DENNIS Berry is hoping to add more young blood to the Sunraysia Cricket Umpires Association (SCUA) ranks for the 2021-22 season.
The recently appointed director of umpiring for the Sunraysia Cricket Association (SCA) is on a recruiting spree to join the competition’s “ninth team”.
The SCUA has 10 umpires with an average age of just under 64, and 24 would be required to help fill the quota across four senior divisions.
Former players would be ideal candidates to become officials, however any interested party of any age or gender would be welcomed into the fold.
Berry said being a cricket umpire is the best seat in the house, outside playing, and being able to earn some money while doing so was a nice bonus.
“Ideally we’d like to have at least 24 umpires to have an umpire in every division,” he said.
“That’s two in firsts, two in seconds and one in thirds and fourths, 16 games all up.
“Twenty-four would be ideal but then you’ve got umpires injured or away. Even if we got 20 umpires it would be a massive help.
“Ex-players would be more than welcome.
“Setts (Mildura Settlers) have been a good breeding ground of umpires, we’ve had a few come to us from that club.”
The SCUA, whose base is at Brian Weightman Oval, meet each Wednesday before one-day matches, and every second week for two-day matches.
Lectures see umpires go over the laws of the game and work through potential match-day scenarios.
“We’re the ninth club of the SCA, we come back to our rooms on a Saturday and hand in a paperwork and share a beverage and a joke or two,” Berry said.
“Players come down from most clubs and interact with us, especially if they’ve been playing at Brian Weightman Oval.
“Come down and give it a try even and see how you go for a couple of games.”
Berry said the respect between umpires and players was “really good” last season.
“I didn’t umpire last year myself but the feedback was really good,” he said.
“I did read the captains report on umpires and they have improved immensely. It’s just a matter of respect. You show respect to the players and hopefully you will get it back.
“We don’t knock anybody back, you’ve just got to be able to stand out there in the heat, you have to be able to take criticism and not let them keep at you, tell them enough and that’s it. Just a strong willed person I think.
“’ve got interest from one guy around 30, and then you’ve got Noel Slade who’s 76, so you’ve got a big age variant. The average age is over 60 so we do need younger blood.”
Anybody interested in umpiring can contact Dennis on 0428 210 955.
