observer's role at the recent West Indies Cricket Umpires Conference in Barbados.

Like many of the officials attending a rare meeting of Caribbean administrators and umpires, Francis and Butler were able to table several questions pertaining to all aspects of the sport.

The inaugural event, hosted by the West Indies Cricket Board of Control, saw leading officials assemble in an attempt to improve the standard throughout the western region -- from Canada down to the southern tip of the Caribbean.

Among items on the agenda on the first day was the recruitment and training of umpires in the region and there were also presentations by former Test players Wes Hall and Jackie Hendricks.

Discussions the following day covered playing conditions in limited overs competition in the Caribbean and various rules and laws of the game.

"It was a well organised conference and such was its success that in all probability there may be attempts to have it annually,'' said Francis.

"There were about 40 umpires in attendance and the agenda covered a lot of important matters concerning rules and regulations of the sport.'' Members of Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association were extended an invitation after Bermuda Cricket Board of Control president Ed Bailey and vice president Rudolph Lawrence had paved the way for Bermuda's entrance in the Red Stripe while attending a WICBC meeting in Barbados back in November.

The local pair discussed various laws of the game, in particular matters that the Bermuda team were confronted with -- and perplexed by -- during the Shell/Sandals this year.

"We are aware of the problems our players had, and with the Western Counties planning to rewrite their match regulations and bring them in line with one and two-day cricket, we thought it best to debate this as much as possible,'' said Butler.

"What happened at Shell-Sandals when our players were unable to interpret a certain rule concerned all of us. It was proof that we as umpires take every step to find the clearest possible way to help familiarise them with the rules,'' added Francis.

Both agreed that one of the more interesting topics was the discussion about electronics and how and when it should be implemented to allow the third umpire to look at a replay and scrutinise an incident more closely.

The two also had long conversations with well-known Test umpire Steve Buckner who told both that he was being constantly updated about the progress Bermuda umpires were making with Test players passing through the Island.

The pair found Johnny Gayle's presentation particularly interesting, especially when he explained how the Caribbean islands were experiencing similar recruiting problems as Bermuda.

"While the involvement of players in the game has had to endure competition from engagement in other sports, there is still enough cricket being played where the supply cannot cope with the demand,'' said Gayle.

"It is not unusual, in Jamaica for example, for there to be a shortage of umpires to the extent that some matches are played without qualified officials, while others have only one operating at both ends, with a hurriedly selected unqualified individual, occasionally the groundsman, being put into service at the square-leg position.'' CONFERENCE CON