Details of ECB Level 1 and 1a Umpire courses have been published for Kent.  You can find full details, including who to contact, in the attached notice.

The South Sub-Region Meeting is to be held on Sunday 6th December, 11am, in the Vintage Function Room, Gatwick Cambridge Hotel, 19 Bonehurst Road, Horley, Surrey RH6 8PP (by car as you enter the car park head left, Function room is located at the back of the front building).

The Agenda is attached.

Anyone wanting to attend the meeting to let Ken Say know by Tuesday 1st December.  His contact details are:

Email : Ken Say
Phone : 01689 873191
Mobilie :  07522 900412

The latest newsletter is available for download from here.

The KCB Association of Cricket Officials has announced a Leve1 1 Umpiring course that will start on

Thursday 22^nd October (and for the following 6 Thursday evenings) at 7.30-9.30pm at Blean Village Hall, Near Canterbury

The cost of the course is £45 which is payable on the first night.

The premise behind the syllabus for this Course is recognition that the Laws can be divided into two types - practical and administrative. For a copy of the Level 1 syllabus click this link.

For further information contact: Ken Amos on 01227 711345 or ken.amos@talktalk.net

We are today publishing a note from Paul Bedford ECB’s Head of Operations (non first class cricket), to all ECB Association of Cricket Officials Members and ECB Leagues that has appeared on ECB’s website.

We’re repeating it here because it is of significance to all Officials, Clubs and cricketers throughout the county.

Paul Bedford11 May 2009

Message from Paul Bedford, ECB’s Head of Operations (non first class cricket), to ECB ACO Members and ECB Leagues

As part of pre-season information, I am taking this opportunity to remind you of the assistance that is already in place and what is new for 2009.

Existing

- see model disciplinary guidelines

1) Standard of proof is based upon civil rather than criminal justice. This means that if a disciplinary committee is called the members do not have to prove beyond reasonable doubt but on the balance of probability.

2) All bans of four weeks or more should be reported on CBMS system with and email to Head of Operations - Non First Class Cricket by a member of the County Cricket Board responsible for the club of the player in question.

New for 2009

Supervision of the toss to be carried out by all Umpires operating in ECB matches, this includes Minor Counties, Premier League, National Knockout Cup, Cockspur Club T20 and County Age Group matches.

Please request that your Officials use this opportunity to remind Captains of their responsibility under the Code of Conduct incorporating the Spirit of Cricket in the match.

For this season we request that particular focus of attention is paid to:

a) On-field dissent, which includes equipment abuse, evidence of either will trigger an obligatory disciplinary report.

b) Application of the laws following the bowling of high full pitch balls.

Discipline to form part of the ECB coaching programme from September 2009.

I trust you will enjoy a ‘Great Exhibition’ of cricket in 2009.

With best wishes

Paul Bedford
Head of Operations (non first class cricket)

ECB are aware that a number of Officials planning to operate in ECB accredited Premier Leagues and other senior cricket leagues in 2009 are not yet members of ECB ACO.

This is due to the membership category of another organisation ceasing with immediate effect.

Paul Bedford, ECB’s Head of Operations (non first class cricket), said: “By appointing Officials that are members of ECB ACO, Leagues and County Boards can ensure that their Officials have cover for insurance purposes and are CRB checked.

Please ensure that anyone officiating in matches under the auspices of ECB is a member of ECB ACO.”

To see the benefits of being an ACO member, please visit the ECB Association of Cricket Officials section of the ECB website.

A reminder to all Officials that statutory Team Sheets and copies of all ECB Directives are now available from Kent Cricket Board.

You should contact Heidi Coleman at KCB for those if you need them.

And another reminder that CRB checks expire after three years and it is the responsibility of every Official to organise their own and make sure they are not expired.

There is a change from previous years though.  Once you have completed your CRB paperwork it should now be sent to ECB’s agency for processing them, and NOT to Lord’s as was the case in the past.

The company you need to contact is TMG CRB and their contact details are:

Phone:  0115 969 4603
Email:  ecb@tmgcrb.co.uk
Web: http://www.tmgcrb.co.uk/ecb and http://www.tmgcrb.co.uk/cricket

and the postal address for sending your forms to is:

TMG CRB
1 Wilford Business Park
Ruddington Lane
Nottingham
NG11 7EP

Tel: 0115 969 4606
Fax: 0115 982 1307

The ECB ACO has published its first newsletter of 2009 and it should be dropping through the letterboxes of every member very soon, if it hasn’t done so already.

But the post being what it is we thought we should make it available for download from the Kent Cricket Board’s website.

So you’ll find it here and as always, it’s well worth reading but this month especially so.  You’ll find the contact details of all the Regional representatives in there as well.

News has reached us of a revision/addition to the Safety Guidelines for Young Players and the wearing of Safety Helmets.

In general terms they reflect the growing use of face masks by wicketkeepers but also enhance previous guidelines:  the two should be read in conjunction with each other.

The Guidelines can be downloaded from this site.

Lorraine Elgar, vice chairman of Kent ACO, was elected regional ACO board representative for London & East. Lorraine beat Bob McLeod in a turnout of 61%.

A fully qualified Umpire and Scorer Lorraine has umpired Womens’ international matches, minor counties, County Second XI as well as prestigeous representative matches.

She is chairman of her Umpires & Scorers Association in Swale and was formerly ACU&S Regional Counsellor for South East. She gained valuable experience in communications, chairing meetings, producing reports and confronting difficult issues.

Lorraine is anxious to be accessible, for members to be heard, ambitions fulfilled and for officials to be supported and recognised for their vital part in our great game. She is contactable by email.