PAUL Newbould has warned clubs that there may be a shortage of umpires, particularly in the opening weeks of the Bradford Mutual Sunday School League's season, which starts tomorrow [Saturday].

At the league's pre-season meeting at Great Horton Church Cricket Club, Newbould, who is administration secretary of the league's Umpires' Association, said: "For the first five weeks, we have got 19 umpires for 19 matches, and at the moment we only have 21 who are allowed to umpire at the moment.

"This is due to DBS (Disclosure and Barring Services) certificates waiting to come back."

The meeting agreed that if there was a shortage of umpires, then the clubs facing each other who have not provided an umpire would be the ones to miss out.

VVS Laxman, who resigned from the league over the winter, have now paid the £343 they owed in fines.