Sheffield Cricket Lovers' Society Year Book 2016

29 Sheffield Cricket Lovers’ Society www.sheffieldcricketlovers.org.uk A 1st Class Umpire’s life would not be for everyone. We rack up a lot of miles during the summer and whilst the hotels we stay in are generally very good, it’s not the same as sleeping in your own bed at your own home. Depending on our schedule we can be away from home for quite a number of nights. Fortunately living 2 miles off the M1 motorway near Nottingham means I am in a very good position to get around the country but someone like Michael Gough who lives in Hartlepool, every game apart from Durham is an away trip for him. So how did I make it to be a 1st Class ECB Umpire? Having played a bit of professional cricket for Nottinghamshire CCC this gave me a good insight into the game and the understanding of the emotions on the pitch so I automatically understand potential issues. Having said this, there are some very good umpires in the 1st class game who haven’t played professional cricket and the ECB pathway is simple. They will pick the best man for the job. Once I finished playing full time professional cricket I then played in the Bradford League for six seasons and also for Lincolnshire in the Minor County Competitions. The Bradford League was a great experience, great cricket and I have made many life-long friends. They are the ones that boo me when I visit Headingley……… I decided to take up Umpiring in 2009 and I officiated in the Derbyshire Leagues, then Minor Counties, then professional 2nd XI and onto the Reserve List in 2011. The support I have received from certain individuals has been superb and I cannot thank them enough. I am not going to name them but they know who they are so ‘many thanks to all of you’. I love my job and it’s a pleasure to go to work each day during the summer. What do we do in the winter? Well some of us improve our golf handicaps (in theory anyway), others will do other jobs or run businesses and some will enjoy the time off. All in all, it isn’t a bad life is it? Wishing all readers a fantastic 2016 and can Yorkshire CCC do it again? Don’t bet against them……