New Zealand has had a national body, the New Zealand Cricket Umpires Association (NZCUA), in
existence since April 1957. The NZCUA co ordinates umpire training methods nationally by supplying, through New Zealand Cricket (NZC), all training resources. This leads to consistency in training methods and content. We have had what could be described as an Accreditation system (we have called it a ‘Career Path') in place for 15 years.
An aspiring person joins the ranks of a local umpires association where they are handed the “Introduction to Umpiring Cricket” and are given basic instruction. If it is thought appropriate, they are invited to stand in a lower grade club match with an experienced umpire. They then become a Level One Umpire. At some stage during their first season they will be asked to sit and pass a player/umpire examination. They then become a Level Two Umpire. After one full season of umpiring at club level they are invited to sit the NZCUA level three examination. On passing this it allows the umpires name to be put on a list for umpiring at the highest club level.
After one more full season of umpiring they are invited to sit the NZCUA level four examinations. This takes the form of an hour-long Oral exam and a two hour-long Written exam which encompass Law, Playing Conditions and in depth questions on technique and law interpretations.
Each of the six major associations at the end of each season forwards a list of their ten ‘top’ ranked umpires to the National Umpiring Manager (NUM). Each of these becomes a Level Five Umpire. From these lists, the NZC National Panels are selected.
There are currently three panels in place being the First-Class Panel (10 members), A Panel (12 members) and Reserve Panel. Any umpire appointed to the NZC First Class or A Panel is considered a Level 6 Umpire. There is movement between the panels based on merit. Each umpire on any NZC panel is given ‘feedback’ on any match that they stand in.
Every captain is required to furnish a report on the umpire’s performance in every match under the control of NZC. At the end of each match Captains and Umpires are encouraged to have an end-of-match meeting. The umpires welcome these meetings and feel that they break down barriers between captains and umpires.
On receiving the captain’s reports the NUM immediately has them entered on to a NZC database and from this database produces ‘feedback’ reports to the umpires. We believe that we are the only country in the cricketing world to use this immediate feedback system.
An end of season (April/May) seminar is held each year where each of the Level 6 Umpires has a private, ‘one on one’ debrief with the NUM where discussion takes place on that umpire’s season’s performance. A beginning of season conference is also held where the panels analyse, discuss and agree on a consistent approach to any new laws or playing conditions.
At this conference panel umpires are given refresher courses and are bought up to date on their knowledge of laws, playing conditions and field technique.
As far back as 1990 the NZCUA saw the immense benefits gained by organising exchanges with umpiring associations in other countries up to first class level including Australia and South Africa. We have found the exchange systems and invitation of overseas umpires to our tournaments a valuable tool in promoting umpires and exchanging different techniques and methods, first hand.