It’s a cold January morning with frost on the ground at North Maidenhead cricket club, its not the sort of day associated with cricket.

 

Our tutors are John and Eddie,  Avril is there efficiently organising everything and everybody. Sue is there sorting out Tea & Coffee.

 

 

 

The room looks a bit like a school class room, on the tables are little white case objects which contain a workbook, pocket cards, MCC law book and a copy of Tom Smiths.

When everyone is present we introduce ourselves to each other.

We then open the workbook and start on delivery one, Planning, Preparation and Pre-Match duties, this is new to me having been a club umpire you travel with your team find your colleague for the day shake hands and walk out to enjoy the game!

Delivery 1 turns out to be a bit of an eye-opener; never again will I just turn up and umpire.

 Delivery 2 Getting Under Way.
This is more familiar to me, getting on the field, having the correct number of players on the field, correct positioning for umpires, informing scorers that play is about to begin and the  call of play itself.

Delivery 3 Managing the Match.
We look at batsman out of his ground, use of subs and runners, inclement conditions, runs scored and not scored, common no ball situations and when and when not to call wide ball.

 

That’s the end of day one we are set some homework.