Historic moment in the Jamaica Cricket Umpires Association

Jamaican Cricket Umpires started Umpiring after a long lockdown with the Covid 19. Historic moment in the Jamaica Cricket Umpires Association Western Zone. Father Osmond Burke to the right of screen and son Owen Burke to the left.
They both officiated together in the "Social Development" Cricket Competition.
Venue: Herbert Morrison Ground.

Town: Montego Bay,

Parish St. James.

Country: Jamaica

Date: June 13th 2021.

Season's Greetings - Year End Update

Dear Fellow Umpires,

We have come to the end of quite a tumultuous, turbulent and earth shattering year. The year 2020 has upended the entire world. It has brought about the single most devastating pandemic seen over the last one hundred years, the Corona Virus. This virus has destroyed economic activities, social activities and sporting activities worldwide. Major world sporting activities such as the Olympic games that have never been postponed since world war two, major football leagues worldwide, the NBA, other North American sports, and most tellingly, cricket have all been seriously affected by this pandemic.

Towards the end of the year some of these sporting engagements have restarted, albeit without spectators, the players in a bubble environment, and with the adherence to the Covid-19 restrictions. This has certainly been some strange occurrence, but with the advent of the vaccine, there is hope in the New Year by at least the summer for some kind of normalcy to return.

With respect to umpiring opportunities in the West Indies, this has been non existent or very limited. We have had only limited major tournaments since March. The Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and a couple of tournaments in St. Vincent have been the only major cricketing activity that has taken place. All major local cricket competitions have either been postponed or cancelled during 2020. It has therefore not been a good year for cricket umpiring. 

The WICUA through its training committee and in conjunction with the respective territories have been engaged in training seminars with the membership by way of Zoom and WhatsApp to keep the members on the cutting edge of the Laws of cricket and the playing conditions. Unfortunately the WICUA has had to postpone the 2020 WICUA examinations until 2021 and hoped that these training opportunities will go a long way in equipping the umpires for those exams. The WICUA has asked the training committee to ensure that the respective territories continue to carry out their training programs to be prepared for those exams.

In addition to the postponement of the 2020 examinations, the WICUA has also postponed the 2021 Bi-ennial convention scheduled for the Cayman Islands until 2022. This has already been explained in a previous communique so please continue your planning to attend this convention in 2022. We will again start the planning process in the New Year.

The WICUA throughout 2020 has had several meetings with the CWI and the CPL in having critical discussions on matters pertaining to our umpires. With regards to CWI, discussions were held around contractual arrangements for the Senior Panel in light of the Corona Virus pandemic. Due to the CWI 's reduction in revenue due to non cricket activity prior to their tours of England and New Zealand, there was a reduction in salaries for workers and contractors since July. This also impacted our umpires, but the discussions were quite cordial and the final decisions were satisfactory to all parties. The senior umpires also participated in some of these discussions.

Since October, the WICUA and the CWI have been having several bilateral meetings with respect to contract arrangements going forward in 2021, the engagement of the North American Umpire on the 'B' Panel based on the Board's decision that this umpire should pay airfare and accommodation, and the establishing of a MOU with ICC Americas. These discussions will be continuing in the New Year as we seek to broaden our horizon as a major partner with ICC Americas to coordinate cricket umpiring in the Caribbean, North, Central and South America.

Notwithstanding this, The USA is embarking upon a new cricket and umpiring organization that will have implications for their relations with WICUA. The WICUA is still in the process of understanding their final approach and how their current Umpiring Association will be impacted. The initial information indicates that they are planning to develop their own umpiring authority, setting their own final exams and evaluation programs with a view to seek full membership in the ICC sometime in the near future. We will definitely keep you informed as these developments unfold.

So, as the year comes to an end, please know that we are grateful to God that we are still alive. Although this has been a destructive year in all facets, there is hope on the horizon. There is hope that we can share with our families; there is hope that there are vaccines on the way; there is hope that we have a fraternity of umpires that we can have dialogue with and relate to; there is hope that the Cricket Board (CWI) is planning a series of regional cricket competitions and also a number of international tours for 2021. These are the hopes that are here and around the corner. Please continue to have faith. Therefore, on behalf of the entire WICUA community, I want to wish you and your respective families a safe and happy rest of the year and all the best for the new year.

Best regards,

Vivian Johnson

Secretary

WICUA 

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 Death of Johnny Gayle

Colleagues,

Jamaica Cricket Umpires Annual Retreat at the Holiday Inn Hotel in Montego Bay. Jamaica. Lecturer Dr. Carl Bruce. Subject " Concussion" 80 umpires in attendance at this moment.  Retreat period October 25-27, 2019......Theme " Dynamic Umpiring in a Technological Age

RESPONSE FROM JOEL WILSON

Hi Vivian,

I wish to start by expressing my sincere thanks to the Executive and members of WICUA for the plaque in celebration of my status as a Test umpire which was presented at the Convention in Barbados this month. It’s great to be recognized and this stands high on my very short list of awards. Thanks very much. Unfortunately my World Cup commitments and my preparation for the Ashes made it impossible for me to be at the convention to receive the plaque in person. I hope that all when well and we made positive strides in an effort to improve the way we do business and interact with stakeholders.

On the subject matter at hand- Elite Panel selection. My late reply to your email is as a result of the series of meetings, clothing commitments, venue inspection, net sessions and a review of playing condition changes in preparation for the start of the World Test Championships which begins tomorrow with the first test match of the Ashes. It was unavoidable.

The selection of another elite umpire from this part of the world belongs to the West Indian umpiring fraternity, I am simply the ‘torch bearer’. We must salute the work of the persons, who in 2010 implemented a vision to transform our umpiring, realigning it with a new formula for cricket umpiring across the world. The setting up of the Senior Panel in 2010 opened the door and since then we have had great success with our international, senior and second tier panels. Cricket West Indies (CWI) in conjunction with WICUA- and through the Sub Committee provided the opportunities, that in the main, we have capitalized on. I am confident that I speak on behalf of most, if not all active umpires, in saying that we are extremely grateful to all parties.

I am honored and humbled that I have been selected to carry the ‘torch’ and I know with it comes great responsibility to ‘lift the bar’ already set by Messrs. Bucknor and Doctrove. I am fortunate to have the support of an entire region and all resources possible at my disposable as we build on the work already done. Another door has opened and we must take advantage of this opportunity in an effort to make it easier for the next generation of umpires coming through. The road ahead requires commitment, dedication and an understanding that I must ‘stay hungry and stay foolish’. The 'journey now start’, therefore, we are allowed to slow down to ‘smell the rose’, but stopping, clearly, is not an option.

To all those task with the responsibility of managing the business of umpiring across the region please understand that the only thing constant in life is change. We must make adjustments in our management style, if we are to celebrate more often and much longer.

Thanks again to all my colleagues across the West Indies and North America. I am energized by your support.

Regards

Joel  

CONGRATULATIONS TO JOEL WILSON ON HIS APPOINTMENT TO THE ICC ELITE PANEL OF UMPIRES

The West Indies Cricket Umpires' Association wishes to offer the highest level of congratulations to Mr. Joel Wilson on his appointment to the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires. Mr. Wilson is now the third umpire from the West Indies, behind Hon. Steve Bucknor OJ and Billy Doctrove and the first from his home country of Trinidad & Tobago to be appointed to this illustrious panel. This achievement is no mean feat. It is a phenomenal achievement. It is the recognition that his level of performance has been recognized and deeply rewarded. It also means that Joel could not have been promoted to this level of cricket umpiring if he did not constantly put in the necessary hard work needed to achieve the desired result.

It must be noted that the elevation of Joel to the ICC Elite Panel did not come overnight. This has come about with the planning and the foresight of those who are charged with managing the affairs of the umpires in the West Indies, i.e. Cricket West Indies and the West Indies Cricket Umpires' Association (WICUA). It was in a meeting between the West Indies Cricket Board (CWI) and the West Indies Cricket Umpires' Association held at the Board's office in Antigua on June 6, 2010, that the decision was taken to reduce the regional panel of umpires from 36 to 12, to provide more opportunities, experience and exposure to the top regional umpires with an emphasis on the young members of the panel to get them to the ICC Elite Panel within a few years. Mention must be made of those persons who made that major decision that has now manifested itself in this projected outcome. Dr. Ernest Hillaire, Dr. Allen Sammy, Messrs. Tony Howard, Steve Bucknor, Vivian Johnson and Norman Malcolm. Coupled with this, the decision was made to put in place an exchange programme, which was developed with England and Bangladesh. This also paid mighty dividend as Joel was the recipient of these programmes.

Joel, we at the WICUA are extremely proud of your achievement and want to let you know that the hard work has just started, because with all the planning and futuristic aspirations, it all depends on you to carry the charge as has been done to this point. We know that you will remain focus and will continue make us proud over the next many years that you are expected to remain at this the highest level of cricket umpiring in the world. Again, well done and congratulations.

Vivian Johnson

Hon. Secretary

WICUA

WICUA 29^TH BIENNIAL CONVENTION

The West Indies Cricket Umpires’ Association (WICUA) will be holding its 29^th Biennial Convention in Barbados July 7 to 12, 2019. The convention will be hosted in Barbados for the fifth time, the last time being in 2005.

The convention will take place at the Mecca of cricket in Barbados, Kensington Oval. The week of activities will begin with a church service at the St. Matthias Anglican Church on Sunday followed with the Opening and Flag raising ceremonies on Monday before the actual start of the convention Agenda.

The WICUA convention takes place every two years with umpires from the six West Indies Territories, plus Canada, United States, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands. There will be approximately 150 umpires in attendance. The agenda will include elections of Officers for the next two years, discussions on training and development of umpires throughout the territories and preparation for international assignments. There will also be a cricket match played between the umpires of the host country and the visiting umpires.

The convention will culminate with the President’s Banquet and Awards function on Friday evening. Several umpires will receive their certified WICUA umpires certificates and others will receive awards for outstanding service to the Association. The guest speaker will be Dr. Kishore Shallow, newly elected Vice President of Cricket West Indies. The participants will depart on Saturday July 13th 2019.

Vivian Johnson

Secretary

WICUA.

WICUA 2018 PRACTICAL AND ORAL EXAMINATION RESULTS

Dear Colleagues,

Please find the results of the WICUA Oral & Practical Results 2018. Please note comments by the Chairman of Examinations regarding the number of candidates that were successful and the percentage attained. According to the Chairman, there is work yet to be done. As a team, we are prepared to do the work, but also to ensure that the candidates commit themselves to work as hard as possible in order to be successful.

As Secretary, I want to congratulate all the successful candidates and to encourage the unsuccessful candidates to continue the preparation for next year’s success. I also want to thank all the examiners who extend their time to conduct this important exam. Please see the chairman’s remarks below. Please be reminded that the pass mark for this exam is 80%. Thank you.

Regards,

Vivian Johnson

Hon. Secretary,   WICUA

Mr. Vivian Johnson

Honorary Secretary WICUA (December 06, 2018)

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1. This year, twenty-seven (27) candidates completed the WICUA Practical and Oral Examination with seventeen (17) attaining the required pass mark of 80% that represents a 62.96% success rate, quite low and will require Training Officers and candidates to raise the bar in their preparations.

2. Congratulations to all successful candidates and to Mudassar Safdar of the United States Cricket Umpires Association on attaining the highest mark of 94.66%, a testament of the hard work he would have put in.

3. To those who were not successful on this occasion be encouraged to continue the process to achieve your goal, success is never achieved by sudden flight but by being persistent and developing consistency, you must be eager for success and put in the hard work to achieve it.

4. Colleagues of the WICUA Training Committee, WICUA Secretary, Territorial Training Officers, umpires, and other stakeholders who participated in this year’s exercise thank you for your continued assistance and support throughout the process.

5. Candidates must be encouraged to attend all classes, study the laws, have as much practice sessions as possible to build confidence and be advised on answering questions, short, precise and to the point only.

6. Urgently needed is for the practical assessment form to be refurbished to allow for comments from examiners on candidates performance.

Best Regards,

Peter Nero (Chairman WICUA Training & Examination Committee)

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 WICUA Examinations 2018

WICUA Final Written Examination 2018

 Sunday August 19^th 2018

 WICUA Oral Examination 2018

  Sunday December 2^nd 2018

About WICUA

As umpires there has been significant changes in the umpiring landscape, the numbers required for some category of matches have been severely tailored to the point that some umpires felt not motivated, whilst some have experienced financial and status driven reward and are extremely happy.

The truth has always been that changes are intended for good. Umpires need to look at the bright side and remain focused. At all stages not every umpire would have made it to the Elite or ICC Panel or the WICB Regional Panel. This should not in any way be a hindrance, instead an umpire should work hard to reach the top with determination.

Cricket umpiring should not be seen as offering a service for free, it is a business and it has pay days.  This therefore should provide the drive, the impetus thus acting as a stimulus for one’s motivation. Notwithstanding however WICUA has a duty to be, if not ahead of the game, at least should be close to it. WICUA ought to provide the leadership necessary to keep hopes and aspirations alive.  There are ways that WICUA can forge, which may assist in enhancing the quality of umpiring life.  One such way is to organize and work with territories in trying to establish an Umpires Exchange Programme within WICUA.  This is actively under consideration for the future.