Club management · Play-Cricket syncGuide · Selection
Cricket club selection policy: a template players trust.
Nothing empties a dressing room faster than a player who thinks selection is a stitch-up. A short, published selection policy settles who picks, when, and on what basis, before anyone has a grievance. Here’s what to include, how three clubs do it, and a template you can adapt tonight.
Why write one down
Every club already has a selection policy. Usually it lives in the 1st XI captain’s head, and it changes depending on who’s asking. Writing it down does three things:
- It protects captains. “That’s the policy” ends a conversation that “that’s my decision” starts.
- It sets expectations. Players know what earns promotion, and why they might drop a team.
- It keeps people playing. Players who feel the process is fair stay, even when they’re not picked.
What a good selection policy covers
- Who selects. A committee of captains, or each captain for their own side, and who has the final say.
- When. The availability deadline, the selection meeting and when sides are published.
- Eligibility. Paid-up members only, registration on Play-Cricket, any league eligibility rules.
- The selection order. 1st XI picks first, then 2nd XI, and so on down.
- The basis for each team. Strongest XI for competitive cricket; development and game time lower down.
- Juniors in adult cricket. Minimum ages, parental consent and who decides readiness.
- Commitments from players. Answering availability on time, confirming selection, accepting any side.
- Feedback and disputes. Who a player talks to, and how.
How three clubs do it
Read on each club’s own page on 15 October 2026.
| Club | Who selects | Basis | Worth copying |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Devon Cricket Club | League captains and vice-captains, meeting on Monday evenings | Strongest available XI for league and cup; friendlies suit the opposition and give game time to members not playing competitively | Only paid-up members can be selected; availability must be in before the Monday meeting |
| Winsley CC | Captains, by team | Top three XIs picked on ability and balance; lower sides picked so everyone gets a game | Promotion and demotion between teams rest on performance or team balance |
| Lancashire Cricket Foundation model policy | A template for recreational clubs to adapt | Fairness, welfare and transparency as principles; selection can weigh attendance, commitment, conduct and development as well as form | Encourages a rounded view rather than picking on performance alone |
The pattern is consistent: competitive sides are picked on strength, lower sides and friendlies are picked to give people cricket, and the rules about deadlines and eligibility are stated up front.
A template to adapt
Copy this into a document, change the bracketed parts, and take it to the committee.
1. Purpose. [Club name] aims to pick its strongest available side in league and cup cricket, and to give every playing member regular cricket across the club’s teams.
2. Selectors. Sides are picked by the captains of [list teams], meeting on [day]. The [1st XI captain / cricket chair] has the final say if they can’t agree.
3. Availability. Players give availability for each match day by [day and time]. Players who haven’t answered by the deadline may not be considered.
4. Order of selection. The 1st XI is picked first, then the 2nd XI, then [other sides]. A player may be asked to play for any team.
5. Eligibility. Only playing members whose subs are paid can be selected. Players with more than [£ amount] in unpaid match fees won’t be selected until it’s settled.
6. Basis. League and cup sides are chosen on form, ability and team balance. [Lower XI / friendlies] are chosen to give games to juniors, newcomers and players not getting regular cricket.
7. Juniors. Juniors play adult cricket in line with [county board] guidance on age and parental consent. The [junior coordinator and captain] decide readiness.
8. Publishing. Sides are published by [day and time]. Selected players confirm by [day and time].
9. Feedback. Any player can ask their captain why they weren’t selected, privately and not on match day. If they’re still unhappy, they can raise it with [the chair].
Selection policy template · MVP Cricket
Juniors in adult cricket
This is the one part of the policy where your club doesn’t make all the rules. County cricket boards set a minimum age for juniors playing open-age cricket and usually require written parental consent. ECB guidance adds that there’s no fixed age for the step up: each young player should be judged on ability and maturity, and the club has a duty of care not to put them at unreasonable risk. Fast-bowling directives and fielding restrictions still apply. Check your own county board’s current rules each season, and name the person who decides readiness.
Making the policy work week to week
Availability first, then selection
A policy that says “players who haven’t answered may not be considered” only works if answering is easy. Ask once per match day rather than once per team, so every captain picks from the same list. Why WhatsApp polls struggle with this.
Publish once, tell everyone
Publish every side at the same time, and make sure players who weren’t picked hear it from the club rather than by spotting their absence in the group chat. A short “not this week, you’re first reserve” keeps people engaged.
Use evidence, not memory
Promotion and demotion decisions are easier to explain with numbers. A season-long MVP leaderboard filtered by team shows who is scoring heavily in the 3rds and might be ready for the 2nds, and it’s visible to everyone, so the reasoning is too.
Handle disputes privately
The rule that saves most rows: never discuss selection on match day, and never in the group chat. A conversation on Tuesday evening, one to one, with the policy to hand, almost always goes better.
How MVP Cricket supports it
Players answer availability once per match day, so every captain sees the same picture. Captains build the side in draft, where nothing is visible to players, then publish: every selected player is notified and confirms in one tap, and later changes only notify the players affected. Selection, availability and published team sheets are on the Club plan. How team selection works, and for the rest of the committee’s year, how to run a village cricket club.
Questions captains ask
Does a cricket club need a written selection policy?
It isn’t a legal requirement, but most clubs with more than one team publish one. A written policy settles who picks, when, and on what basis before anyone is upset, and it protects captains from accusations of favouritism.
Should the best players always play in the 1st XI?
For league and cup cricket, most policies say the strongest available XI plays in the top side. Lower XIs and friendlies are where clubs balance strength against giving games to juniors, newcomers and occasional players.
Can unpaid members be selected?
Many clubs say no, because the club’s insurance usually only covers members. Put the rule in the policy and let selection enforce it, so the treasurer doesn’t have to.
At what age can juniors play adult cricket?
It depends on your county cricket board’s rules, which set a minimum age and usually require written parental consent. ECB guidance also says each case should be judged on the player’s ability and maturity, not age alone. Check your county board’s current guidance before the season.
Sources
Availability, draft selection and published team sheets in one place. Start free, select on Club.