Teenager Luke Nelson is making his mark as the youngest umpire in the Henshalls Shropshire County Cricket League.
In 2019, Luke successfully completed his first year on the League’s Umpires Panel, and would have continued this season had Covid-19 not intervened.
He got a taste for umpiring after playing club junior cricket when his grandfather enrolled on the Umpires Level One course.
Luke went along to the sessions with his grandfather, having never umpired before, enjoyed learning the ins and outs and passed his Level One exam at the age of 15.
To put theory into practice, he started umpiring in club matches on a Sunday while continuing to play on Saturday afternoons for the next two years.
The following season, then aged 17, he stepped up to umpiring for Wellington IIs in their Birmingham League games, regularly taking his turn at the bowler’s end throughout the year.
That encouraged him to take his Umpire’s Level 1A exam the following close-season, and with that completed he joined the Henshalls Shropshire County Cricket League panel for the 2019 season.
Officials organiser Mike Sheehy said: “This provided Luke with the luxury to standing with an experienced umpire each Saturday as part of SACO’s Mentoring scheme who could support him on and off the field.”
Luke said: “I really enjoy the whole day umpiring, from the welcoming cup of tea first thing through to a drink in the bar at the end of the game.
“Standing as an umpire really is the best place to watch and appreciate the game of cricket and its tactics.”
Mike added: “Players can initially find it strange/difficult when someone much younger than themselves is in a position of authority, but Luke has been trained not to be intimidated by over enthusiastic appeals and gives what he sees without external influence.
Luke said: “I have learnt to differentiate between ‘heat of the moment’ and ‘over the top’ reactions and will take any appropriate action.”
SACO aims to to recruit and develop more young umpires over the coming years, something Luke feels is a challenge when there are only two umpires under fifty on the ACC elite panel.
He added: “Hopefully more young officials in key roles might persuade (more) young people to take up umpiring at an earlier age. Age must not be a barrier to umpiring.”
Mike added: “Our member Jack Shantry might go some way to being that younger person for Luke to emulate in his ambition to go as far as he can, as Jack fast tracks on the ECB National Panel and National League (formerly Minor Counties).”
He will also be following in the footsteps of highly-regarded Shropshire umpire Ant Harris, who has been on the Birmingham League panel for ten years and has also umpired Minor Counties (now National Counties) and County 2nd XI cricket.
If you want to find out more about umpiring, contact Mike Sheehy via mikeandvalsheehy@talktalk.net
In 2019, Luke successfully completed his first year on the League’s Umpires Panel, and would have continued this season had Covid-19 not intervened.
He got a taste for umpiring after playing club junior cricket when his grandfather enrolled on the Umpires Level One course.
Luke went along to the sessions with his grandfather, having never umpired before, enjoyed learning the ins and outs and passed his Level One exam at the age of 15.
To put theory into practice, he started umpiring in club matches on a Sunday while continuing to play on Saturday afternoons for the next two years.
The following season, then aged 17, he stepped up to umpiring for Wellington IIs in their Birmingham League games, regularly taking his turn at the bowler’s end throughout the year.
That encouraged him to take his Umpire’s Level 1A exam the following close-season, and with that completed he joined the Henshalls Shropshire County Cricket League panel for the 2019 season.
Officials organiser Mike Sheehy said: “This provided Luke with the luxury to standing with an experienced umpire each Saturday as part of SACO’s Mentoring scheme who could support him on and off the field.”
Luke said: “I really enjoy the whole day umpiring, from the welcoming cup of tea first thing through to a drink in the bar at the end of the game.
“Standing as an umpire really is the best place to watch and appreciate the game of cricket and its tactics.”
Mike added: “Players can initially find it strange/difficult when someone much younger than themselves is in a position of authority, but Luke has been trained not to be intimidated by over enthusiastic appeals and gives what he sees without external influence.
Luke said: “I have learnt to differentiate between ‘heat of the moment’ and ‘over the top’ reactions and will take any appropriate action.”
SACO aims to to recruit and develop more young umpires over the coming years, something Luke feels is a challenge when there are only two umpires under fifty on the ACC elite panel.
He added: “Hopefully more young officials in key roles might persuade (more) young people to take up umpiring at an earlier age. Age must not be a barrier to umpiring.”
Mike added: “Our member Jack Shantry might go some way to being that younger person for Luke to emulate in his ambition to go as far as he can, as Jack fast tracks on the ECB National Panel and National League (formerly Minor Counties).”
He will also be following in the footsteps of highly-regarded Shropshire umpire Ant Harris, who has been on the Birmingham League panel for ten years and has also umpired Minor Counties (now National Counties) and County 2nd XI cricket.
If you want to find out more about umpiring, contact Mike Sheehy via mikeandvalsheehy@talktalk.net