A MOVE to pay umpires LESS money in the Bradford Mutual Sunday School League has failed to get past second base.

League secretary Hafeez Rahman had heard from more than one source that umpires within the league were seeking to officiate on their own at matches in order to be paid £50, rather than the £30 they would get for umpiring with a colleague.

Attempting to nip this in the bud, the executive committee put forward a proposed rule change at the league’s rules revision meeting at the Karmand Centre.

The proposal was that, if an umpire was operating solo, his or her fee should be reduced from £50 to £40 but increased to £35 (from £30) if he or she was with a partner.

However, the Umpires’ Association secretary Abid Shah countered: “I don’t know where you have got your information from.

“I do the appointments and there was only one instance this season of an umpire requesting to go solo. Umpires going solo is done out of necessity.”

Umpires’ vice-chairman Paul Newbould, fearing that umpires would join other leagues if the proposal went through, added: “It is 75 years since we had a pay cut and that was in the Second World War.”

Graham Langton said: “It is an insult to only give an umpire an extra £5 for going solo when they are doing both ends.”

It was decided not to put the proposed rule change to the annual meeting at the Karmand Centre on Tuesday, November 19.

However, an Umpires’ Association proposal that an umpires’ fee be raised from £30 to £35 for officiating with a colleague will go forward to the league’s annual meeting.

It was also decided to put forward the rule that reinstates cricket teas.

This aspect has lapsed in the season just ended, but, if passed, clubs will have to provide a variety of sandwiches, cakes, biscuits and hot drinks for scorers, players, umpires and spectators at all matches.

It also wants visiting teams to buy at least seven (full) teas, excluding the scorer, at a maximum cost of £21.

Other proposed rule changes were that a new league-approved ball will be used at the start of each innings and that applications for membership of the league will be selected by the league’s executive committee, although there will still be a discussion at the annual meeting.