Bradford Junior League coaching officer Paul Huddlestone has broadly welcomed the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) changes in the fast bowling directive.

But the changes for under-18s and under-19s have angered Trevor Coe, fixture secretary of the Mewies Solicitors Craven League.

He said: “They (the ECB) have chickened out of altering the most important group. In fact, I think they have gone the wrong way. Dropping the number of overs an 18 or 19-year-old may bowl in a day is a joke.”

The directive has changed following a two-year consultation process.

The outcome is that bowlers up to under-15 level are now able to bowl longer spells and more overs in a day, with spells for up to under-13s increasing from four to five overs, under-14s and under-15s going up from five to six and under-16s and under-17s increasing from six to seven.

Maximum overs per day in the three age groups have also increased to ten, 12 and 18 respectively.

However, in the most contentious change, the number of overs a day an under-18 and under-19 can bowl has been reduced from 21 to 18, although the maximum number of overs in a spell stays at seven.

Huddlestone said: “It is a good idea that under-13s and under-15s can bowl more overs in senior cricket and representative cricket because sometimes as a captain you can bowl them for four or five overs and you want to keep them on, and likewise with under-17s.

“As for the reduction in the number of overs for under-18s and under-19s, I don’t think it will make much difference and it has brought under-16s and under-17s into line with them.”

These guidelines will come into effect for the start of the 2010 season and are designed to raise awareness of the need to nurture and protect young fast bowlers through their formative years. Research has shown that fast bowlers are the most likely players to miss playing and training time due to injury.

Kevin Shine, the ECB’s lead fast bowling coach, admitted: “Young bowlers need to bowl more so that they can develop match-winning abilities and habits. I look forward to the revised directives giving individual fast bowlers and teams more of a chance to play match-winning cricket.”