Umpires move up the order

Wairarapa cricket umpires are on a roll.

Mark Elliott has been appointed to the New Zealand A and Central District A panels and Johann Fourie is on the New Zealand emerging and Central Districts A panels.

A third Wairarapa umpire on the Central Districts A panel is Brian Campbell.

Dean Goodin, a relative newcomer to the umpiring ranks, is on the Central Districts emerging panel.

On the administrative front Chris Cogdale has been elected as president of the Central Districts Umpires and Scorers Association, an organisation for which Fourie has been re-elected as regional training officer.

At local level Alan McEwen has been presented with a service certificate for 20 years of service to the Wairarapa Cricket Umpires Association and is currently its longest-serving member.

A new acquisition to the WCA is James Sprowson and Fourie is hopeful the numbers will grow further as the 2011-12 season approaches.

Fourie said cricket umpiring offered training in lesser-known fields such as psychological training in stress management, decision making, relaxation and focus techniques.