The Association for all Cricket Umpires and Scorers based in Warwickshire
Two words that mean most to each of those umpires who have aspirations to progress perhaps to higher divisions, premier leagues, county 2nds, and the occasional multi-day or ECB competition matches!
We reported on the innovation of the ‘classification’ marking system way back in March (issue 4), where we first outlined the ‘C’ for ‘county’ and ‘D’ for ‘development potential’ levels and tiers. Then, Nick Cousins, in the last issue, as part of his post-season analysis, reinforced our commitment to seeing this through even though it had the look of becoming the most controversial slice of ‘legislation’ that could be imagined!
In the intervening months, the discussions between the executives of ACO and ECB have been concluded, and the basic structure is now established – and, after, a final check and a little bit of polishing, will be ready to roll out from January.
So it will be a help for all of you to know the outline now, and, in the next issue, we will give more detail about ‘how’ it is all to happen.
These then are the relevant comments extracted from the letter that is being prepared for all ACO Chairmen… but please note, the criteria generally are being discussed again and especially the ‘tiers’ relating to all grades.
• Classification and grading was first introduced by Chris Kelly, the ECB Umpires’ Manager in 2007 as the start of a development pathway for experienced
umpires, and has been used as a basis for ECB, Premier League and ACO appointments since then.
• The appointment of five Regional Appointment Co-ordinators (RACs) in 2009 working with the Umpires’ Manager, consolidated the ECB appointments process.
• The recent formation of a complementary Regional Performance Officers (RPOs) committee and the transfer of all responsibility for officiating in the recreational game to ECB ACO, allows us the opportunity to further modify the classification and grading process in line with the feedback from county ACOs.
• Because from 2011, ECB ACO is assuming responsibility for the RACs, it was decided to re-write the job description and re-advertise these posts. This having been done and interviews having been held, we are delighted to announce that the following appointments have been made:
London & East – Terry Burstow
South & West – Les Clemenson
Midlands – Peter McKenzie
North – Glyn Pearson
(It is most appropriate that we take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank John Owen and Peter Tomlin who were both inpost prior to the re-organisation but decided not to re-apply. They have both worked tirelessly on behalf of the Association and we salute them for their efforts).
• Moving forward, the RACs will work much more closely with the RPOs and the ACO Appointments Officers to enable them to appoint more independently without central direction, but within the auspices of the ECB ACO infrastructure.
• The introduction in 2011 of an on-line appointments system known as “Who’s The Umpire” (WTU) for ECB appointments will greatly assist this process (it is al-
ready in successful trials in the WEPL area).
• As far as simplifying the process; before this can occur, there needs to be an appreciation that classification (and grading) of umpires is of no real value unless the matches to which they are, or aspire to be appointed to, are similarly classified. The Umpires Manager began this process last year by classifying umpires and games as follows: E = ECB contracted umpires; D = Development umpires (umpires able to officiate in mid-week ECB appointed matches); C = County umpires; and then grading them to tiers; E 1-7; D 1-4; C 1-3 - and producing a list of classified matches to which the graded D and C umpires could aspire to be appointed.
• As most of our existing members would be ‘C’, the real interest is in the ‘next step’ into ‘D’, so here is the D grade list – starting at the highest tier;
| Grade | Match Type |
|---|---|
| D1 | Women’s ODIs |
| D2 | Second Eleven Championship (Multiple Day) |
| Second Eleven Trophy | |
| D3 | Second Eleven Friendly (Multiple Day) |
| MCC Universities (Multiple Day) | |
| MCCA Championship | |
| D4 | Elite Player Development |
| Second Eleven Friendly T20 | |
| MCCA Knock Out | |
| Cockspur T20 Regional |
• As far as nomination for ‘D’ tiers are concerned, for 2011 these arrangements will similarly remain the same. The Umpires’ Manager will decide which umpires he wishes to use in the 2nd XI Championship and Elite Player Development games, and the MCCA will select their panel for MCCA Championship matches. (You will know that ECB ACO is developoing a structure for Level 3 Umpire courses and the boundary assessment of D grade umpires, and will have a properly constituted Performance Committee in place in 2011 – which, among other things, will enable us to better support both MCCA and the Umpires’ Manager in the future.)
• We have altered the tiers for ‘C’classified umpires – and this involves two significant changes; Umpires classified as C(county) will be graded evidentially 1-6 dependent upon which matches they officiate in most regularly - and with due attention paid to which umpires have the potential to be promoted to the next level.
These decisions will be the sole responsibility of the county ACOs – who will thus be both responsible and accountable. To facilitate this it will be necessary for each county ACO to classify the games to which its umpires are appointed. This will be done on the basis of a generic table entitled ‘Classification & Grading –Recreational Cricket’ (which will also be circulated to county ACO chairmen)
• The classification of matches within any county is a matter for that county ACO, (and incidentally is a drawn up by the ACO for the ACO – it has no ECB sanction), but obviously there needs to be a general consistency applied nationwide and a specific consistency applied where umpires are appointed to ECB Leagues from more than one ACO. Therefore, there is a document (second attachment) which outlines a general picture for the country as a whole, which can be used for guidance.
Three further points of clarification:
• The evidence that determines an individual umpire’s grade is a minimum of 6 appointments at the requisite (highest) level.
• Grade 1 can only be given to umpires who have been appointed a minimum of 6 times to Premier Division 1 games.
• Grades 1-4 can only be given to those umpires who officiate regularly in the League cricket that is part of the ECB/ACO pyramid.
These are our first steps in 2010. Let us be patient but committed to completing the task in 2011.
Extract fom ECB ACO NEWSLETTER December 2010