Northland teens the future of cricket umpiring

Left, Ethan Hare (15) and Harrison Syers (15) are keen to get more experienced in umpiring in Northland. Photo / John Stone

Umpiring is getting a face-lift with the introduction of two new officials for Northland cricket grades.

Harrison Syers and Ethan Hare, both 15, are the latest to join Northland's umpiring ranks after both were awarded $1000 scholarships from Northern Districts Cricket to be paid out over three years to pursue cricket umpiring.

The teenagers had played cricket for about nine years but their venture into umpiring came from wanting to stay connected with the game.

"It's just about being involved in the game. If you're going to stop playing, [umpiring] is a way to stay in the game, you're involved every ball," Syers said.

"It's a good career path even if you're not so good at school, and if you're not progressing in the game then you should go for it," Hare said.

The pair had just come back from umpiring at the Northern Districts primary schoolboys tournament after first starting in August this year. The boys said their experience playing cricket gave them the ability to perform well.

"It was pretty nerve-wracking but once you get into it, it's sweet as," Hare said.

"It's all about patience and concentration. You need to have good mental skills and keep focused, especially when there are rough weather conditions."

While things like the weather were drawbacks to becoming an umpire, Syers said being an umpire was the perfect job for a cricket fan

"You get the best view even if you do get a lot of balls flying back at you. There was a game I umpired last week and the team got 70 off of five overs so they were hitting sixes and it was awesome to watch."

Hare, who still plays for Whangārei Boys' High School, said his dream was to umpire an Ashes series while Syers, who plays for Kamo, said going overseas to umpire would be good to further his career.

Northland Cricket umpire coordinator Geoff Ogle said he now had 14 umpires in the area with five or six he knew were available on a Saturday.

"As far as I know we've got more umpires here in Northland than we've ever had by a long way. Just about every premier game has two umpires now and a lot of reserve games have umpires."

He said through a bit of luck and keeping his eyes open for young talent, he has built up the umpiring stocks in Northland and his two new recruits had impressed him so far.

"They've had lots of games and they're doing really well. They seem to be listening to what they're told and putting it into practice when they're out there.

"They're confident enough and people are getting used to them. They're a bit young so people will turn on them a bit if decisions don't go their way but that's what it takes."

Ogle, who has been the coordinator for about 10 years, said it was the first time he had used the scholarship and he was keen to attract more young players into umpiring.

While, he said, Syers and Hare had a rapid introduction to the job, they had coped well.

"They've got a tough gig, they've got parents of 13 and 14-year-olds who have that idea that if you give their son out you're a fool so they've got to face that every week, whereas I don't. Their pressure is a lot higher than mine."

The two will be umpiring at the Northern Districts secondary school junior boys competition in Rotorua this week.