Cricket Australia will implement a new junior pathway for young cricketers with alterations to the existing format designed to cater for the physical capabilities of young players.
The St George District Cricket Association will use the initiative to ensure less wides and no balls are bowled as well as more wickets taken and boundaries hit with the Sutherland Shire Junior Cricket Association to also implement the revamp through a similar format for its junior competition.
Successfully trialled by 171 clubs across Australia last season, the move has been flagged to address unrealistic expectations placed on kids including large boundaries and full size pitches.
The formats will occur in two stages with stage one consisting of under-11s fielding seven players on a 16-metre pitch and a 40m boundary.
Stage two involves under-13s with teams to field nine players on an 18m pitch and a 45m boundary.
“Developed, tested and trialled over the past three seasons, the formats have been created so there are more balls in play,” Cricket ACT chief executive Cameron French said.
“Wides are no longer the top scorer in junior cricket and there is more action, more runs, more wickets and a lot more fun.”