Umpires course at Cuckney
by Paul Barker, 10th December 2007

There can be no doubt that the Bassetlaw Cricket League is facing it’s deepest crisis in recent history for the 2008 season.  The number of available umpires has been falling for over ten years and sadly this has now risen to something which is totally unmanageable.

The League and the Bassetlaw and District Umpires’ Association have made varied and consistent efforts to recruit umpires but to all to no avail.  We therefore face the 2008 season in the knowledge that little over half the league games this summer will have umpires. Just think about this, that means that the first five divisions at the most will have any umpires and the rest will virtually have nothing at their disposal all summer.

This situation is now so grave that the Management Committee and the Umpires Association are virtually at a loss as to what to do.

Clearly the League urgently needs new umpires. The Umpires’ Association will offer training and support in every aspect of preparing new umpires.  Ex-players and others with an interest in cricket, male or female, are urgently needed.

A training course will begin on Monday 7 January 2008 (7:30pm) at Cuckney Cricket Centre and will run for ten weeks.  All potential umpires are welcome with the option of taking (not compulsory) the GL6 and GL5 examination which could start you on the way to actually making the grade into first class cricket.

For further details, please contact the Secretary of the Bassetlaw and District Umpires’ Association, Peter McKenzie, on 01909 733094 or Course training officer, Gerry Graney on 01623 642138 or via bassetlawumpires@aol.com.