Appeal for umpires as Yorkshire Cricket Southern Premier League struggles for numbers

The area's biggest league, the Yorkshire Southern Premier League, now runs to 128 spread across 61 clubs, including the bulk of Rotherham's cricketers.

The logistical challenge organisers face is finding cover for all the games from an ageing pool of umpires.

"It's a country-wide thing, not exclusive to this area," said David Ward, appointments officer with the Yorkshire Premier League Umpires Association.

"We are probably as well off for umpires than anywhere in Yorkshire and the north but it's still a worrying trend.

"We need 130 umpires each week but we are well down, in the 80s and 90s.

"A lot people don't start umpiring until they finish playing, so they're in their 50s. Most are in the 55-and-over category and there's a minority in the 55-and-under because we're not getting a lot of new ones in at the bottom end. The younger umpires are becoming older."

Those concerns were shared by Paul McFarlane, chairman of the South Yorkshire Cricket Umpires Association.

He said: "Previously when players finished playing, they'd want to be an umpire but things have changed and there are more fluid working hours and shifts that prevent people being available at weekends.

"The ECB is trying to get people involved, such as through shorter-form cricket, but a day is still taken for a game of cricket so you might as well enjoy it."

Paul and his colleagues at the Association are looking for people to take up umpiring at all levels, saying: "it's a great way to support the health of the game and guarantees the best seat in the house for cricket lovers".

Anyone interested is asked to contact Paul McFarlane at [email protected]