, where they feel a sense of belonging. The data you provide us will help us to review and improve our offer as we strive to achieve this.
Risk Assessments
Please see the Risk Assessment in the ‘Resources’ section on the event webpage for event specific planning and considerations.
mertonssp.org.uk/competitions
REFSPECT
MSSP values the contributions by all those involved in making our events a FUN, safe and enjoyable environment for children to take part in sport. To ensure our events continue to be successful we promote our REFSPECT campaign. We expect everyone attending our events to maintain respect for the rules, officials, opponents, teammates and themselves. Only designated staff and volunteers will be allowed on the side-lines.
If any staff, adults or children are deemed to be in breach of our REFSPECT codes of conduct they will be asked to leave the event, and the Head Teacher of the relevant school will be informed immediately.
For more information about REFSPECT and codes of conduct for attendance at our events, please click here
mertonssp.org.uk/refspect
Photo Consent
Photographs will be taken at this event by staff members from MSSP and may be used for promotional material. If you have any children that do not have permission to be photographed, please inform a member of staff before the start of the event.
Please ensure your school only take photographs of their own students and do not share any photos of other children on social media without consent from that school.
Social Media
For information and updates from our events, please follow and use the platforms below:
Email: info@mertonssp.org.uk
Instagram: instagram.com/mertonssp
MSSP Duty of Care
MSSP have a duty to take all measures that are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure the health, safety, wellbeing and welfare of all participants and any other attendees involved in the relevant event. MSSP have tried to ensure that all reasonable steps have been taken in its duty of care being discharged, and to the requisite standard of care, MSSP have ensured the following guidance and actions have been adhered to and carried out:
That the advice of the UK Government and public health authorities has been followed
That the bespoke guidance and protocols issued by the relevant NGB, federation and/or umbrella organisation (if applicable) have been followed.
Safeguarding and DBS
MSSP acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and the requirements of the Partnership’s host organisation, the Harris Federation.
We recognise that the welfare and interests of children are paramount in all circumstances. We aim to ensure that regardless of age, ability or disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation, socio-economic background, all children and young leaders:
have a positive and enjoyable experience of sport or physical activity at MSSP events in a safe and child centred environment are protected from abuse whilst participating or officiating at MSSP events.
All MSSP staff at the event are fully vetted and enhanced DBS checked. It is the schools’ responsibility to ensure any staff and volunteers who attend the event comply with the host venue safeguarding and welfare policy and can provide documentation to support this on request.
If you have any concerns about a child at our event, please make sure you say something. The MSSP safeguarding team contact details will be on display at all events or for more information on who to speak to please click here
mertonssp.org.uk/contact
Comments, Compliments and Complaints
MSSP aims to deliver a first-class service to all its stakeholders. We see all feedback, whether good or bad, as a valuable way for us to learn and improve. Therefore, we welcome all comments, compliments and complaints. For further details, please click here
mertonssp.org.uk/comments-compliments-and-complaints