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Lankan Umpires in luck’s way
By S.R. Pathiravithana
SLC Interim Committee has taken steps to solve one of the major issues confronting the local umpires. According to secretary SLC Interim Committee Tryphon Mirando all umpires will now get a 25% increase in their daily payment rounding up to the nearest thousand. This is the first increase for the umpires since the one they received in the 1999-2000 season.

Earlier some of the senior umpires in Sri Lanka pointed out that Sri Lankan umpires are the lowest paid umpires among the top cricketing nations and at the same time they have the least amount of facilities to upgrade themselves.
One very senior umpire who opted to remain anonymous told the Sunday Times that the ICC has indicated that they would like to see more cricketers who have played the game at the highest level taking up to this profession. However he pointed out that in Sri Lanka not only are they not paid well, but also they do not have proper facilities like a reference library and a reciprocal exchange programme with other Test playing nations.

He said in some of the top Test playing nations there are exchange programmes where umpires can stand at the top domestic tournaments. In this manner they could learn about the umpiring techniques of other nations and elevate themselves.

He also pointed out that the ICC has requested the respective cricketing administrations to put a panel of upto 5 umpires under contract, but it was done only on one occasion and then conveniently forgotten. He alleged that under these circumstances cricketers of repute will not be attracted to this profession.

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