Umpires, umpires, give us a wave

Posted in ECB ACO

I helped run a taster evening for potential scorers a few weeks ago and we talked about fears and how to overcome them.

What do all the signs from the umpires mean? Even the umpires muddle these now and again.

Why use colours - isn't that more complicated? No, it is much easier especially when spotting errors afterwards.

What happens if you cannot keep up? Keep the basic info going and don't worry about the minutia.

One lady had an epiphany. Here was a way she could be involved with the rest of her family on match days, rather than feeling left out for five months of the year.

Why not try it? I have never raised a bat or bowled a ball and until I took up scoring I did not know anyone who had. If I can do it purely out of love for the game, anyone can.

I have scored some fine matches so far this season - my team have been playing well and my adding up has been spot on. There is time for it all to go pear shaped.

On hotter days the concentration does tend to waiver a little after about 30 overs each innings. We play 55 overs aside at the moment and that is a long time to keep it all together.

Thankfully the second half of the season is 50 overs a side with powerplays. Ten overs may not seem much difference but I find after a couple of hours my brain starts to give up and I need a breather.

For the scorers the drinks break tends to be a quick dash to the toilet and a check of all the adding up - not much of a respite.

This reminds me, I am starting to get a bee in my bonnet about umpires not signalling to us before the restart of play after drinks.

A couple of times we have not been as ready as we would have liked and they have started playing without even thinking of us.

To borrow a chant from the crowd I heard at a Kent v Kenya match a few seasons ago - umpires, umpires, give us a wave...