GRAMPIANS Cricket Umpires Association are calling out for new recruits for the 2020-21 season.
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With the draw yet to be formally released, matches are tipped to be in a 20-20 or one day format.
Andrew Wood, who is the most recent umpire to join the association, said the format would suit umpires who might not want to commit to every week or the former two-day format of A Grade cricket.
Wood said umpires would be supported if they wanted to undergo training, but training wasn't compulsory.
"Former players who have had a lot of experience in cricket know the rules and could umpire without training," he said.
"Most umpires in our region go on their experience of the game.
"It's not a daunting task - there are no big hoops to jump through. There is of course a couple of tricky rules so it could pay to read up on the rules.
"This season is actually a perfect time for those who are interested to have a go with the format of the draw."
Wood said he turned to umpiring as a way to stay involved with the sport after retiring from playing.
"I've been involved for about 40 years," he said.
"I wanted to stay involved and after I retired from playing I would go watch my boys play a bit. It used to frustrate me and I wanted to be involved in some way.
"I thought why not start umpiring. It's a way to stay involved, gives me a bit of extra cash in the back pocket and you get to watch from the best spot on the ground.
"It would be good to get some new faces around the grounds."
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Grampians Cricket Association president Marc Brilliant said he encouraged past players who were interested in umpiring to get in touch.
"We are on the lookout for the next generation of umpires to come through and learn from the talented and experienced umpires we already have," he said.
"It could be someone just out of cricket or someone to looking to make some extra dollars on a Saturday.
"We want to expand on the umpires we already have and get some fresh faces around the association.
"It's a way past players can be involved in the community without having to make that commitment each week."
Brilliant said any interested umpires can express their interest directly to himself, Wood or association secretary Nic Baird.
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Cassandra Langley
Rural and regional story-telling is where my passion lies. Email: cassandra.langley@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Rural and regional story-telling is where my passion lies. Email: cassandra.langley@austcommunitymedia.com.au
