Bookings for courses 2025/26 are open

Limited availability – going fast

Visit the Further Umpire Resources page to access the Middlesex Continuing Professional Development webinars and other materials kindly made available by other County ACOs.

Last updated 26 February 2025

How to get the best seat in the house

There is no doubt that umpiring a cricket match is most rewarding because the umpire is the only person in the world who has the perfect view of the match. So how do you become an umpire and have the best seat in the house? Firstly, you have to determine your aspirations and where you would like to be umpiring in the next 3 or 4 years within the recreational game. Will you be umpiring social and junior cricket, or will you have moved on to be a Club Umpire or a member of an Umpire Panel?

What next?

Read on to choose the course that is right for you.

Still not sure?

We are to here to help you decide which courses you should attend depending on your own aspirations. Simply scan the QR code to the left or complete the enquiry form and we will contact you with a plan.

Middlesex ACO Introduction to Umpiring – free course

If you just want to know a bit more about umpiring or want to be more confident when asked to umpire a junior club match or social game, or to do your ‘ten’ as a player then the Middlesex ACO Introduction to Umpiring is your starting point.

Whatever your aspirations, this free 2½ hour introduction to umpiring will give any cricket enthusiast curious about becoming an umpire a taste of what the role entails. The course is not overly technical and is an ideal starter covering the more common Laws so that with greater confidence you can umpire a local cricket match or a match in which you are a player.

For those wishing to progress further we will provide an insight into the ECB umpire pathways for men’s and women’s cricket. You will also be given the opportunity to ask any questions and understand how you can reach your own goals.

This course is free and open to non-ACO members. It covers the basics of umpiring including match preparation, the Toss, boundaries, No balls, Wides, common dismissals, Dead ball, Byes and Leg byes.

Courses are held in the evening at various locations throughout Middlesex.

Introduction to Umpiring Courses planned for 2025/26 are as follows:

• 04 February 2026 7.00 pm to 9.30 pm at Ickenham CC (UB10 8UT)
• 10 March 2026 7.00 pm to 9.30 pm at Ickenham CC (UB10 8UT)

Book here.

Further dates and venues are being organised in 2026.

Middlesex ACO Umpire Extension Course – 3-day course

If you are looking to umpire at the higher levels of the recreational game by becoming a Club Umpire or a Panel Umpire you will need further training to significantly expand your understanding of the Laws of cricket and your ability to analyse and apply league match regulations. The 3-day Middlesex ACO Extension Course will be an essential part of your development. The course includes:

• the role of the umpire and pre-match duties
• the more technical aspect of the Laws of cricket. including:
  • how runs are scored
  • the nine methods of dismissal
  • fair and unfair play; and managing players’ behaviour
  • Penalty time for absent fielders and runners for injured batters
• how to analyse and apply match playing regulations, including:
  • impact of interruptions due to rain
  • slow over rate penalties
  • powerplays
  • free hits
• field craft (i.e. how to umpire)
• Duty of care – including ECB Directives relating to young players
• player safety – including the ECB concussion protocol

You do not have to be a member of the ACO when booking the Extension Course as you can join the ACO after the course has been completed, if you so wish.

The 3-day courses will be held at William Perkin Sports Centre, Legion Road, UB6 8XG as follows:
Course UEC 1
Sundays 01, 08, & 22 February 2026
9:30 am to 4:15 pm
There is also a 1 hour pre-course Zoom evening session.
22 January 2026 7:30 pm

Course UEC 2
Sundays 01, 08, & 22 March 2026
9:30 am to 4:15 pm
There is also a 1 hour pre-course Zoom evening session.
17 February 2026 7:30 pm

Course registration is £40. Book here.

ECB Umpiring Course

In addition to the Middlesex ACO courses, the ECB runs its own ECB Umpiring Courses. These courses are not run by the Middlesex ACO but administered and delivered nationally by the ECB Officiating Department.

The ECB Umpiring Course is a basic entry level course aimed at the lower levels of social and junior cricket. It is also the entry level to the formal ECB promotion pathway. Getting onto the pathway is likely to be a requirement of many county leagues before you may become a panel umpire so you would, in that case, have to attend the ECB Umpiring Course. However, to umpire at higher levels you would undoubtedly need to receive additional extended training, for example, the Middlesex ACO Umpire Extension Course.

The course cost £70.00 and includes free membership to the ACO worth £30.

Details of all ECB courses can be found at the following link:
https://www.ecb.co.uk/course-finder