Event Information
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 a Development Competition and Borough Championships level event.
- On the initial booking date, schools may enter either a Borough Championship or a Development Competition within each sport category.
- If an event reaches capacity, schools will be placed on a waiting list and advised accordingly. MSSP will contact schools if places become available in the lead up to the event.
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.
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.
Progression 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
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.
MSSP Duty of Care
At Merton School Sport Partnership, the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of every participant is our highest priority. Our Duty of Care framework outlines the measures we take to ensure all events are safe, enjoyable and accessible, covering key areas including safeguarding, health and safety, equality, diversity and inclusion, risk assessments, medical provision, codes of conduct, photography and data protection.
We ask all schools, staff, volunteers and participants to familiarise themselves with these expectations before attending MSSP events.
For full details, please download the MSSP Duty of Care document or visit the relevant section of our website HERE for further guidance, policies and event information.