It is good to be back in a sports hall again, following a highly successful season last year. 

You will have seen the affects for both internal reviews and information coming to us from the independent ICEC Report on the current provision of cricket in this country; as a result, we feel certain changes need to be made for the coming 2024 season in our Boys County Age Group (CAG) cricket programme. 

The first change is to start County Age Group cricket at U13 and not U12 as was previously the case. This is due to the ICEC Report and pre-empting changes that we are expecting from the ECB, but we also feel that it is having a negative effect on the players. The fact that they have to play First Class counties and, in the main, struggle to cope is of no benefit for the players. 

That being said, we are currently working with surrounding counties to find something for the U12s to fill this gap in their development. We hope the format will be able to communicated  to you early in the new year and will serve to better prepare them for CAG cricket the following year at U13s level.

We have skill-based training prior to Christmas, rather than the traditional age group CAG coaching. This will revert into age group coaching in the new year. 

All the staff on the Cumbria Cricket Pathway Programme wish you a festive Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

If you have any questions about these changes, please contact me on David.Fallows@CumbriaCricket.co.uk