Rain

The first game of the season and I had been told that the team was to meet at 10.30am and the games usually started at 11am. I was little surprised thus to find that the players were already on the field. Still, I took over from Mr MMcK and umpired. It went well. I did not have too many tricky decisions, though I need to check how many bumpers per over at this level.
It was good to get my eye in and to see the wides and the no-balls. It was also good to be active and to move in to position correctly.

The the wind changed, it became colder and the rain set in. I called it off at 12.55, as the rain was hard and cold.

Vest

I attended the first umpire meeting of the year, and it was good to see people. I felt bad about picking up a vest (ie waistcoat) for umpiring because I don't know how much umpiring I will do this season, but I explained I had to look for jobs..
Still, another garment, and I think I will wear it today for school.

Season 2011 - 2012

Given that I want to coach cricket for the school, and so will umpire school games as well as coach, I will not have much oppportunity to umpire for the city in the senior grade games. I can see that I can umpire every Saturday from the 1st October till the 29th, when the school games start, but that is not much.

And then there is the issue of needing to get another job, most probably in another area of the country. Then I will have to join a new umpiring association. But of course I may be taken up with a different school's coaching.

Season 2011 - 2012

My first task this season is to do a training course at level one. I'll do this in the middle of September, but in order to gain my level one certificate I have to coach for 50 hours. That won't be easy, but I guess I add up match days, and so will get to 50 fairly soon.

Umpire TH

On Sunday we have the test umpire T.H. visiting Dunedin and talking in the Long Room of the Otago Cricket Association. It should be very informative and entertaining. It also offers free lunch and the chance to socialise, which is also positive.

AGM

The cricket umpires' and scorers' association had their AGM the other day, and I went along to it, though I was determined not to take any responsibilities. So why bother? Well, I like the people who run it, and I think they do a good job. So as long as they run it well, why should I try to change things? I was offered a position, and I politely turned it down. Another reason not to take on a responsibility is that many have served the association for many years, and I will only be in my third year of umpiring next year, so can not claim longevity.
I also hope to be involved in schools cricket next season; perhaps coaching a second or third team in the school, and so I intend to take it on properly, including being there on the Saturday for the games. And if I am there on Saturday, then that is one day of the weekend, and I cannot expect my wife to look after the baby all week and all weekend. As it is, one weekend day can be justified as it ensures that I keep my job.

So coaching and umpiring school cricket rather than umpiring senior grade cricket. Ironically, there are probably bigger crowds!

I do hope to umpire some senior grade games, as well as some Otago representative age group games.

Season

The 2010-2011 season went pretty well for me overall. I umpired plenty of games, and, apart from one very poor game, I did a very good job. I have no idea what my rating was, but it was good enough. The other new umpire was asked to stop umpiring, so I did better than him. Mind you, that was evident from the our first season, when he got stuck in second grade games and I was doing senior grade.

At the end of the year I tried the level four exam, and I know I did badly in it. Still, next year.

Though now I am in a school, I may well use my time with the school boys and may coach a team, more than umpiring.