The Association's Standard Umpiring Course leading to ACO Level 1 examination of the ECB's Association of Cricket Officials will begin on Thursday 14th of January and last for 8-10 weeks, including the examinations.

The ACO structure means that anyone intending to do the course must sign up well in advance. If they do so, they will get an ACO starter kit. The snag is that, if they then withdraw without due notice (at least two weeks), the Association will be penalised to the tune of £50 each. Expressions of interest are welcome now. Follow-up mailings will firm up all bookings before Christmas. (Anyone who sat the course last year will be contacted individually.)

We hope to run a Level 2 course and examination, probably over a weekend in late March. Again, expressions of interest are required now. (Anyone who passed Level 1 last year or who has the ACU&S GL6 will be contacted individually.)

Scoring. Courses leading to formal qualification will be run by ACO on request, so expressions of interest are required. This Association can also run short informal courses to teach basic skills, so anyone who wants get those skills should also make contact as soon as possible.

Finally, the Association will - on request - run training nights for clubs over one or two evenings.

All expressions of interest and enquiries can be made to the Training Officer, Alan Tuffery (tel. [h] 848 0941, or via the Association's Contacts page, available from the menu on the left.