Print

[cricket_news]

BCCI’s initiative  for umpires
6 April 2009, 12:00 am

                 

BCCI’s initiative  for umpires

Special Correspondent

Mumbai: Concerned with the dearth of umpires of any degree in at least a dozen member associations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has hired the services of Cricket Australia for umpire education and training.

Last August-September, 27 umpires attended the Level I Umpire Educator Course (UEC) and they were subsequently graded on the participation, practical and presentation areas.

Level II UEC

The BCCI took the next step by organising the Level II UEC for five-days at the Cricket Centre here with the entire course run by Cricket Australia’s Ross Turner, Denis Burns and Ian Lock. The plenary session was conducted by Messrs.

Burns and Lock on Sunday and certificates were presented to the umpires. The BCCI selected 24 past and present umpires for the Level II UEC, some of whom have worked as umpire’s coach in the last two domestic seasons.

At least 15 of them will now conduct the UEC in select states in five zones. The Mumbai Cricket Association, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association and Karnataka State Cricket Association run streamlined and efficient programmes for the development of umpires, a feature that is absent in a majority of the other associations.

Encourage umpires

Moreover 75 per cent of the BCCI’s National and Ranji panel of umpires are from the South and West Zones and mainly from Mumbai, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

“The BCCI is keen to correct this imbalance and encourage umpires. Out of the over 110 BCCI panel of umpires, nearly 70 are from Mumbai, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The other associations need quality umpires to officiate local matches.

“Over the next four months the umpires who attended the Level I and II UEC will be sent in batches of three to assist the member association to educate local umpires,” said Prof. Ratnakar Shetty, Chief Administrative Officer, BCCI.

Some of the associations that would benefit from the BCCI’s undertaking are Jharkhand, Jammu & Kashmir, Andhra, Goa, Saurashtra, Railways, Services, Tripura, Chhattisgarh and a few more states. The BCCI may even accredit umpires at level 1, II and III degrees with a five year gap between Level I and Level II.

It would be mandatory of young umpires to officiate in local (State run tournament) matches before appearing for the Level II course.



Source: The Hindu - Sport