Local cricket?s chief executive has stressed the importance of clubs making a concerted effort to find new umpires if impending changes to the structure of the sport are to be successful.

With the Island set to reintroduce two-day cricket when the new season starts in April, Bermuda Cricket Board president Reginald Pearman intends to press home the importance of clubs sharing the responsibility of recruiting umpires at a soon to be held special general meeting when discussion of the two-day format will take priority.

The recruitment of new officials, says Pearman, will be crucial if Bermuda cricket is to successfully accommodate the proposed changes.

?We have been trying to encourage clubs to help provide people for umpiring for years. The clubs have simply got to start buying into things otherwise it is pointless for us to make recommendations. The clubs themselves have to be prepared to make sacrifices,? said Pearman.

?Somewhere along the line they have to step up and make these sacrifices just like in football and everything else . . . we don?t have sufficient officials to do these games and we need help in finding some. It?s important that we all buy into a plan to improve the situation because if we want to continue to improve our cricket we have to step up and play the multiple day games, play a longer version of the game.?

The acute shortage of officials over the years has made it difficult for Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association to accommodate the regular schedule and with the extra two-day matches coming, it will be even more difficult for them to supply officials on both Saturdays and Sundays.

For several years the BCUA have become frustrated at failed attempts to encourage new people to join their ranks, having advertised, held seminars and visited local clubs, all with a lukewarm response.

Randy Butler, secretary of the BCUA, was pleased to hear the views of the Board president and said he was looking forward to seeing to the governing body team up with his association in a joint effort to tackle the issue.

?Most people we approach don?t fancy the work, not when it involves doing matches in the sun. And now if we have two-day games we are talking about the umpires working on consecutive days . . . that will be asking a lot,? said Butler.

?We have been fully extended the last few years with limited numbers, what few people we have must give up a lot of their time, some are always tied up with shift work and can?t give two days, so it will be difficult.?

Butler said he didn?t feel that jumping straight into two-day cricket was ideal at this time, saying it might be beneficial to launch a more thorough investigation and then implement the scheme a year down the road.

?They could have said this year ?we are going to stick with one-day but make it a longer day and then next year after the kinks etc. are sorted out we could look at the two days?.

?But it will be interesting to see what structural changes the panel will eventually come up with. I personally feel that any new regulations shouldn?t be based on Test cricket, you should implement something that matches domestic cricket which would be more acceptable here in the Island.?