Women and girls interested in being a cricket umpire are being offered seven free chances to get involved through a series of new workshops scheduled for March and April 2025.
Each workshop will include guest speakers, signposting towards local umpiring opportunities, and information on additional local development and networking opportunities.
The workshops are designed to build on the momentum generated by the launch of the ECB Umpire course in 2023, which gives participants the confidence, skills, and knowledge to take charge of a game of cricket.
Since then, we’ve seen high numbers of females taking their first steps in umpiring.
Every weekend, female officials oversee everything from local junior club fixtures through to televised matches in The Hundred. They all progress with the structured support, training, and guidance of the ECB Umpire pathway.
Mother and daughter Lesley and Emma recently attended the ECB Umpire course in Staffordshire.
“I’d been thinking about it for a while,” says Lesley. “I’m at cricket most nights of the week as a parent or player, and it seemed like the next thing to do.”
She adds: “The practical sessions were invaluable to instil some confidence. It was a lovely experience and a great thing to be a part of.”
Emma, whose highlight so far has been giving Lesley run out after she failed to make her ground, agrees the course was a huge benefit. She says: “The practical sessions on the day of the course gave me the confidence to know that I can have a go at this. It really helped me to understand where to position myself.”
Cambridgeshire-based Louise Vickers is another to have recently completed the ECB Umpire course. “Everyone in the room was really supportive,” she says.
Louise is now enthusiastically embracing life as an umpire, officiating county age group team games and looking forward to a new future of cricket involvement.
Her message to anyone considering the course is simple. “Give it a go,” she says. “The online course worked really well, and it helped that I wasn’t a complete novice when I arrived at the in-person session. I’d have likely stayed in the background if it wasn’t for people investing their time in me.”
Throughout March, the ECB is collaborating with County Cricket Boards and the Association of Cricket Officials (ACO) to provide a series of free Umpire Networking and Development Workshops for females looking to take their first step into umpiring.
Venues include:
22nd March – The Incora County Ground, Derbyshire CCC
23rd March – Edgbaston Stadium, Warwickshire CCC
29th March – Falklands CC, Newbury
6th April – Ormskirk CC, Lancashire
12th April – Harrogate CC, Yorkshire
12th April – BAWA Sports Club, Bristol
April – Date to be confirmed – Leyton CC (part of Essex CIC)
If you’d like to attend any of the courses, please complete the registration form.