Cricket clubs and coaching organisations throughout the York area are anxiously awaiting a directive from the Yorkshire Cricket Board over the ECB ruling that all batsmen under 18 should wear protective helmets unless they have a written disclaimer from their parents.

The YCB are currently deciding on a uniform policy which they will pass on to clubs and schools around the county, but there is a fear that the cost of providing helmets could be prohibitive for some clubs while there is also a danger of youngsters being unable to afford to play the game if they have to supply their own headgear.

YCB joint secretary Chris Hassell, who is also Yorkshire's chief executive, said that the Board would come to a decision over what action to take after studying legal advice on what was a complex issue.

The Board were examining all aspects of the ECB ruling, including the possible wording of a parental disclaimer, before settling on a uniform policy.

Until then, helmets are not being made compulsory for young cricketers attending coaching sessions or playing in matches at Headingley's indoor cricket school which is run jointly by Yorkshire CCC and Leeds City Council.

Former Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire bowler Mike Bore, who is Headingley Cricket School manager and county cricket youth development officer, said: "So far as the school is concerned we have received no information whatsoever from the ECB and are awaiting guidance from the YCB over what we should do.

"The YCB will be looking at the possibility of issuing a disclaimer for parents to sign but it's a difficult problem with many issues at stake.

"It may be that an attempt will be made to put the onus on parents to provide headgear for their children, just as they presently do with other protective equipment, but this additional cost of around £40 could put the game beyond some youngsters.

"It will be an expensive business for all concerned. There are three different sizes of helmet and here at the indoor school we run eight lanes. If we had to provide two helmets of each size for each lane that would mean stocking 48 helmets and that could cost up to £3,000 which is extra money we just do not have.

"Then there is the question of whether it is healthy for children to run the risk of picking up nits or other skin complaints through having to share headgear.

"The YCB are currently developing schemes for promoting cricket in secondary schools but this directive may take the game beyond the financial means of some schools."

Bore said that if helmets were compulsory without a parental disclaimer it could place umpires in the almost impossible position of having to check every young batsman as he went to the crease.

"Umpires already have to know the age of bowlers because of the limits imposed on the number of overs they can bowl, and it would an extra burden for them to have to determine if a batsman without a helmet is in possession of a parental disclaimer."

Bore stressed that helmets were required only for hard ball cricket which meant that cricket programmes in junior schools would be unaffected.

Qualified cricket coach Mike Kilmartin, a teacher at Our Lady's Primary School in York, set up a Primary Schools Kwick Cricket League last year, which is expanding this summer.

"That isn't likely to be affected by the helmet ruling because the balls are softer," he said. "But the representative sides picked from that league may well be.

"It will have an affect in money terms. Schools cannot afford the equipment for normal cricket as it is, which is why Kwick Cricket has become so popular.

"The need for expensive equipment might put one or two schools off. I know the budget at my school wouldn't to cover it."

Advice on its way

English Cricket Board coach Ralph Middlebrook is to bring his expertise to York.

The former Yorkshire School of Excellence manager, who is now working as an independent consultant, will be at Burnholme Community College on Thursday, March 9, between 6pm and 8pm, to give advice to local cricket coaches, prospective coaches, players, parents and school teachers.

The session will see Middlebrook putting 20 youngsters through their paces and impart ideas on coaching techniques to those who attend. He will also be available for an hour after the session to answer individual questions.

For more information contact Bob Harrison on 01904-683288.The York and District Cricket Coaches Association hold their annual general meeting at York CC's Clifton Park home on March 2 at 8.30pm.

Old and new members are welcome and further details are available from the secretary, Mike Pickering, on 01904-634564.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.