About Us

About Us
Last Updated 2 November 2023

The Shropshire Association of Cricket Officials (SACO) trains and educates umpires and scorers of all ages and appoints umpires and scorers to league, college and Cricket Shropshire matches.

As an umpire you uphold fairness, integrity, and tradition in the game, making split-second decisions with authority, ensuring a level playing field for all.

Structure
Our national body, ECBACO, has over 8000 members and is organised into seven regions, plus ICC Europe; with Shropshire ACO being one of five counties in the West Midlands Region. The National ECBACO Management Committee consists of Head of ECBACO, Deputy Chair, Regional Chairmen, two ECB officers, MCC Laws of Cricket Adviser and National Scorers Officer. ECBACO regional representatives have direct access to the Heads of ECB's regional hubs.

Membership
There are over one hundred ECBACO Shropshire ACO Umpires and Scorers of all levels, though we are always looking to recruit new umpires to SACO and especially keen to recruit more junior and female officials.
Contact is also available through the contact page of this website or alternatively checkout our Facebook page - Shropshire Umpires & Scorers.

Aims and Objectives

To promote and advance the status, role, authority and influence of cricket officials individually and collectively throughout the County of Shropshire and the Borough of Telford & Wrekin.
To recruit, retain and develop the standard of cricket umpiring and scoring at all levels throughout the game, by education, assessment, mentoring and development programmes.
To develop and maintain good relations with all bodies associated with cricket, for the improvement of the game in accordance with ECB Code of Conduct and within the Spirit of the Game and Laws of Cricket.
To take such action and make such recommendations to appropriate bodies as may be considered desirable in the best interests of cricket in general and for the benefit of umpires and scorers in particular.

Progression
There is a pathway for all ECBACO members to achieve the highest possible level of umpiring and scoring. Electronic scoring is required in the Birmingham and District Premier Cricket League and the Shropshire County Cricket League Premier Division.

Scorers are vital to the smooth running of a cricket match. They are a vital resource supporting the on field umpires to a much greater degree than most people appreciate.

An ECB ‘Introduction to Umpiring’ course has recently been developed and we hope will start to be delivered in 2024. MCC e-learning enables laws to be leant online. Following completion of the ‘introduction’ course then a further ‘Umpire Progression Training’ delivered by SACO will help those wishing to progress to ‘panel’ umpiring in Premier and Division One within the Shropshire County Cricket League.

Meetings
SACO Committee meet every month throughout the year with our formal AGM in April. In addition, informal meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month during the season for umpires to exchange match experiences and receive information updates. For more information contact secretary@shropsaco.co.uk

Umpiring Opportunities
SACO operates an Umpires Panel for the Shropshire County Cricket League (SCCL) Premier Division, a feeder league to the ECB Birmingham and District Premier Cricket League (BDPCL) and for ten SCCL Division One clubs. In addition, five Shropshire ACO umpires stand in the BDPCL.
Umpires are also provided for ECB competitions, including Disability cricket and Cricket Shropshire matches and Festivals.
Please contact Match Appointments Officer Colin Wetherley-Mein should you wish further information on appointments. appointments@shropsaco.co.uk

Scoring Opportunities
In addition to scoring club matches, there are opportunities to score at County Academy matches, Cricket Shropshire matches and festivals.

Please contact our Scorers’ Officer Clair Ecclestone scorers_rep@shropsaco.co.uk