Teams Information

Vintage Cricket is competitive fun cricket. All games are played to the best of players current age, agility, ability and experience.

The organisers endeavour to grade teams according to age brackets and estimates of teams playing ability. We ask teams to advice of their pre-dominant age group and their current playing strength. We are flexible on the age brackets and will allow players to play outside their age brackets provided they do not use their youth if that is what it is, as an advantage on the playing field. Our main concern is that players play within the spirit of Vintage Cricket and do not treat matches as Test Matches.

The objective of Vintage Cricket is to ensure that all teams and all players and officials have the opportunity to participate and to enjoy their Vintage Cricket Cotswolds experience to the maximum. We play the Laws of Cricket whereby the LBW rule applies and there are no free hits to get off the mark.

We are relaxed on the wide rule and do not apply strict One Day International wide rules otherwise we would have some quite long overs. Wides will be called but perhaps not with the enthusiasm that they are called in One Day cricket.

We encourage batsmen to retire at 30 with an option to "recycle" at the final dismissal in the innings. We require run-ups for bowlers to be no more than 8 metres for the older teams and no more than 12 metres for the younger teams. We require a maximum of 8 overs per bowler and a minimum of 6 overs to be used per innings.

We require teams to be properly attired and to respect the standards and traditions of our great games. Coloured shirts as a part of a team kit are permitted but otherwise a good standard of cricketing dress is requested-out of respect for the team's opposition and for the host clubs.

We suggest teams bring their own kits though stumps, bails and balls will be supplied. Score sheets will also be supplied and we expect to have official umpires for all fixtures.

The age brackets we suggest are: 35 years to 50 years-players older than 50 are welcome to take part in these teams if they wish. We do not encourage players under the age of 35 but may on special application accept one or maybe two for teams wishing to make up numbers. Such players must play in the spirit of Vintage Cricket or face the wrath of our umpires who will be well-versed in the spirit and requirements of Vintage.

45 years up-one or two players younger than 45 may be permitted to play in this age bracket if they are necessary to complete team numbers but again they must play within the spirit and intent of Vintage Cricket.

We encourage teams to advise of their age bracket beyond the above gradings so that we can do our best to ensure they play against teams and players of like age, similar skills and appropriate aspirations. Vintage Cricket encourages winning of matches but not at all costs.

We also trust players to be as fair as possible in assessing age brackets. We will not be asking for birth certificates or passports but we will insist that all participants at least regularly shave.

The ability gradings we suggest are: Competitive-for the younger teams particularly those who are still playing regularly in competitive leagues. Competitive is a very subjective term and teams are encouraged to consider carefully the consequences of being misplaced in the so-called Competitive Grade.

Semi-competitive-always a popular choice for teams and players that play quite regularly but not necessarily in competitive leagues. Generally this is a good standard of cricket but not quite as energetic as the competitive teams. Plenty of good competition and fun.
Once Were Competitive-for the slightly older teams who still know what the skills required actually are but have a little more difficulty applying them or need a bit more time in execution. A popular grade for some of the teams who can still play a good game but suffer from weariness in the field a little sooner than some others.
Social-teams that play to the best of their ability but are really perhaps not as regular players and are not quite as experienced as some of the others. Again a popular grade where the enjoyment of the game, the camaraderie between teams, the afternoon teas and the post match drinks are to the fore.
Teams are asked to be realistic and to self-select their grade bearing in mind this is not a Championship, there are no Carnival Winners and the games are intended to be competitive fun between teams from all parts of the cricketing world. We expect all matches to be played to be the best of each players and teams ability and have no doubt teams will celebrate victories but the self-assessment process is important to ensure all teams have an enjoyable cricketing experience.
Having ploughed your way through that or not please feel free to register your team for the 4th World Vintage Cricket Carnival to be held at Stratford upon Avon in August 10th to 17th, 2008.