[What is] Relative Age Effect?

Whenever there is a cut-off date such as 31st August in any single year environment such as a UK school year or cricket age group then those that are born close after it have significant advantages in terms of higher levels of selection, participation, opportunity and coaching.

A player can be almost a whole year older relative to another and therefore more developed cognitively, emotionally and socially. These attributes are often mistakenly seen as players being ‘better’ and hence why they are over selected. 

Typically a Birth Quarter breakdown in a county age group in cricket might be:

Q1 37%

Q2 28%

Q3 25%

Q4 10%

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