North Essex Cricket League

Just a reminder, in general the HOME side should contact the neutral umpires in the event of match being cancelled through a concession. However, it may be courteous if the conceding side also let the umpires know. If you cannot contact the umpires, please inform the Umpire Appointments Officer David Root (01376 583819 or 07981 731291) - failure to let the umpires or David Root know, may incur the umpires expenses if they travel on the day ! As well as their wrath. While we are dealing with Umpires, remember that all First and Second Division Clubs MUST submit an Umpire Assessment (available on the website), marking the standing umpires, by the Friday following the game - failure to do so could result in a five point deduction. There are still some clubs who have failed to submit assessments in the first few weeks. I have not implemented the rule strictly yet to ensure that all clubs have got the message, but from the first week of June there will be no excuse.

Just a timely reminder of vigilance around the cricket grounds as the season gets into full swing. Remember we had a spate of thefts last year, and unfortunately, there has already been reports of thefts in the county at cricket matches this season. Do not give these low life’s an easy opportunity to take your valuables. Take some simple precautions; 1. Do not take valuables into a Changing Room to start with. If possible, keep them safely locked away in your vehicles, you do not need them while the game is in progress. 2. If you cannot do (1) then please try and make sure that your changing room is safely locked, especially when your team is in the field and the key is left with your scorer. If the changing room cannot be locked then ask the host club if they have a safe facility to lock these valuables in, like their bar. 3. Notice if entrance to the clubhouse can be made without being visible from the field of play, in which case take extra care.

Play-Cricket Update With more clubs starting their seasons this weekend – just a few more pointers and reminders with regard to Play-Cricket administration. Thank you to the teams who have already entered scoresheets – so far there have been no major issues with uploading scorecards in the 48 hour timescale. If you are an administrator please can you attempt to address the pointers below, to ensure there are minimal problems over these first few weeks. 1. For the benefit of the home administrator please make every effort to ensure all your players are added to the NECL squad – this will mean picking the player will be made easier. 2. Please can I encourage you to look at ‘merging’ duplicate records within your clubs – if you have a single record for a player it will ensure that the stats that are produced are correct. The instructions for merging players are on the website in a previous article. 3. Remember that both the ‘home’ and ‘away’ club should confirm the match details on Play-Cricket by the following Friday – again this will confirm that both clubs are happy with what has been entered. This is done by the administrator [...Continue Reading]

With just one calendar month to go the start of the 2017 season, this message is for anyone involved in entering results on to the online system - last year this we used CricHq, but for 2017 like the Two Counties League and the North Essex Junior League, the North Essex Cricket League is moving across to Play-Cricket. As preparation for the move across I will need you to ascertain who is responsible for your club’s Play-Cricket website – each ECB affiliated club will have a  Play-Cricket website, and as far as I can see the only club’s that have not claimed their websites are Ardleigh and Great Braxted & Tiptree (there are instructions in the attached Play-Cricket Signup word document (pages 8-11) for those clubs). 7 Para RHA as a new club have not got a Play-Cricket website yet, but this will be created ahead of the season. I will be in touch directly with representatives of 7 Para once their site is in place. I have also attached a spreadsheet of people who I have identified as Website Administrators for your club’s Play-Cricket websites – whoever enters results for 2017, will have to have a conversation with the Website Administrator to [...Continue Reading]

At the committee meeting last week it was reported that some clubs' umpires were inconsistent with regard to no-balling full tosses - So here's a reminder for everyone: Law 42 (Fair and unfair play) 6 (b) Bowling of high full pitched balls (i) Any delivery, other than a slow paced one, which passes or would have passed on the full above waist height of the striker standing upright at the crease is to be deemed dangerous and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker. (ii) A slow delivery which passes or would have passed on the full above shoulder height of the striker standing upright at the crease is to be deemed dangerous and unfair, whether or not it is likely to inflict physical injury on the striker. You can check the height with your colleague at square leg (if he's awake and not lost pondering how he got out first ball a few minutes earlier) before calling and signalling a high full-toss as a no-ball but the square leg umpire should not make the call. Maybe more difficult is the distinction between 'fast' and 'slow' bowling; anyone who isn't a spinner should be regarded as [...Continue Reading]

Article courtesy of Shepard Neame League (Author unknown) Introduction No cricket match can take place without umpires, however most cricket matches are played without appointed umpires. The purpose of this Guide is to give players the confidence to take their turn as an umpire to ensure that a match can take place. In matches without appointed umpires, the Team Captains carry out most of the administrative duties of umpires (the number of overs; if game is playable (having to consider ground conditions, weather and light; who will bat first etc.) leaving just the umpiring to the ‘men in white coats’. These umpiring requirements are briefly covered in this Guide, are not too difficult and will enable you to make a valuable contribution to any match. Remember that umpiring is an art. Always try to remain calm, never be seen to act in a hasty or pressured way and you will learn something every time you umpire. You cannot be expected to know all the 42 Laws in detail. While you have the ‘white coat’ then you and your colleague, together with the scorers, are the third team on the field. While you are in that role, act as a team and [...Continue Reading]