Dear Staffordshire Scorer                                                                                                                            [as at 19:00 Thu 13aug20]

It is important to record the names of umpires and scorers for every match and we shall be offering some prizes to the most active scorer9s) in Staffordshire.

If you use the PCS App on Tablet or Phone, please make sure that your administrator or whoever uploads the result to Play-Cricket does include these names.  Unless you use PCS Pro as well, you can skip the next couple of paragraphs.

THREE HINTS JUST FOR PRO users

I have previously emphasised the need for scorers not to share the scorebox and suggested the use of PCS Pro’s new facility of Support Scorer.  Unfortunately I failed to tell you that you BOTH need to check “tools”, “configuration”, “network” and tick the relevant boxes.  Please let me know how you get on with this new feature.  https://play-cricket.ecb.co.uk/hc/en-us/articles/360001244757-Turning-On-End-of-Over-Score-Checks-Between-Scorers-PCS-Pro- explains the settings briefly.   There is a very good demonstration - about 30 minutes into Sue Drinkwater’s session - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4G_gjV4pIk.

Has anyone tried to use the video facilities yet?

When you start the match and enter the names of the umpires and scorers, please do NOT use the ADD facility – just click on the grey downward arrow and you will get a list of all possible names – many of them duplicated because previous scorers have kept trying to add them!  Choose any of the alternatives that appear correct – hopefully there may be a clean up operation but this will be a very time consuming and low priority process.

Double matches for EVERYONE

At beginning of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4G_gjV4pIk there is a short section on how to handle two matches between the two teams on the same day (the secret is in the start time!).  Please be aware that it is necessary for BOTH fixtures to have been created by the Play-Cricket administrator.  However, if the second match is unprepared, then you can still use the NEW fixture option and it can be scored in the normal way but the result will not be uploaded to Play Cricket.

I understand there was also a problem last week when a match was tied and had to be resolved by a super-over.  If the Play-Cricket Match type is wrong, there is little you can do about it – just score it on paper and then adjust the result and append a note when it is uploaded.  Hopefully the Administrator will correct this in future weeks.  THIS DOES AFFECT PLAYER STATISTICS AND AVERAGES.

PRIZES for active scorers

We are keen that all scorers and umpires should be recognised.  I am looking at all matches in the county during the whole season and awarding points to active scorers for every match as follows:

1 point for being a Live Scorer on PCS Pro
1 point for App scorer (presumably the home team scorer)
1 point for being a scorer named on the completed scorecard
1 point for every umpire and scorer recorded by the live/home team scorer
5 points for any scorer who completes Basic Online Course between 1st March and 30thSeptember 2020
10 points for any scorer who persuades his/her colleague to sign up to https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WHNCRNP - ask them to mention your name
10 points for any scorer who joins ECB ACO by 15th October 2020

Draft T&Cs:  No entry fee BUT it is not open to existing members of ECB ACO, although please encourage all fellow scorers to participate.

We have yet to decide on prizes but probably at least one for each League.

IDENTIFICATION

Do you have problems identifying players?  One solution is walkie-talkie communication with umpires BUT I have also heard of one scorer who identifies captain/coach/manager of each team and uses their SMS text number – this soon elicits quick responses!

UMPIRES

Please mention to the umpires that, because you are sitting apart, they should ensure that they get acknowledgements for their signals from BOTH of you.  There have been several instances where one scorer has missed a quick signal.

There are some useful links for umpires at https://tinyurl.com/SACOumpire - and more will be added, hopefully by Friday Evening..

IN CONCLUSION

We are still looking for scorers for County Youth matches next week.  Please email Caroline.Cartwright0706@gmail.com if you can help – especially in South Staffordshire

STOP PRESS news and links to previous newsletters, covid advice, courses and other resources – note that these links are being updated intermittently.

If you score in Staffordshire, please complete our short survey at https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WHNCRNP unless you have done so already.

ECB ACO is always looking for enthusiastic scorers, of all ages, who would like to learn more and progress their career to scoring regional and national fixtures.

NB: ECB would like all scorers to hold a DBS Certificate as they may be alone with a child in a scorebox for several hours.  Please check with your Club’s Welfare Officer.

If you have any other questions please email colinp@a-b.co.uk.

Colin Pearson, Staffordshire ACO County Scorer Officer.  13.viii.20  E&OE.