GACUS News

NEWS PAGE - LAST UPDATED 27/07/10

CODE OF CONDUCT IN JUNIOR CRICKET from Paul Bedford 19th July 2010

Following some unacceptable behaviour at some junior matches this year, Head of Operations for Non-First Class Cricket Paul Bedford has written an important message to all those involved in this type of match. It can be found on the ECB website by clicking on important message from Paul Bedford.

4th EDITION OF THE LAWS OF CRICKET 2000 CODE

The MCC Laws Sub Committee has recently approved the 4th Edition of the Laws of Cricket. Please note - these amendments do not come in to force until 1st October 2010 and therefore are not applicable during our current (2010) playing season . Please click on 4th Edition for the full update from the MCC (in PDF format) with colour coding to indicate both wording changes only (highlighted in yellow) and actual changes to the law (highlighted in turquoise). Members will be briefed on these law changes during the close season either in October at the end-of-season review or more likely at the pre-season seminar in April 2011. Further details will follow nearer the time.

MID-SEASON SOCIAL

It is the second night of the C & G final on Wednesday 28th July, at Hatherley and Reddings between Tewkesbury and Gloucester City Winget. GACU&S are hoping as many association members as possible will come along. The cricket starts at 6pm.

There is no need to RSVP, just come along. Andrew Marson is planning to provide food at the cost of Ł5 per head. If we have a great turn-out, then when it's gone, it's gone!

Hoping to see as many of you there as possible.

WEPL HANDBOOK DATES

Please note that the fixture dates published in the WEPL handbook for July and August 2010 have accidentally been transposed back one day. For example, all games on the 3rd July are listed as being played on the 4th July.

2010 HANDBOOKS

WEPL and County League handbooks were avaialable for collection at the pre-season seminar on April 21st. If you were unable to attend the seminar, please contact either Jim Downes (01242 513870) or Peter Sawyer (01452 812911) who have limited stock of these handouts for distribution. You can either collect a copy direct from the above (please ring before visiting) or send either person an A5 stamped addressed envelope to receive a postal copy.

UMPIRE AND SCORER OF THE YEAR 2009

UMPIRE OF THE YEAR - for the second year in a row is Ian Anderson. Ian was unfortunatley unable to attend the pre-season seminar and will be presented with his award at one of the early games of the 2010 season. The final voting was 1. Ian Anderson. 2. Alan Jennings. 3. Steve Bluck/Ken Pye.

SCORER OF THE YEAR - is webmaster Sue Drinkwater, who was presented with award at the pre-season seminar by her father and umpire Jim Downes. The final voting was 1. Sue Drinkwater 2. Andrew Marson. 3. George Yiend.

WANTED! GACU&S PHOTOGRAPHER

Calling all budding photographers. Would you like to see your handiwork displayed on the GACU&S website in glorious technicolour?

Since our previous photographer (Jack Sherratt) had to retire from ill health, the GACU&S website is distinctly lacking in action shots from this season's officials. If you could spare a little time to go and watch some cricket, accompanied by your own digital camera, take some photos of the umpires, scorers, grounds and players and send them off to the GACU&S webmaster, then once again the website might become a more colourful place to visit.

You don't need to commit to taking pictures every weekend, just take some photos whenever possible and send them to Webmaster@glosumps.org.uk for inclusion in our photo gallery and on the home page. If you are able to supply pictures on occasions, please contact the webmaster for details of what format to supply the photographs in.

IMPORTANT NOTICE FROM NOT-OUT EDITOR (Jim Downes)

An article appeared in the latest issue of Not-Out under the heading WEPL. The details were lifted from correspondence received and were not changed in any way. Following the publication of Not-Out, I received an email denying all knowledge of such a document but when I produced the original it was then said it was a discussion document and had no substance, but this was not how it came across in the beginning.

At a WEPL pre-season seminar when several of our ‘panel’ umpires were present there was no mention of such regulation changes and as the new Handbooks were not available changes could not be discussed.

I am sorry to have printed mis-leading information, which was received in good faith and can only suggest that we all await the publication of the 2010 Handbook which should contain definitive information on the new season’s playing regulations.

ECB GUIDELINES FOR JUNIOR CRICKET

The ECB have issued some new guidelines for Junior's playing cricket. They can be found on the ECB website or by clicking on Junior Cricket.

NEW CRICKET EQUIPMENT SHOP

James Denley was until recently Retail Manager at 3D Sports in Cheltenham, which as you may be aware, has recently closed down it's Cheltenham Showroom. James has now opened up his own cricket shop in Cheltenham called Ideal Sports. Initially they will be supplying a huge range of cricket equipment and will also be stocking Rugby and Football equipment from July 2010. James would like to take this opportunity to invite members of GACU&S to his new showroom.

The address is Unit 14, Neptune Business Centre, Tewkesbury Road, Cheltenham, Glos, GL51 9FB. (Behind the Range). Doors will be opening on Feb 1st 2010.

Ideal Sports will also be offering loyalty cards for all local teams which will offer great savings on all equipment. Their website will be available from March 2010 where you will be able to view their stock offering and make purchases. If you would like some of free flyers which include a discount and store location, or to discuss anything else please contact James direct on 07795071081 or 01242 255112 or E-mail him at: idealsports@hotmail.co.uk.

INDOOR SIXES

The first season in the refurbished Cricket Hall at Cheltenham Recreation Centre has been successfully completed. Twenty-four teams competed in the League programme followed by a KO Cup competition. Cheltenham won the 1st Division by a better average than Aston-U-Hill but in the other Divisions Woodmancote, Birdlip and Woodpeckers were all un-defeated. In the Cup Cheltenham beat Coombe Hill and Hatherley & Reddings beat Glos. City Winget in the two Semi-Finals and Cheltenham beat Hatherley in the Final.Congratulations to Cheltenham who did the double and will now represent the County in the National Indoor Competition that has its Final at Lords in March 2010. Full details of scores and league tables can be found on the Appointments page.

GACU&S EMBROIDERED CLOTHING

GACU&S umpire Clive Jones has persuaded our embroidered clothing suppplier (CFS) to now offer a short sleeved umpiring shirt with the GACU&S logo on it. The shirt is a Brisbane navy playing shirt, white with navy piping, as in the picture left. They are retailing at Ł16 each plus p&p and now appear on the GACU&S page of the CFS website for any GACU&S member to order on-line.

For details of how to order from CFS, please see the bottom of the Recruitment page.

NEW GACUS GRADING SYSTEM FOR 2009

GACUS introduced an umpire grading system for the 2003 season. It has been a useful tool, but it has now become necessary to revise the system for the following reasons:

The demise of ACU&S (the old system took ACU&S exams into account)
The creation of a WEPL panel of Premier League umpires
Correlation of captains’ reports with boundary-edge assessments

Instead of being related to examination success together with experience, the new system is based on performance and defines the highest level to which each umpire would normally be appointed, as follows:

Grade 1 is left empty
Grade 2 WEPL Premier 1 and Premier 2
Grade 3 Glos/Wilts
Grade 4 Glos Division
Grade 6 District leagues

Grade 1 is available should any member gain ECB acceptance at a level such as Minor Counties – or higher. Only grade 2 umpires will be recommended by GACUS to the WEPL Premier League panel.

This system is ‘relative’ rather than ‘absolute'. FOr example, an umpire graded 4 in GACUS might be thought suitable for a Premier league in another part of the country – or, heaven forbid, fit only for their lowest level of cricket. GACUS compare the qualities of their umpires locally and move to the top those who convince GACUS that they are the best they have. If all umpires are of the same standard, they will all be the same grade. There is no ceiling on anyone’s grade.

A general shortage of umpires means that some individuals will be asked to stand in matches higher than their grade would normally permit. This presents an opportunity for the umpire to gain valuable experience and, maybe to impress. In addition, umpires will, from time to time, be asked to stand in matches lower than their grade indicates. This allows them to pass on their experience to umpires at the lower levels, an idea that was tried out in a semi-formal way last season, with encouraging results. Assessors will be required to say whether the umpire who is assessed performed suitably for the level of that particular match and to suggest what might be a suitable level for them for the following season. All such assessments, together with captains’ reports and any other reliable information available, will be used to determine the grades for the 2010 season.

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