Bassetlaw Umpires Association A.G.M.
by Paul Barker, 3rd October 2005

The Annual General Meeting of the Bassetlaw Umpires Association took place at Worksop Cricket Club headquarters at Central Avenue on Saturday. A good attendance saw the chairman Mr. Bernard Jarvis open the meeting by welcoming everyone and asking for any apologies for absence to be written on the sheet provided. The minutes of the last A.G.M. which were held at the same venue on the 2nd October 2004 were taken as read and their were no matters arising from these minutes.

The Honorary Secretary Mr. Peter McKenzie was then asked to read out his report and he made comment about the weather which on Saturday 13 th August wiped out every single match in the league for the first time in living memory and also on the final Saturday 10 th September when only one match was played. He also stated his disappointment with the response to the Sportsmanship Award nominations sheet or lack of response as the case may be.

Mr. McKenzie stated that he thought it was a rather poor showing that after about 60% of the umpires had filled in the forms in the first half of the season, only 36% had bothered to reply in the second half which could give a rather blighted figure when the results were announced. Mr. McKenzie thought it was poor form and not really encouraging to the sponsors of the competition to receive such a lukewarm response for their generosity.

He then went on to praise the people who had run the Umpires Training Courses at both Worksop and Chesterfield but stated that recruitment still remained a massive problem. He stated that the staffing of all matches was the aim but it was getting harder and harder every year to achieve this aim with the lack of people coming forward. The recruitment team had worked hard but could only do so much and Mr. McKenzie thanked them for their efforts.

Mr. McKenzie then gave his Treasurer’s report stating that finances were reasonably sound and in that case he would not be seeking any increase in subscription fees this year. He also praised Mr. Roger Heath for his work in auditing the accounts.

Mr. John Leaning the Appointments Secretary then reported that things were getting no easier. It had been his first season in the job and he admitted that a few errors had taken place regarding the distances some umpires had been asked to travel, but said he had learned from the experience and that things should be better next season. Mr. Leaning said that around twenty umpires had been lost at the start of the season for one reason or another whilst eight new recruits had been added which obviously made things even more difficult. He finally went on to thank his predecessor Mr. Geoff Holden for his help and Mr. Alan Bennett for his work every Saturday when cancellations and movement of umpires is a necessary but wholly unwanted chore.

Chairman Bernard Jarvis then thanked Peter McKenzie and John Leaning for the incredible amount of work they both had put in.

The President Mr. Mike Smedley then presented the Joe Richardson Memorial Trophy to Alan Bennett for his magnificent efforts over the years stating that Alan had been involved with both Harthill and Kiveton Park Cricket Club’s, had umpired with great distinction over the years and had done so much as a training officer also. He also told the audience that Alan had umpired in Australia as well.

Alan Bennett thanked everyone and stated that he was almost ready for his long awaited operation which should clear up his hip problem. He stated that he would like to think that he might be able to return to umpiring next season.

The special tie which is awarded to umpires who have given twenty years service to the league was then presented to Harry Dobson, Len Jones and Bruce Linegar.

The offices of President, Chairman, Hon Secretary/Treasurer, Hon Appointments Secretary and ten committee members were re-elected en-bloc.

A Proposition that the words ‘30 minutes’ be deleted from Rule 8 of the Association’s Constitution was carried unanimously.

A proposition that a time limit be imposed for the bowling of the 40 overs in the Tomlin Trophy was raised and the Management Committee will consider this request before presenting it at the A.G.M. in November.

A proposition that matches in Division 1 be started 30 minutes earlier than in other Divisions will be presented at the A.G.M. As Bernard Jarvis stated, this is something that should have been brought up before and is long overdue. When one considers that for the bulk of the season matches of 50 overs per side actually starts at the same time as games of 46 overs per side duration there is no wonder especially when rain has intervened that some matches had concluded at a rather late time and this needs to be redressed. The proposition was carried unanimously.

It is also to be proposed that Umpires officiating in Division 1 and 2 shall be confidentially assessed by the two captains in the matches they are standing in. This brought forward a lively debate with the only problem envisaged that if the captain’s do not bother to send in their findings. It was suggested that a fine might be imposed for failure of the captain’s to comply with this not as a way of making money but as a deterrent against complacency.

The reports can be used in the lower divisions but at this moment in time will be discretionary. The proposition to present this at the A.G.M. was almost unanimous.

With the speaker Mr. Mike Dixon being unable to attend owing to work commitments, Mr. Bernard Jarvis then closed the meeting.