There is still time to register for the up and coming Umpires Course this Saturday and Sunday at the Waterside Shared Village.

A couple of days out from the delivery of the course registration numbers are still low and the Association really do need people to come forward, even being prepared to umpire four or five games over the course of the summer would be a big help. 

Since the turn of the year The Association has attended the North West AGM, wrote to all clubs, advertised on various social media platforms, put posters up in various Leisure Centres, local cricket clubs and some of the major employers around the North West and encouraged our existing members to get the word out their to try and generate some interest.

It is important to continue to stress that the way things are looking, it is very unlikely that the association will be able to on a regular bases appoint umpires to all Premiership and Championship matches which will require 16 umpires on a Saturday and Sunday. 

The association currently have around 20 active members, and a number have indicated that they will have limited availability this summer, some still enjoy playing and help out were they can, others work shifts and three or four will have Cricket Ireland commitments.

So very quickly your 20 can become 10 and we need 16 to be able to appoint to the top two leagues. On top of this if new umpires are not found then we will find ourselves in a position were we will not be appointing to the Group Stages of the North West T20 Competitions and some the Women's competitions simply due to the lack of numbers. 

You cant force people to umpire, but It is simply not sustainable or realistic to ask the same few members to juggle family, work and cricket life expecting  people to go out and umpire 4 and 5 times week in, week out all through the summer. We have to look after their welfare and the last thing we want to do is, burn people out and in turn loose them from the game. 

There are several clubs across the North West that provide no umpires at all to the Umpiring Association, if each of these clubs ask one person to attend the course and umpire a few games it would be a big help. 

We really do need the cricketing community in the North West to take this seriously and sit up and listen, there is no point doing nothing and then asking on a Saturday or Sunday morning 15 minutes before the toss where are the umpires, at this rate there will be none to appoint.

Please find the link for the upcoming course this Saturday and Sunday . https://mycricket.sport80.com/public/wizard/e/271