Association of Cricket Officials Issue 27 | Page 24

Your Letters (continued) Andrew Beaven, Essex Thanks for another informative issue of the magazine – lots to think about! Re: ECB Recreational Cricket (pages 10 and 11, Issue 26) and Cricket Unleashed Is it really intended that the Essex clubs within the M25 (very nearly, although not quite equivalent to ‘Essex [London boroughs]’) should be separated from the Essex County Board for ‘participation’? The majority of the established clubs will find this quite a wrench, given that they currently play in Essex County Leagues and age-group competitions, and send players to the Essex representative squads. I have never seen participation figures, but removing the Essex London boroughs (Waltham Forest, Newham, Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge and Havering) from the Essex County Board could cut the population by as much as half. Answered by Simon Brown, Head of Regional Operations The new regional ECB structure has been created in collaboration with Essex and attempts to address the specific issues associated with both rural and urban cricket. Cricket, and other sports, within the M25 experience particular pressures on facilities associated with population growth and rapid urbanisation. To help address this we have invested in specific skills and resources in the London team, which include those areas of Essex most affected. In the more rural parts of the county, the East team is helping to build on some of the great work already undertaken to collaborate across the region and grow the game. I trust this helps add context to the thinking behind the structure and specific issues we are trying to address. Young Wicketkeepers (page 24, Issue 26) As a coach (my full-time job), I tell my young keepers that they can take their helmet off only if they are standing six metres back from the wicket when the ball is delivered... although without any backing in the Laws or ECB guidelines, this seems a safe (if arbitrary) distance; it takes no account of the risk faced when the keeper moves back up to the stumps to take a potentially wayward and/or deflected return from the outfield, however. I would probably favour adopting the same regulations as for batsmen – young keepers to wear helmets at all times. As stated by Mark Williams on page 24 of Issue 26, umpires should err on the side of caution. The guidance does not specify any particular distance and some umpires may feel it varies depending on the age of the wicketkeeper and the speed of the bowling. It is something that umpires should agree with captains/coaches at the meeting prior to the toss. Incidentally, the guidance was changed in February 2016 to include all ‘practice sessions’. This would include any practice on the day of the match prior to the toss. 24 email us at [email protected] contact us on 0121 446 2710