Age Group Cut Off Date

Age Group Cut-Off Date – Junior Cricket

Starting from the 2019/20 season, Auckland Cricket transitioned junior and youth grades from school year levels (e.g. Year 5) to age-based grades (e.g. Under 10).
To ensure consistency across the season, a player’s age is “frozen” as of 1 April each year. This means players stay in the same grade all season, regardless of when their birthday falls later in the year.

How it Works

The key to these age-grade systems is that the age is "frozen" on a specific date for the entire season. This ensures that every player in a grade is the same age (or close to it) and that teams don't have players moving up mid-season.

• If a player turns 10 on or before 31 March, they are already 10 on 1 April and will play in the Under 11 (U11) grade.
• If a player turns 10 on or after 1 April, they are still 9 on 1 April and will play in the Under 10 (U10) grade.

This system ensures fair competition and stable team structures throughout the season.

Quick Reference Table

The table illustrates that a player's grade is determined by their age on the cutover date of April 1st. If a player is already 10 on that date, they are no longer "Under 10" and will play in the Under 11 grade. Conversely, if they have not yet turned 10, they are considered "Under 10" and play in that grade for the season.

? Junior Cricket Age Grade Reference (Ages 5–13)

This system ensures players are grouped with others of similar age for the entire season. 

A Bit of History

Auckland Cricket transitioned from school-year-based junior and youth grades (e.g., Year 5, Year 6) to an age-based system (e.g., Under 10, Under 11) at the beginning of the 2019/20 cricket season. Check out Auckland Cricket's "School Years vs. Age Groups" document