CASH incentives are being offered to clubs in the All Rounder Cricket Bradford Premier League to provide more umpires.

The new initiative by the league’s management board means that clubs could benefit by £100 if they put forward an individual who undergoes ECBACO Level One and Level Two training and officiates in 11 matches as a panel umpire by the end of the 2020 season.

A total of 96 officials are needed to staff matches every Saturday over the league’s eight divisions but increasingly they had to rely on club umpires last season to reach that figure.

There are currently 80 panel umpires but not all of them are available every week, so the league wants to boost that number before the new season starts.

League chairman David Young said: "The shortage of umpires is most keenly felt by the clubs with second teams in divisions One, Two and Three (the divisions have been renamed for 2020 for simplicity purposes) but it is a problem everybody has to address.

"Clubs playing in the top divisions are fortunate that they regularly have panel umpires at their games, but it is just as important that they endeavour to help in recruiting more people onto the panel.

"Getting more umpires is a huge priority for the league and I hope that clubs at all levels will play their part."

Umpires can earn a further £50 for their club by standing in a similar amount of games as a panel umpire in 2021.

The costs of ECBACO training will be borne by the league, provided that the individual joins the panel and officiates in the required number of games.

Newly-qualified umpires will also benefit from free ECBACO membership for a year, which includes personal insurance cover.

There is an ECBACO Level One and Two Course being held on Saturday February 22 and 29 at Pudsey Congs, and it is hoped that club recruits will take up the available places.

Umpiring is something that can appeal to both men and women, young and old, and is particularly suited to former players or those coming to the end of their careers.

The newly-formed Bradford Premier League Match Officials Association are prepared to put on additional training courses during the 2020 season when clubs have parents attending junior matches, spectators following their clubs or old players are present.

In-season training is also a new initiative but will have the benefit of providing candidates with immediate access to match situations.

To qualify for the incentive scheme clubs must:

1 Nominate individuals not currently on the league panel to undertake ECBACO Level One and Two training.

2 That the individual umpires 11 games as a panel member this season for the club to earn £100

3 That the individual umpires 11 games as a panel member in the 2021 season for the club to earn a further £50.

To nominate an individual contact: the league’s communications and data officer Alan Birkinshaw at editor@bradfordcl.com