Association of Cricket Officials Issue 30 | Page 20

ICC Europe – Denmark and Essex Continue to Build on Exchanges In 2015, the Danish Cricket Federation was looking for ways to motivate local umpires and help them with their development as officials. Through a partnership with Essex Cricket, we were able to create an exchange programme for Danish and English umpires. In June 2016, two Danish umpires – Aftab Ahmed and Kent – went to Essex and stood in Division 1 games in the Essex League with local colleagues, and three umpires from Essex came over to Copenhagen. This was a successful weekend where both sets of umpires were exposed to new conditions and players. The Danes in particular were challenged, which was a major part of the exercise – standing with more experienced colleagues and coping with more pressure from both teams. Aftab and Kent certainly enjoyed it and they did very well. They highlighted a couple of things they felt were different; for example that the teams generally play the game harder and with more passion than in Denmark, and more respect is shown towards the umpires. Paul Richardson and Jesper Jensen at Harold Wood Park, Essex, August 2017. 20 Two important elements of the exchange programme are the exposure to different playing conditions and working with a new set of colleagues in the playing control team. Other benefits are that our umpires adapt to a consistent mindset and learn to focus ball-by-ball and game-by-game only. Making their routines consistent will put them in the right place for each game and help them excel going forward. In August 2017 we did it again – Mick Tucker and Ian Groves came to Denmark and Lars Andersen and Paul Johnstone went to Essex with me (over different weekends). In Essex, we had a new experience because the games were played in time format (ie a minimum 95 overs had to be played in the Division 1 games). As we only play 50 overs games in Denmark, this was a great opportunity to be tested in another format with different playing regulations. It was a brilliant sunny weekend with cricket on excellent grounds. Personally, it was a great pleasure to stand with Paul Richardson again. There was brilliant teamwork throughout and a very good response from both teams. It was equally pleasing to see that at one point during the afternoon, three cricket matches were played at the same time at Harold Wood Park! The upside for the Danish umpires – and for other associate umpires doing the same – is that they see an incentive to move forward and challenge themselves in unfamiliar conditions. And, if they do well, they may get the chance to move up a level to the ICC Europe panel. Kent Pedersen became the second Danish umpire on the panel in 2017. The four umpires, who have been tried in Essex so far, are all part of the ECB ACO Level 1A course that we will complete in the spring of 2018. It should all make them better and more complete umpires – and motivate them to stay members of ECB ACO! Our colleagues from Essex have also been appreciative of our cooperation and I express a big thank you to these umpires and especially to Essex CCC and ACO, who have been very supportive of this project, realising that it adds to the positive development of umpires in Essex and in Denmark. Jesper Jensen, Umpire Coordinator, Danish Cricket Ian Groves, Mick Tucker, Aftab Ahmed and Jesper Jensen at Ishoej Cricket Ground, August 2017. email us at [email protected] contact us on 0121 446 2710