New umpires and scorers are always required at recreational level, so if giving something back to cricket in this way appeals to you, this page has the details of courses that will allow you to learn either of those roles.
In Essex, we run a number of courses for umpires and scorers to help people understand more about the roles, in addition to the ECB-run courses that provide opportunities to move on to higher levels.
Read on for how you can qualify yourself for the best seat in the house…
Use the links below to book onto an Umpiring or Scoring Course:
ECB Umpiring Course
Learning with the ECB Association of Cricket Officials is for people who are interested in umpiring at higher levels, and has a defined pathway that clearly sets out the opportunities for you to progress up the ranks in either role.
The below course is designed to give new umpires the key skills, knowledge and confidence to stand as an umpire in cricket, and no prior experience of umpiring in cricket is required before attending any of the courses.
The only pre-requisite to attending the below course is being a minimum of 14 years old.
Candidates will gain ECB accreditation and free membership of ECB Association of Cricket Officials (ECB ACO) for a year, with the benefit of insurance when umpiring and access to up to date information on umpiring and scoring.
Additionally, when joining the ECB ACO, people will automatically become a member of the Essex ACO which will give access to further training and support.
| Course Date | Location | Time | Booking Details |
| *Female-only course*
Wednesday 8 and 15 May 2024 |
The Cloud County Ground, New Writtle Street, Chelmsford, CM2 0PG |
18:30 – 21:30 (on both evenings) |  |
| Monday 13 and 20 May 2024 (candidates must attend both dates) |
Wanstead & Snaresbrook Cricket Club, Overton Drive, London E11 2LW |
18:30 – 21:30 (on both evenings) | |
| Monday 17 and 24 June 2024 (candidates must attend both dates) |
Hadleigh & Thundersley Cricket Club, Rectory Road, Hadleigh, SS7 2NQ |
18:30 – 21:30 (on both evenings) | |
**There is a £30 discount on this course available to residents of Essex. Please contact [email protected] to receive the discount code before booking. The discount cannot be applied after the course has been booked.
Essex Certified Umpiring Courses
In addition to the ECB courses, the Essex ACO also runs local courses for those more interested in gaining a grounding to umpire matches within the local community.
The Part 1 Introduction Course is aimed at beginners and will provide the skills needed to umpire Junior School Age softball cricket. It covers:
• Standing at Bowler’s and Striker’s End
• Wides
• No Balls (front foot, over waist height, over head height)
• Common Signals (4, 6, out, wide, no ball, bye, leg bye)
• Main Methods of Dismissal (bowled, caught, run out, stumped, hit wicket)
The Part 2 Intermediate Course develops the skills from Part 1, so that people are confident to umpire teenage hard ball cricket. It covers:
• Signalling (a recap of those learned on Part 1, plus short run, revoking the last signal, penalty runs, and dead ball)
• Umpire’s Equipment
• ECD Directives (age-related restrictions)
• The toss
• No balls (recap, plus ball bouncing more than once, ball rolling, ball coming to rest, limitation of leg side fielders, bowler breaking wicket in delivery stride, and fielder encroaching or intercepting delivery)
• Wides (recap, plus changes to the law regarding batter’s movement)
• Scoring runs (batter’s glove, byes, leg byes, and when runs can be scored)
• Methods of dismissal (recap, plus LBW and Mankad)
• Counting balls in the over and signals to colleague around this
You are able to attend the Part 2 course without having attended Part 1.
Please use the [email protected] email address if you are interested in attending any of the Essex certified courses or belong to a club who would like to host a course.
| Course Date | Location | Time | Booking Details |
| Intermediate Course
Monday 22 April 2024 |
Upminster CC, Upminster Park, RM14 2BB |
18:30 – 21:30 | |
ECB Scoring Courses
There are currently no scoring courses open for booking.
Please check back in the future, as new courses are regularly added.
