TTCB – News

T&T umpires one step away from Elite status
September 15, 2011

LOCAL UMPIRES are just one step away from being certified  by the International Cricket Council which will make them eligible for selection on the Emirates Elite Panel to officiate at the highest levels of the game.

And to prepare themselves for that crucial step in their careers,  20 top local umpires are participating in a high-level four-session course comprising 30 contact hours at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain Couva.

According to Dr Allen Sammy, West Indies Cricket Board director and recently elected National League representative, the course comes to an end this weekend with the final two sessions on Saturday and Sunday (September 17 and 18).

Sammy, who is also chairman of the WICB Umpires and Match Referees Committee said the participants were solely selected by the local umpires and scorers’ body but that the programme was an initiative of the WICB in collaboration with the T&T Cricket Board.

Dr Sammy said the participants in the course would have already completed the preliminaries and the final written examination including oral and practical tests  which would entitle them to officiate at the WICB level.

He said the Elite course programme is based on the ICC Syllabus and is being conducted by experienced local umpires Peter Nero, who has a One-Day International under his belt; and Joel  Wilson who has performed Fourth Official duty at Test level.

They are being assisted by Clarence Sharaffali, another leading local umpire and match referee and a few other knowledgeable officials who are lending their vast experience to the exercise.

Dr Sammy said that the sessions will also have the benefit of lectures by Dr Peter Hosein on The Mind;

Hayden Bruce on Match Refereeing; Army Captain Kevin Dowlath on Sports Injuries and Nutrition; and First Vice-president of TUTA is also expected to make a presentation on personal development.

The T&T representative on the WICB said the four-part  programme is being put on a “dry run” in Trinidad and Tobago and judging by its success will be used as a template to be introduced into all the WICB members and affiliates in in the Caribbean.

“The course is especially important since the umpires need to be constantly upgraded and this objective is in keeping with the WICB Strategic Plan 2011 to 2016,” said Dr Sammy.

He said this weekend’s sessions will be conducted from 9 am to 1.30 pm and that on Sunday there will be an official closing ceremony involving all the participants and the other persons involved in the historic occasion.