Duo to umpire internationals

WITH North West cricketers in recent years grabbing the headlines, it's the turn of the umpires to start earning their stripes.

In the coming weeks umpiring duo Charlie McElwee and Dermot Ward will be officiating at international level.

McElwee, who is currently in Jersey umpiring in the European Senior One Championships, which the likes of Ireland A, Scotland A, Denmark, Jersey and Guernsey, are all competiting in.

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Then later this month the Limavady man will be umpiring at the Under 19 World Cup Qualifier in Belfast, before jetting off to Italy to officiate in the World Cricket League Division Three.

Incidentally Coleraine bowler Stephen Dunn has been rewarded for a super season by getting called up to that Ireland A side for this week's competition in Jersey.

Meanwhile, Ward is the third umpire in Ireland's crunch encounter with Bangladesh, at Stormont, which takes place this Friday; the Ardmore man was recently selected for the ICC Europe Umpiring Panel.

"It's great for North West cricket, that myself and Dermot have been called up for these various competitions," explained McElwee.

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"Over the years the likes of William Porterfield, Peter Gillespie, Boyd Rankin have been in the spotlight playing for Ireland, so it's now nice to see the North West umpires getting recognised.

"This year in particular there has been an increase of umpires and that's great and hopefully these appointments for both myself and Dermot will encourage more people and in particular ex-cricketers to become an umpire.

"Recently we have ex players like Roly Black and Paul Simpson joining the ranks and Roly has been rewarded by his appointment to this year's Northern Bank Senior Cup final."

The standard of umpiring in the North West is probably the highest in Ireland as the recent appointments have shown and the Roesider also combines his umpiring duties as fixtures secretary for the North West with his wife Mary, just proving how important the sport is to him.

"All of the umpires are cricket lovers and certainly are not in it for financial gain, sometimes standing for seven or eight hours, but with no complaints," concluded McElwee.