International Institute of Cricket Umpiring & Scoring

Unit 2 – Health & Safety

Health & safety considerations are central to the role of the umpire.

You have a duty of care to all players

You must ensure that you are physically and mentally prepared for your
duties

PHYSICAL PREPARATION

The job of umpiring a cricket match at any level can be daunting because of

the number of Laws to understand and apply

playing conditions to remember

umpiring techniques to perfect

different personalities with which to interact

pressure of the match situation

and the challenge of important decisions to be made

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However deep may be your knowledge of the Laws of Cricket, however wide may be
your experience, however good may be your feel for the game, your umpiring ability will
suffer unless you can maintain a constant high level of focus and concentration
throughout a match.

If you allow your concentration to lapse for a short time, something will happen in the
game that will exploit your lapse. You may be caught out of position for a close run out
decision or interpret a Law incorrectly or fail to see an infringement

The ability to put all other thoughts aside and focus entirely on the match is what
separates the best umpires from the rest

FATIGUE

Umpires need to be physically and mentally prepared

The physical demands can be extremely challenging

Umpires must maintain an extremely high level of concentration

These physical demands may result in fatigue

As the fatigue increases, so will your ability to concentrate become less.

The following chart is not intended to be an accurate representation – in any case,

everyone differs from their neighbours – but it does indicate the general idea

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The higher the level of fatigue, the greater the drop in the ability to concentrate

MAINTAINING CONCENTRATION

You need to have a high level of physical fitness to enable you to resist the effects of
fatigue and maintain optimum concentration levels

TRAINING

There are three main types of fitness that are necessary to cricket umpiring and they should be
the basis of your training. They are:

Aerobic endurance
Agility
Flexibility

In addition you must not neglect to do some strength training. Without it you can become more
susceptible to muscle and tendon strain. In a general sense, it is not easy to do aerobic
exercises without improving strength in some parts of the body. Your first aim should be to
develop a well-balanced exercise programme, one that covers all the special requirements of
cricket umpiring without neglecting other ‘life activities’ – for which you will probably need expert
advice.

AEROBIC ENDURANCE
Aerobic Endurance is the body's ability to exercise whole muscle groups over an
extended period of time at moderate intensity

When exercising to increase your aerobic endurance, you should become a bit ‘out of
breath’. Not too much, though, but certainly not too little. A good test of the upper limit
is that you should be able to say all of the numbers from 1 to 12, in your normal
conversational voice, without having to stop to take a breath.

Some activities that you could undertake to improve your aerobic endurance are

walking – briskly, with exaggerated arm movement

jogging – aim for endurance; beware, it can be hard on joints

swimming – this is good exercise and is kind to joints, but you do need time on
your feet as well

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cycling – this is good exercise and is kind to joints, but you do need time on your
feet as well

These activities will be beneficial when undertaken at least three times a week for 30
minutes or so.
Exercise patterns need to reflect the fact that cricket umpiring requires you to spend at
lot of time on your feet.

AGILITY
You need the ability to move and change direction quickly e.g. making position for a run
out at the bowler’s end

Some activities that you could undertake to improve your agility are

gym sessions tailored to agility; including short sprints, quick turns

games such as table tennis, tennis or squash

FLEXIBILITY

The range of movement around a joint or series of joints

Flexibility in some joints can be increased to a certain degree by exercise, with

stretching a common exercise to maintain flexibility

Stretching should only be started when your muscles are warm and your body
temperature is raised

The development of flexibility is necessary for the prevention of injuries such as

muscular tears and strains which can occur when undertaking endurance training
activities.

Stretching before and after each training session and before and during a cricket match
will improve flexibility

PREPARATION FOR TRAINING

It is recommended that prior to undertaking any training programme, you have a

thorough physical check-up by your general practitioner to ensure that it is safe to
undertake the programme

It is important that any training programme is developed by a qualified person and that it
is specific to cricket

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Organisations (such as your local cricket club or gym) may have qualified training
instructors who may be prepared to assist with developing an appropriate programme

AVOIDING INJURY

Increasing fatigue causes you to lose alertness, which in turn increases your risk of injury. You
fail to pick up the path of the ball early enough. Not only can that result in bruising, but a late
attempt to avoid the ball might result in a sprain or even a break.

Many minor injuries can be avoided by maintaining fitness levels

Stretching before and during a match which will help avoid strains and the onset of cramp

There are a number of ways in which an umpire can be injured during a match, some of the
most common are
being hit by the ball from the striker's bat

being hit by a throw from a fielder

colliding with a batsman whilst he is attempting a run

twisting an ankle or a knee or tearing a muscle when moving quickly for a run out at the
bowler’s end

Not only will the conscientious following of an exercise programme help you avoid many such
injuries, but so also will stretching before and after matches

Most tears and strains result from tight muscles and tendons, so be sure to use stretching
exercises to relax muscles and tendons following exercise or strenuous activity.

TREATING INJURY

In the event that an injury to an umpire or player does occur, whether in a match or at training,
the following procedure should be implemented:

Leave the field and apply the following procedure PRICE:

P Protect from further injury

R Relative rest

I Ice should be applied for 15/20 minutes every couple of hours during the first 2/3 days
after the injury occurs

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C Compression must NOT to be used in an attempt to prevent swelling

E Elevate the limb to help drain any swelling from the injured area

PROTECTION

Umpires can stand in a match for anything between 3 and 7 hours a day

Many of those hours may be spent in cold conditions or under a blazing sun

It is essential that you protect yourself from the cold and the damaging effects of the
ultraviolet rays of the sun

Cold
You cannot concentrate if you are cold. In cold weather conditions ensure you wear
enough clothing to keep warm

Several layers of light clothing are more effective than a single, bulky jumper

Wear thermal socks

Consider wearing thermal underwear

Keep extra clothing in your bag; the temperature often drops sharply after late afternoon

Sun

Too much exposure to direct sunlight can be dangerous. For the sake of your health
you should take due note of the following recommendations

Use a high-protection factor sun screen. Remember that it becomes less effective if you
rub it into your skin – it is better if it is allowed to form a surface layer

Wear a wide brimmed hat to shade your face, ears and the back of the neck

If the hat is an open weave, ensure that a block out material covers the inside of the top
of the hat

Sun penetrating the open weave of the top of the hat can cause severe sunburn to the
top of the scalp

Clothing of a suitable block out material should cover as much of the body as practical

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Eyes
It is important that an umpire has good distance vision

It is recommended that thorough eye tests should be performed every 2 years to ensure
that vision is up to the standard required

Sunglasses and tinting are also important

Tints should be as dark as necessary, but not too dark that they reduce the quality of
vision

Wrap around sunglasses give the best wind and glare protection

Hot, dry winds can cause drying of the tears, so lubricating eye drops may be beneficial

Contact lens wearers will find the need for lubricants essential

Hydration

The brain needs water; dehydration results in the brain not working as well as it should.
Headache, followed by lack of ability to concentrate are early signs that there is a
problem. Do not let yourself get to that stage – it is dangerous as well as not helping
your umpiring.

Drink before you feel thirsty

Carry a water bottle at all times

Experiment with different fluids during training

Be well hydrated before you begin umpiring

Avoid alcohol in any form prior to and immediately after exercise

Drink regularly throughout training & matches

Don’t forget to replace fluid losses after each innings and end of play

Summary

It is easy to overlook these precautions

You must be diligent and develop a routine prior to the match which includes taking all

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necessary precautions to protect yourself from the cold, heat and sun

If not:

You will lose your concentration and focus and your control, decision making and
communication will deteriorate

GUIDELINES

The Governing Body for cricket in each country, for example England and Wales Cricket Board
or Cricket Australia or Board of Control for Cricket in India, may issue guidelines for the
protection of young people playing competitive cricket

The areas of protection may include

the wearing of helmets by young batsmen and the wicket-keeper

limiting the number of overs bowled in a spell by young bowlers

preventing young fielders standing too close to the striker

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