Policy 3 – Selection – North Shore Junior Cricket Association

Policy approved 5 June 2026

Squads
1. Subject to agreement from competition organisers, NSJCA may select:
  - Two squads each for U13 girls and U15 girls to play in corresponding MYC competitions, provided there is sufficient depth in the respective age groups.
  - Two equal U11 boys’ squads to play in the top IDCA division offered for that age group.
2. For the U12 and U13 boys’ competitions, NSJCA selects two squads of up to 13 players. The strongest squad in each age group competes in MYC Division 1. The second squad competes in MYC Division 2.
3. NSJCA selects one squad each for the U14 and U15 boys’ MYC competitions. The decision to select an additional squad each for those age groups is made year-by-year depending on whether there are available competitions and there is sufficient depth in the playing group.
Non-Entry of Teams
1. At the recommendation of the Sub Committee, the Executive Committee can elect not to enter a representative squad in a competition if the Sub Committee does not believe there were sufficient triallists or, acting on advice from selectors, does not believe the quality of triallists was sufficiently high.
Selectors
1. The Sub Committee chooses experienced, independent selectors to conduct trials. Representative team coaches can only be involved in selection for age groups other than those:
  - for which they have been appointed to coach in the upcoming season
  - in which their children are trialling.
2. At least three selectors are to be present at each trial. A head selector is to be appointed and is to make the final recommendation to the Sub Committee as to which players should be selected. The Sub Committee is to appoint at least one coordinator to run each trial.
Trials
1. For most age groups, the selection process involves two trials, which are usually about two weeks apart and on Sundays. A second trial for girls may not be required. Typically, trials for U15 girls are held mid-week to avoid clashes with weekend cricket. Usually, there is only a centre wicket trial for U15 boys. Trials take several hours to complete.
2. If two trials are held for an age group, players are to be available to attend both trials, although the second trial is solely for invitees, based on their performance at the first trial.
3. The trial coordinator and head selector are to brief parents at the beginning of each trial to explain how it will be conducted and to reiterate the selection process.
Week One Trial
1. The purpose of the Week One Trial is to assess each player’s batting and bowling skills. This trial is conducted using nets. As a result of the trial, a reduced number of players are invited to attend the Week Two Trial.
2. Previous representative players are required to participate in Week One Trials. While this increases the number of triallists, it also maximises fairness.
Week Two Trial
1. The purpose of the Week Two Trial is to assess each player’s skills in a centre wicket environment.
2. In addition to assessing batting and bowling, selectors assess fielding, running between wickets and, for self-selecting triallists, wicket keeping. If a single trial is used to select girls, then selectors may choose to assess triallists’ batting and bowling skills only. At the discretion of selectors, not all players will bat or bowl.
3. Following the trial, selectors recommend squads to the Sub Committee. The Sub Committee confirms each player’s eligibility against NSJCA criteria and then submits squads to the corresponding competition organiser to confirm eligibility against that organisation’s criteria.
4. Final selections are usually announced no more than four weeks after the Week Two Trial.
De-Identification During Trials
1. Using randomly allocated numbered bibs, players are de-identified during selection trials. This is to reduce perceptions selectors might have about players based on their playing history or family associations.
Trial Dates and Registration

	Age Group	Typical Trial Dates
	U13 and U15 girls	Mid-October
	U12, U13, U14 and U15 boys	February-March
	U11 boys	Either immediately before or after October school holidays

Parents who would like to register their children to participate in the Week One Trial are to do so by 5pm on the Friday before the trial and via a link contained in the corresponding announcement in the Latest News section of the NSJCA website. A child’s birth date must be recorded accurately in the registration form.

Criteria
1. NSJCA selects players based on the technique required to succeed in a representative cricket format. Such formats differ markedly from those used in club cricket.
2. Club cricket statistics are not used in the selection process for a number of reasons:
  - Triallists do not necessarily play in the same club competitions, particularly in younger age groups.
  - A player’s club statistics reflect the opportunity provided at club level, the roles the player is given from game-to-game and the standard of other players in the club team.
  - Representative cricket matches are long form and use different rules to club cricket. Skills and attributes required for the former are different to those required for the latter.
3. If a player has had prior NSJCA representative experience, selectors may also use feedback from previous representative coaches and/or representative cricket statistics to help inform decisions about that player.
Inability to Trial
1. If a player played representative cricket in the prior season but cannot undertake either or both trials due to injury or a family emergency, then the player can still be considered for selection but must provide evidence of that injury or emergency. In such cases, selectors will use two sources of information to inform their decisions:
  - performance as measured by statistics in the prior representative season
  - advice from the player’s coach in the prior representative season.
2. If a player did not play representative cricket in the prior season and cannot attend either the Week One or Week Two trials, then the player cannot be considered for selection unless otherwise determined by the Convenor of the Sub Committee and either the trial coordinator or the head selector for the trial from which the player was absent. Valid reasons for non-attendance may include injury, family emergency or a commitment deemed to be more important than the trial. Evidence for the reason used to justify the absence will be required.
Parent and Player Responsibilities
1. For each trial, players are to bring a red leather cricket ball (142g for U12/U13 and girls, 156g for U14/U15) to both trials. They should also bring food and water.
2. Players are not to wear representative cricket clothing to trials.
3. Parents are to:
  - supervise triallists who are not undertaking trial activity at a particular time
  - remain at a distance from trial areas, including when their children are undertaking trial activity.
Feedback about Trial Results
1. NSJCA does not give feedback to triallists for these reasons:
  - The purpose of trials is to select teams, rather than provide a vehicle via which players can receive coaching advice.
  - Selectors assess players relative to other players rather than in an absolute sense and choose players needed to fill particular roles.
  - The requirement for equal treatment means feedback would need to be available to all triallists. However, the number of triallists and the volunteer status of selectors means it is impractical to provide such treatment.
Team Roles
1. Players are selected to play an initial team role. Coaches have discretion to change those roles as the season progresses.
Duration of Selection
1. Selection is for the duration of the representative season. Players would only be removed from the representative cricket program due to injury, at the request of parents or for disciplinary reasons.
Squad Changes
1. The NSJCA Representative Cricket Sub‐Committee is authorised to alter squads after they are announced.
Age Confirmation
1. At the first squad training session, each player is required to present a legal document such as a birth certificate or passport to the team manager (or coach in the case of the team manager’s child). This is to confirm the accuracy of birth dates. Provision of incorrect birth dates provided during trial registration can lead to expulsion from NSJCA’s representative cricket program. Neither team managers nor NSJCA are to retain copies of proof-of-age documents.