ERCUSA History

The EAST RIDING CRICKET UMPIRES & SCORERS ASSOCIATION

Contributors include Elizabeth Coles, Michael Foster, Michael Free, Michael Jones, Howard Kingdom, Roger Pugh, Malcolm Ripley and Keith Smith.

This is a brief history. A fuller account can be found in the book published for the Diamond Jubilee. This is available from ERCUSA, c/o 3 Park Lane West, Hull, HU4 6TU. Price £5 inclusive of post and packing. Cheques should be made payable to ERCUSA. The 80 page book includes seven colour photographs, and many black and white photographs as well as biographies of some of the legendary umpires of the East Riding.

The East Riding Cricket Umpires & Scorers Association was founded in 1953 by a group of officials led by Eric Whitton. The ACUS was founded in the same year.

Earlier Umpires' Association

Since the history was compiled the following has been recorded: During his research into Hull Kingston Rovers, Roger Pugh has discovered references to an earlier umpires' association in the area. The Hull Daily Mail of September 9th 1926 reported on the AGM of the Hull & District Cricket Umpires' Association. One of the matters raised at the meeting was the 'dilatoriness of club secretaries in informing the secretary of the association of cancelled fixtures'.

Formation

The first cricket league in the East Riding of Yorkshire to appoint neutral umpires was the East Riding Amateur League, in 1935. All the member clubs were invited to submit the names of umpires willing to stand in matches allocated to them by the League, rather than standing as club umpires. Thirty seven names were submitted to the League and a panel of umpires was formed. This more than adequately covered the thirty clubs which were grouped into three divisions. In those days the fees for umpires in the E R Amateur League were: Division 3 - 2/6d; Division 2 - 3/6d; Division 1 - 4/6d, which included all expenses. There was, of course, a free tea thrown in! By 1953 when the East Riding Cricket Umpires and Scorers Association was formed only five of those above were available to join. It is interesting to compare the 1935 situation with the forthcoming season when there will be only three divisions of twelve in the East Yorkshire Cricket Alliance (at the time of writing) and probably a panel of around 36 umpires based on last season’s numbers.

ERCUSA was formed in 1953 and was originally known as the East Riding Association of Cricket Umpires. In the same year the national Association of Cricket Umpires was founded, Everest was conquered and Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in Westminster Abbey. Eric Whitton placed an advertisement in the Hull Daily Mail inviting anyone interested in "improving the standards of umpires" to attend a meeting at the Church Institute in Albion Street (Kingston Square). Fifteen people attended, the Association was born and monthly meetings (October - April) have been held ever since. Frank Smith of Hessle was the first Chairman and Eric Whitton was the Secretary and Treasurer. Over the years meetings have been held at the RAF Association, the Corporation Transport Club, the Antler Club (Fenner CC), Humberside Police Club, and for most of the past decade at Hull & East Riding Sports Club (Hull Zingari CC). The membership steadily grew with a peak of 78 in the early 1990s but is now around forty.

The first dinner was held in 1955 at the Jackson’s Ballroom. At that time Dennis Bellamy was the President, he was also the Chairman of YEB. Forty two people attended that first dinner including three M Ps, George Cawthray, formerly of YCCC, and Mr Chichester Constable. The guest speaker was Ben Barnett who kept wicket for Australia. Over the past decade Ken Featherston has organised an annual pre season Sunday lunch which has been well attended.

In addition to the monthly close season meetings the Assocaiation has also run umpires' training courses with several colleagues accepting the role of Training Officer or Tutor, which is the preferred modern day title. The courses used to be held under the auspices of the ACU, with candidates being able to sit the requisite examinations. When Jack Yates ran the course it would start in October and carry on until late March when the exams would take place. Nowadays the ECB ACO is responsible for training and we are fully equipped with computer technology to present the materials. Over the last two years we have achieved a one hundred per cent exam pass rate with our trainees.

For many years the Association has awarded The Fred Levitt Memorial Trophy to the newcomer who achieves the highest rating in the exam. All candidates who attend over threequarters of the training session receive attendance certificates. The current holder of the award is Christopher Robertson who achieved the outstanding mark of 100%, one of only two candidates in Yorkshire to gain full marks.

The Silver Jubilee

The Silver Jubilee was in 1978 and a dinner at the Merchant Navy Hotel was very well attended. Colin Cowdrey of England and Kent was the guest Speaker and he presented a silver salver to Eric Whitton in recognition of his forty years of service to local cricket. He started as a scorer for BOCM CC in 1930 and two years later at the age of sixteen he began a long and illustrious umpiring career.

Jarvis Cup

On Saturday March 2nd 1996 a team from ERCUSA comprising Graham Hoe, Steve Graham, Tom Smith and Colin Wiles took part in and won the Northern heat of the Jarvis Cup Quiz. This was an ACUS competition in the form of a quiz based on the Laws of the Game. The national final of the competition took place a few weeks later at Flitwick in Bedfordshire with Roy Scott replacng Colin Wiles who was on holiday in Cyprus. The team finished fifth in an evenly fought contest. Gloucestershire were the winners.

Golden Jubilee

ERCUSA Cricket Team v Hull Zingari Veterans XI 2003

Peter Fowler, Keith Hulland, Kevin Smith, Derek Miller, Ian Broumpton,

Neil Evison, Richard Perry, Ian Milner, Keith Smith (capt), Michael Free, Michael Jones.

Photograph from Mike Jones.

The young lad Matthew Scarr, who shared the scorebox with me was a pleasure to work with and especially helpful when, in the second innings, the scoring mechanism started playing tricks on us. Matthew plays cricket for Hull Zingari Juniors and is an up and coming young cricketer who is showing great promise. The game was umpired by two more young cricketers from Hull Zingari - they also did very well.

After the match and all the players had changed there were sandwiches and chips followed by speeches and a small presentation to Keith because he was leaving to go to Northern Ireland. I am sure he will be very much missed in East Yorkshire. It was nice to meet so many players, umpires and their wives on such a special occasion.

Elizabeth submitted this article in a letter which was published in 'How's That?' (ACUS) magazine (April 2004). The eagle eyed among you will have noted that Messrs Clubley, McClocklan and Garland were hardly in the veteran stage of their careers! Mike Free has the scorecards for the match

When ACUS ceased to exist, and was replaced by the ECB ACO, ERCUSA became the East Yorkshire branch of the YCB ACO.

ERCUSA Goes to Durham

A party of 12 ERCUSA members travelled to Durham for the (52nd) AGM of the Association, 19th March 2005.

Pictured are: John Abram, Ken Featherston, Mike Lawson, Michael Foster, Peter Fowler, Michael Free, Steve Graham, Malcolm Ripley, Gordon Prescott, Mike Jones, Phil Rogers, George Brown.

The trip was arranged by Mike Lawson

Several members of the Association have moved on to serve ACUS at regional and national level. Among them Laurie Coward, Jack Yates, Steve Graham. Martin Reed and Keith Smith. Laurie served as a regional finance officer and councillor. Steve Graham served as a councillor. Jack Yates spent many years as the North East Region Training Officer. Keith Smith becane the Secretary of ACUS in the 1990s whilst Martin Reed served as Treasurer. At one time Keith, Martin and Steve served together in the national organisation.

Off the field Jack Yates went to the West Indies to umpire meeting such illustrious personalities as Andy Roberts whilst more recently Keith Smith has particiapted in umpiring at international level.

Officials of the Association

Presidents

Dennis Bellamy

A D Silvester, JP

GAS Bunker

Eric Whitton

Michael Foster

Gordon Prescott

Chairmen

Frank Smith 1953-70

Eric Whitton 1970- 1995

Keith Smith 1995

Michael Foster

Kenneth Featherston

Chris Robertson

Vice Chairmen

Mark Reuben

Eric Whitton

Robert Roper

Roger Pugh

Michael Foster

Kenneth Featherston

Mike Lawson

Bill Dalton

Richard Perry

Honorary Secretaries

Eric Whitton

Laurie Coward 1972-92

Steve Graham

Gordon Prescott

Bill Dalton

Mike Linwood

Michael Free

Honorary Treasurers

Eric Whitton

Ken Blackie

Fred Levitt

Roger Pugh

Alan Jones

Michael Free

Training Officers

Wilfred Kingdom

Tom Nicholson

George 'Vince' Jones

Fred Levitt

Jack Yates - Assistants Graham Hoe, Ken Kendrew

Roger Pugh

Michael Free - Assistants Richard Perry, Michael Wellock

Andrew Readyhough

Appointments Secretaries

Eric Whitton

Eric Graham

Laurie Coward

John Abrams

Colin Wiles

Roger Pugh

Keith Lodge

Malcolm Ripley

Michael Jones

Bill Dalton

Malcolm Ripley

Publicity Officers

Jack Yates

Ken Kendrew

Malcolm Ripley

Michael Green

Kenneth Featherston

Chris Robertson

Current Vice Presidents

Michael Foster

Harry Jackson, MBE

Kenneth Lake

Gordon Prescott

Roger Pugh, OBE

Melvin Sadofsky

Keith Smith

Diamond Jubilee

This year we will be celebrating our Platinum Jubilee and hope to put on a range of events.