A PROMINENT umpire in the Dales Council League has given them what he calls "a wake-up call".

Steve Wilkes, chairman and appointments secretary of the league's umpires' association, had a letter read out at the league's rules revision meeting at Pudsey Congs which complained about a raft of items.

Among them were teams conceding games, fielding less than 11 players and having 11-year-olds playing in the A Division.

In addition, Wilkes mentioned a lack of regular scorers, a shortage of umpires and that matches are taking too long – complaints that could apply to many local leagues.

The letter was also signed by umpires' association life member Keith Dibb.

Much of the evening's discussions centred around umpires and how to increase their numbers.

League results and fixtures secretary Ken Firth said: "We had 34 or 35 panel umpires two years ago and we are now down to 17.

"We have 14 games every week, and you don't have to be a great mathematician to see we are struggling, and that isn't taking into account illness, unavailabilities and holidays."

Umpires' Association secretary Colin White added: "The average age of our umpires is 64."

They proposed that each club nominate an umpire who would then go on a course organised through the Yorkshire Cricket Board Association of Cricket Officials (YCB ACO) Leeds or Bradford branches or the Dales Council Umpires' Association.

That proposal was seconded by Farnley Hill and will therefore go forward to the annual meeting on Thursday, November 6, again at Pudsey Congs.

The umpires also proposed that any club that fails to provide an umpire for a match (or if a nominated umpire fails to turn up) shall be fined £8 on each occasion, but that failed to get a seconder, as did the proposal for each club to provide a competent scorer and for the fielding side to have a player score, thus leaving them a player short.

Crompark seconded the Umpires' Association proposal that umpires' fees be raised from £30 to £35 if there are two umpires at a game or £40 to £50 if there is only one umpire.