appear to have abandoned.

Alex Virgil, Jack Thompson and Mahdee Shabbaz have all passed the West Indies Cricket Umpires Association's examinations to become full fledge umpires -- but have been virtually inactive the last two years.

And their absence is bothering veteran official George Francis. "I think the opportunity is now there for them to put something back into the game of cricket,'' said Francis. "Our association is pleading for these umpires in particular to come back and help us, especially since we are very short in numbers this season. "I just don't understand it. They were helped by the association to become qualified and having done so these umpires have now quit for some apparent reason. We just cannot understand their logic. To work hard to qualify and then to refuse to come out and help us when the sport and the association are in dire need of help is a mystery.'' A few weeks before the start of the current season, Francis and Randy Butler, secretary of the Bermuda Cricket Umpires Association, sent out an SOS for members and ex-players to come out and assist them in officiating this season.

That plea however didn't get the response they sought, although Francis says that a couple of people showed some interest.

But the call at that time was made so that the BCUA could build up their ranks prior to the start of another season.

"We need numbers,'' said Butler.

The pair said that they were especially interested in ex-players, whose knowledge of the game and respect of their peers makes them ideal candidates as umpires.

But, they conceded, former players are often the most reluctant to volunteer because of low pay, abuse from players and the need to start at the bottom rung of the umpiring ladder.

Match umpires receive only $50 for what is often an eight-hour day, although there are perks.

Francis did concede that one person who was coming along nicely and was already one of their regulars this season was former St. George's player Maxwell Curtis. But the BCUA were looking for others like him.

"We would like to put some people in junior matches, that's where our future lies and we don't want to see people without sound technique coming from the banks to umpire. The kids need to learn the right way,'' he said.