Association of Cricket Officials Issue 28 | Page 28
A Few Words From Your National
Scorers’ Officer (NSO)
‘The times, they are a changing’, but the scorer’s mission
remains the same.
As we all know, scorers, by their very nature, want to be the
best they can be. To provide a sure and certain, complete and
precise record of the game they are involved in. They are a
breed of being that desires good order. How lucky we are to
be able to look for, and find, assistance from our peers. The
ACO provides an opportunity for each and every member to
improve and continue their development, if they so wish.
Starting from our Scorer Education Manager (SEM) at the
top, we have a network of tutors, Regional Scorer Officers
(RSO) and County Scorer Officers (CSO) who invest their
time and expertise in order to offer support and education,
along with a variety of continuous professional development
(CPD) opportunities by way of workshops and courses at all
levels. In a nutshell, we are a lucky bunch of scorers!
These last few months have seen a change at the top of our
family tree. Although it does not please a few of our
members, it is happening. Correction – it has happened.
Therefore, it is up to us to embrace this change and make it
work for us. It was a democratic process that decreed we will
now be part of the ECB, not an ‘add-on’. We really do have a
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great future within this body and as we now know from
several years of experience, ACO is certainly a force for the
good of all scorers. Let’s grasp this opportunity with both
hands and go forward with increasing confidence. (No, I am
not turning into an Evangelist. I simply have very positive
belief about our way forward.) Scorers will no longer be the
forgotten few who ‘just get on with it’ because we always
have. Now is our opportunity to come out of the shadow of
the scorebox and make our presence felt. Coaches,
managers, analysts and players alike love the facts and
figures that we produce. Maybe more of them should
acknowledge just what a good job is done by the scorers and
bring their influence to bear on those who decide on
recognition at the conclusion of a cricket match? (Oh dear,
maybe I have just talked myself out of a job!) As you can
probably tell, I do feel quite passionate on this issue and
baulk at the fact that, for many years, scorers have been the
Cinderella of this wonderful game, or simply just forgotten as
we blend in with the background.
We have decided to include a new scorer-specific Frequently
Asked Question section in the magazine. Please send your
questions to [email protected] (we may of course have to
edit content, if space is at a premium in any particular issue).
email us at [email protected] contact us on 0121 446 2710