Pairs cricket rules
Pairs cricket gives every child a set number of overs at the crease, whatever happens. Here is how the ECB and county leagues set it up, with links to each rule book.
The basics
Batters play in pairs, and each pair bats for a fixed number of overs. Getting out does not end your innings: runs come off the total instead (or go to the other side), and you carry on. Both teams always bat their full overs, so nobody is left out and the match length is known in advance.
Rules by format
| Format | Pairs x overs | Start | Per wicket | Wide or no ball | Overs per bowler | Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8-a-side, 16 overs | 4 x 4 | 200 | minus 5 | 2, extra ball in the last over | 4 max | ECB Junior Cricket Format Recommendations (U8 to U11) |
| Kwik Cricket 8-a-side, 8 overs | 4 x 2 | 200 | minus 5 | 2, extra ball in the last over | not set | ECB Kwik Cricket Eight-a-Side Scoresheet |
| ECB under 9s, 6-a-side, 12 overs | 3 x 4 | 0 | +5 to fielders | 2, extra ball in the last over | 2 max | ECB Junior Cricket Format Recommendations (U8 to U11) |
| Herts 100-ball pairs (U9, U10, U11B) | 4 x 5 (5-ball overs) | 200 | minus 5 | 2, no extra ball | 3 max | Herts Junior Cricket League rules 2026 |
| Herts 10-a-side pairs (U12B, U13B) | 5 x 4 | 200 | minus 5 | 2, no extra ball | 3 max | Herts Junior Cricket League rules 2026 |
| Middlesex U10, 10-a-side, 20 overs | 5 x 4 | 200 | minus 5 | 2, extra ball in the last over | 3 max | Middlesex JCA under 10 competition rules |
| Greater Manchester U9, 6-a-side, 9 overs | 3 x 3 | 200 | minus 4 | 1, re-bowled | 3 max | Greater Manchester Cricket League under 9 competition |
| North West soft ball, 12-a-side, 12 overs | 6 x 2 | 100 | minus 5 | 2, extra ball in the last over | not set | North West Cricket Union soft ball pairs scoresheet |
Where the rules differ
Starting score. The Kwik Cricket sheet, Herts, Middlesex and Greater Manchester start on 200; the North West soft ball sheet starts on 100; the ECB under 9 format can start on 0 and add 5 to the fielding side for each out.
Wides and no balls. The ECB, Middlesex and Kwik rules give 2 runs and only re-bowl them in the last over. Herts never re-bowls them. Greater Manchester under 9s count them as 1 with at most 8 balls an over. Middlesex adds any runs to the 2; the worked examples on the Kwik and North West sheets count the runs hit instead of the 2.
Bowling. The ECB under 9 format has all six fielders bowl two overs; under 10s and 11s bowl at least two and no more than four. Herts allows three overs each, and Middlesex says nobody may bowl more than one over more than anyone else.
Strike after a run out. Middlesex, Herts and the ECB under 10 and 11 guidance never let a batter who is out face the next ball. Greater Manchester under 9 rules send the striker to the non-striker's end whoever was run out, so if the non-striker is run out they face next.
Level scores. A tie under Herts rules; Middlesex gives the match to the side that took more wickets, then the higher score after 20, 19, 18 overs and so on.
To score a match under any of these, open the pairs cricket scorer, pick the format and change anything your league does differently.
Questions
What are the ECB rules for pairs cricket?
The ECB recommends pairs cricket for under 8s and 9s: 6-a-side, three pairs of four overs, everyone bowls two overs, 5 runs to the fielding side per out, wides and no balls worth 2 and only re-bowled in the final over, and no free hits.
Is the starting score 200 or 0?
Either. The ECB says both are common. Starting on 200 keeps the total positive after wickets are taken off; adding wicket runs to the other side from 0 gives exactly the same margin.
Who faces after a wicket in pairs cricket?
Usually the other batter: Middlesex and Herts say a batter who is out cannot face the next ball, and the ECB says the not-out batter faces after a run out. Greater Manchester under 9s send the striker to the non-striker's end after any run out, even when the non-striker was out.